More than any other 2025 Bucs draft pick, it has been an up-and-down year for cornerback Benjamin Morrison.
There were high hopes about Morrison immediately, as the second-round pick seemed NFL-ready and only slipped to the second round because of medical concerns. The talent is there; it always has been. It was on display during his Notre Dame days as a ballhawk who also locked up then-Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
After flashing promise early in the year against the Jets and Eagles, Morrison missed time, struggled in four games, and has been out due to injury since facing the Bills in Week 11. Like much of the defense, now it is his time to step up with this season’s stakes at their highest.
Benjamin Morrison Is Now Tasked With Filling The Shoes Of Zyon McCollum
Outside of Jamel Dean, the Bucs’ cornerbacks have largely struggled on the outside this season. Among them, Zyon McCollum has drawn much of the ire as he failed to play up to expectations after signing a three-year, $48 million contract before this season. With McCollum now on injured reserve and out for the rest of the regular season, it has led to questions about who will be starting opposite Dean.
Bucs CB Benjamin Morrison and Bills WR Tyrell Shavers – Photo by: USA Today
Earlier in the week, head coach Todd Bowles sounded confident in rookies Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish.
“[I have] very high confidence in both of them,” Bowles said. “I mean, they’re not rookies anymore. It’s late in the season right now. They both can play. They understand the system, and they’ve got to go out there and play.”
Parrish has held his own for the most part despite some recent struggles of his own, but Bowles’ comment is more about trusting in Morrison. He has only played more than 70% of defensive snaps in a game once this year during the 44-32 loss to the Bills. It was far from being all on Morrison, but he did allow a 43-yard touchdown to wide receiver Tyrell Shavers, who finished the game with four catches for 90 yards.
B-Mo has since missed time with a hamstring injury, but things do not get any easier this Sunday against the Panthers. Carolina’s top three wide receivers – Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette, and Jalen Coker – all stand at least 6-foot-3. Having big targets has helped quarterback Bryce Young, who will likely be targeting the rookie cornerback early and often.
Benjamin Morrison Set To Have A Three-Game Audition As Starting Bucs CB
Asked more about Benjamin Morrison on Thursday, Todd Bowles believes the player the Bucs drafted with the goal being a full-time starter in 2026 will shine and play better than he has.
“I think he’s finally healthy, so you’ll probably see the real Benjamin Morrison that we drafted,” Bowles said. “He had a couple weeks to take in some things mentally and get physically right, so he’s probably in the best place he’s been in this year. I think we’ll see the best when we see [him].”
Bucs CB Benjamin Morrison – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Defensive pass game coordinator George Edwards chimed in, expecting Morrison to be up for the challenge.
“I think the one thing he has done, even though he’s had some injuries and been in-and-out of the lineup, is that he’s been here every day, he’s been attentive, he understands what we’re trying to get accomplished,” Edwards said. “From that aspect of it, I think whenever his number gets called, I think he’ll be prepared for it and be ready to go.”
With all of this being said, it is fair to say that the final three games will not only say a lot about the Bucs’ future, but also Morrison’s.
Jamel Dean will be a free agent after this season, and indications are that he will not be returning after taking a pay cut this season to take a year off his deal. That gives Morrison a chance down this final stretch to play a pivotal role in stopping the Panthers’ wide receivers twice in three games. If he does, Morrison will solidify himself as a starting cornerback for 2026. If he flounders, Tampa Bay will certainly add cornerback competition in free agency or in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Like a J.G. Wentworth commercial from back in the day, the Bucs need more from Benjamin Morrison – and they need it now.
Adam Slivon has covered the Bucs for four seasons with PewterReport.com as a Bucs Beat Writer, Social Media Manager, and Podcaster. Adam started as an intern during his time at the University of Tampa, where he graduated with a degree in Sport Management in May 2023.
In addition to his regular written content, he appears every Thursday on the Pewter Report Podcast, has a weekly YouTube Top 10 Takeaways video series, and leads the managing of the site's social media platforms.
As a Wisconsin native, he spent his childhood growing up on a farm and enjoys Culver's, kringle, and a quality game of cornhole. You can find him most often on X @AdamLivsOn.
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