Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie wide receiver Ted Hurst slates himself in for a meaningful role per general manager Jason Licht. Licht addressed the media after the completion of the 53-man roster for the 2026 NFL season. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Hurst in the third round of the NFL Draft this year and has been able to carve out a role within a crowded receiver room.
Licht said, “After we drafted him, I personally thought, okay, this is a great situation for him to be behind these guys and learn, may not make a big impact for us this year but, one for the future. But I think he’s proven to us throughout camp, even OTAs, practice every day that he’s been very, very steady. And I think it’s kind of evolved into okay, we can use him this year and he’s going to play a role.”
The Buccaneers starting wide receivers should involve Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin; however, the third wide receiver in that offense has yet to be determined. Hurst should compete with Jalen McMillan and Tez Johnson for that position throughout the year. Although, having the general manager’s blessing should pay dividends down the line when coaches consider his involvement.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Wide Receiver Ted Hurst Set For Meaningful Role
The addition of Hurst was a surprise for many at the time because the Buccaneers have added receivers over the last few drafts. They currently own a deep and young group of players throughout their roster. However, they also dealt with significant injuries to their key group of players last season. Mike Evans, Godwin, and McMillan both missed most of the season with injuries. Not to mention, Evans departure from Tampa Bay left a void for a specific type of player. Hurst has the athleticism to help ease the pain of losing Evans to the San Francisco 49ers.
The Buccaneers also kept three wide receivers on their practice squad in Garrett Greene, Eric Rivers, and Dean Patterson IV. The Buccaneers wanted to bolster their depth at receiver this offseason, and they accomplished that task mightily. However, many of these players remain unproven at the NFL level.
Baker Mayfield Will Need a Healthy Receiving Corp to Help Make His Contract Case
As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baker Mayfield reach a critical point in their relationship, both sides need the wide receiver room to stay healthy this season. Last year, health was a major issue throughout the Buccaneers roster, and Mayfield’s efficiency dropped tremendously in the second half of the season. The injuries to the wideouts and himself added to those troubles. A healthy season would help Mayfield get the contract extension he desires from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Yet, a repeat of last season could spell doom for the signal-caller’s chances at staying with the organization.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Rookie WR ‘Going To Play a Role’