For all of the promise and potential we’ve heard about regarding Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Benjamin Morrison since he was taken in the 2nd round of the 2025 NFL draft, there’s been very little payoff.
Morrison, for all his talent, can’t seem to stay healthy. It’s a problem that dogged him his final year at Notre Dame, continued into his rookie year with the Buccaneers, and has now, somehow, stretched into OTAs before his 2nd NFL season.
It’s also on the verge of becoming a frustrating, repeated talking point for the Buccaneers and their fans.
“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 Thursday. “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 on Thursday.
“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), signing a 4-year, $8.2 million contract.
While the Buccaneers and their fans had lofty goals for Morrison as a rookie, he never seemed to get right physically and missed 7 games due to injuries, including missing the entire preseason due to a nagging hamstring injury.
In 10 games, Morrison made 3 starts and finished with 26 tackles, 4 pass deflections, and 1 fumble recovery.
Morrison Could Still ‘Make Leap’ in 2nd Season
Some still have faith Morrison could become a star.
Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman put him at the top of his list of 2nd-year players ready to “make the leap” to stardom in 2026.
“The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defense was a major part of their second-half collapse, losing seven of eight games and missing the playoffs for the first time in six seasons,” Auman wrote. “Tampa Bay allowed cornerback Jamel Dean to leave for the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency and hasn’t made any significant additions at outside corner, so they’re trusting that Benjamin Morrison and Zyon McCollum can be much improved, with the help of an upgraded defensive front. As much as anything, the former second-round pick must show he can stay healthy after missing seven games as a rookie with a hamstring injury.”
Bucs Get Bad News on Injury-Prone Former 2nd Round Pick