Bucs rookie is quickly easing the concerns that a lot of people had during one of the latest rounds of OTAs
The plan for Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie cornerback Benjamin Morrison is clear, but when the team is able to fully deploy said plan is more on the opaque side of the spectrum.That's because Morrison is recovering from hip surgery he had back in October of 2024 that ended his final season at Notre Dame earlier […]
The plan for Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie cornerback Benjamin Morrison is clear, but when the team is able to fully deploy said plan is more on the opaque side of the spectrum.
That's because Morrison is recovering from hip surgery he had back in October of 2024 that ended his final season at Notre Dame earlier than anticipated. The recovery timeline depends on certain factors, but the general timeline is around 6-9 months, which would currently place Morrison around the 8ish-month-mark.
Regardless, many are wondering if he'll be able to get solid work in ahead of time via OTAs and mandatory minicamp.
"I think he’s okay. I just think he has to get in shape now so we have to monitor where he is as far as what kind of program he needs but I think he’ll be fine," Todd Bowles told reporters back at the beginning of May. "We’re really looking forward to having him at training camp but if he can come out and do some things in OTAs, that would be a big bonus.”
Sure enough, Morrison not only saw his practice time increase during Tuesday's OTAs, he also made some plays, as Pewter Report notes in their latest observations column:
Another welcoming sign for the Bucs was that second-round pick Benjamin Morrison had his playing time increased. He went from working out during just individual drills in rookie mini-camp and OTAs to playing with the whole defense during 11-on-11s and 7-on-7s on Tuesday…
…Morrison didn’t show any signs of rust considering he hadn’t played with all 11 on defense in months. He also made an exceptional play toward the end of practice while covering Egbuka on his route. A ball thrown high saw Egbuka leaping into the air and getting his hands onto the football. Morrison made a savvy play and knocked the ball loose to force an incompletion while also colliding into Egbuka, who fell hard to the ground after. – Matt Matera, Pewter Report
This is huge for both Morrison and the Bucs, as it allows the second-round rookie to really get a solid grasp on the system and everything else. The Bucs' cornerback room -and secondary as a whole- is going to have a ton of competition throughout, so it's crucial that Morrison be as involved as much as possible early-on in order to keep his head above water, so to speak.
Especially when considering the long-term future of Jamel Dean is in question. There is a serious path for Morrison to really start his NFL career on a strong note and avoiding waiting until training camp to see real action is a huge step in the right direction.
"It’s important because they have to learn the scheme and they have to pick everything up and see how we run things," Bowles said Tuesday when asked about the importance of OTAs for youngsters. "For the young guys coming in, OTAs and minicamps are for them to get caught up with the vets that have been here through Phase I and Phase II so that when training camp starts, they’re on level ground.
"We don’t lose sight of that and we make sure they get the reps they need and the extra meetings and the extra walk-throughs so that by the time training camp comes, they have a chance to compete.”
