Bucs' Alterraun Verner: 'I came nowhere close to my expectations'

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Alterraun Verner to a four-year, $26.5-million contract last March, expecting him to be their shutdown cornerback for the foreseeable future. 

Verner struggled throughout the 2014 campaign, though, surrendering five touchdowns. Passers held a 111.1 quarterback rating when targeting the 26-year-old, according to Pro Football Focus - which is not good. 

It's hard to tell whether last year's campaign was an anomaly or if it's predictive of decline.

In any event, Verner, who excelled with the Tennessee Titans two seasons ago, is entering 2015 with an innate confidence that he can perform much better. 

"The reality is that I came nowhere close to my expectations," Verner told Pewter Report's Scott Reynolds. "I thought I was going to have at least six or seven interceptions - minimum. I only had two and dropped three or four. If I did my job better and understood the defense better I could have had more.

"It's nobody's fault other than myself. Having that season last year is only going to make this year better. That was my expectation, and the reality is that I wasn't the playmaker creating turnovers that I was supposed to be. I will be this year."

Verner recorded 76 tackles and two interceptions in 14 games with the Buccaneers last season, as the team slumped to an abysmal 2-14 record. 

The cornerback offered an explanation for the team's poor defensive performance.

"There are weaknesses in any defense and given enough time, quarterbacks will find the weaknesses in ours," Verner said. "If our defensive line can get pressure on the quarterback he won't have time to exploit those weaknesses. If the pass rush doesn’t get there, if the linebacker doesn't get his drop at the right time, in the secondary if we're not at our landmarks at the right time or re-routing our receivers to help the defensive line get there, then yes, somebody is going to be open. 

"That was happening way too much at the beginning of the year."

Tampa Bay's defense features plenty of top-notch talent, but failed to meet expectations. The Bucs are surely hoping Verner isn't another casualty of a decidedly poor 2014 free-agency haul for the team.