It might be time for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to admit that whatever part of their scouting department is in charge of evaluating cornerbacks — specifically outside cover corners — needs to be overhauled.
The latest and most glaring example of their failures looks like 2025 2nd-round pick (No. 53 overall) Benjamin Morrison, who was projected as a 1st-round pick before a hip injury sidelined him for the final part of his last season at Notre Dame.
Morrison seemed lost as a rookie — when he was actually on the field — and got completely overshadowed by another rookie cornerback in Jacob Parrish, who was 1 of the best players on the field at times playing in the slot.
Pro Football Focus NFL reporter Bradley Locker put Morrison at the top of his list of players under pressure to perform in Year 2.
“Countless pundits around the football landscape believed the Buccaneers landed a steal with Morrison in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but his first year as a pro was trying for several reasons,” Locker wrote. “The Notre Dame product endured multiple leg injuries as a rookie, appearing on only 360 snaps while rotating behind Tampa Bay’s starters. When Morrison did see the field, he was susceptible in coverage with a 50.0 PFF coverage grade and 110.8 passer rating when targeted — the 17th-highest among 100 qualified corners. The ground game didn’t prove far superior for Morrison either, earning a 35.5 PFF run-defense grade and missing 21.2% of his tackle attempts.”
Injury Issues Followed Morrison in Offseason
Morrison will almost certainly get the opportunity to show what he can do again in 2026.
The Buccaneers not only don’t have any proven, elite talent at outside cornerback, but their shutdown cornerback in 2025 left in free agency when Jamel Dean signed a 3-year, $36.75 million contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The problem for Morrison, dating back to college, has been injuries. That continued through his rookie season and seems to have followed him through his 1st full NFL offseason.
While the Buccaneers and their fans had lofty goals for Morrison as a rookie, he never seemed to get right physically. He missed 7 games due to injuries, including missing the entire preseason due to a nagging hamstring injury.
“Bucs CB Benjamin Morrison has a leg injury and didn’t practice during Thursday’s OTAs,” Tampa Bay Times NFL reporter Rick Stroud wrote on his official X account on June 11. “It’s the offseason, so no further details are made available.”
“Bowles says Benjamin Morrison is ‘nicked up’ with a ‘leg injury’ right now,” Pewter Report wrote on its official X account.
“Todd Bowles says Benjamin Morrison has a ‘leg injury,’ ” Buccaneers reporter Evan Closky wrote on his official X account on Thursday. “Would not specify further than that. Was out here but not participating in drills today.”
Frustrating Start to Career for Benjamin Morrison
Headed into the 2024 season, Morrison seemed like the lock of all locks to be a 1st round pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
Morrison, the son of former NFL safety Darryl Morrison, spent the first 2 seasons of his college career as the lockdown cornerback for the Irish and seemed to have everything NFL teams wanted in an elite cover corner.
That was, until season-ending hip surgery saw him play in just 6 games as he watched from the sidelines as Notre Dame made a run to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game without him.
Morrison still declared for the NFL draft and, unable to work out for teams, watched his stock dip until the Buccaneers selected him in the second round (No. 53 overall). He signed a 4-year, $8.2 million contract.
Disappointing Bucs Draft Pick ‘Under Pressure’ in Year 2