Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie is starting to ramp it up and it could mean huge things for Baker Mayfield and the passing attack
Ted Hurst stole the show during Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Jacksonville Jaguars joint practice and it’s a product of a lot of learning and growing.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers went up against the Jacksonville Jaguars in joint practice on Tuesday, and rookie Ted Hurst was easily one of the top names that stole headlines throughout the session.
Per reports, Hurst made several plays on the day, showing off a nice connection with Baker Mayfield. He caught a touchdown in the back of the end zone, caught a big pass over the top of the Jaguars secondary, and also made a couple of big plays on second-year cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter.
While making plays and outbodying defenders for footballs is great, the most encouraging aspect of Hurst’s session, as well as the last couple of weeks, is him understanding the playbook more and more. The mental side of things is clicking, and it’s showing up on the field.
“His growth has come in understanding the offense (and) that allows him to play faster,” Todd Bowles told reporters after practice. “He’s not thinking as much, so he’s not playing half speed. He’s playing full speed. He understands where to go and where to be, and that allows him to play a lot faster.”
When a rookie can stop thinking so much and just react, he can lean on his natural abilities. For Hurst, that means his height, his speed, and his overall physical stature. That’s what Tampa Bay absolutely needs after losing a big-bodied receiver in Mike Evans.
Hurst, if he can continue this momentum, can become a downfield and red zone threat that adds a whole new dimension to the Buccaneers’ passing attack. The early returns suggest he’s trending in that direction, and his quarterback sees it, too.
Mayfield also had some strong words about Hurst’s progression over these last couple of weeks.
“A lot,” Mayfield said when asked about Hurst’s progress. “And you know when you’re able to as a rookie with his talent, his body, God-given ability, that when you’re able to not think as much and just go play and use that ability, good things happen.
“So you can see it clicking, just the motions, everything that we’re trying to get done. When he has a one-on-one matchup, he knows the ball’s probably coming his way, and so yeah, he’s making a lot of plays.”
When a veteran quarterback talks about a rookie receiver knowing the ball is coming his way in one-on-one situations, that’s a significant level of confidence. It means the timing is getting there, the route running is improving, and the chemistry between the two is developing at a rate the Buccaneers need.
Now it’s all about Hurst stacking another good day on Wednesday and then potentially getting in some quality reps on Friday night. If he can continue to do that, this Buccaneers passing attack will only continue to look more and more promising as it gets healthier and healthier.
