By A Healthy Benjamin Morrison Could Change the Buccaneers’ Secondary
TAMPA, Fla. — For most of training camp, one of the biggest questions surrounding the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defense has been sitting on the sideline.
What could this secondary look like with a healthy Benjamin Morrison?
The Buccaneers finally started getting an answer this week.
Morrison returned to the practice field for 11-on-11 team drills Thursday after a hamstring injury kept him out for most of training camp.
Head coach Todd Bowles said the second-year cornerback remains day-to-day as Tampa Bay continues to bring him along carefully.
For a Buccaneers defense that needs more consistency on the back end, Morrison’s return could ultimately be one of the most important developments of the preseason.
Morrison Gives Todd Bowles More Options
Bowles loves versatility, and a healthy Morrison creates possibilities.
Zyon McCollum is expected to occupy one outside cornerback spot, while second-year defensive back Jacob Parrish has the flexibility to play outside or move into the slot.
Rookie Keionte Scott has also been trained at corner, nickel, and safety.
Put Morrison into that equation, and suddenly Bowles has pieces he can move around instead of simply trying to fill holes.
That’s important.
If Morrison proves he can handle a starting job outside, Parrish can be deployed wherever Bowles believes he creates the biggest advantage.
Scott doesn’t have to be rushed into one permanent role, either.
That’s the difference between having defensive backs and having a secondary.
And for a coach as aggressive as Bowles, having corners he trusts can affect the entire defense.
More confidence outside can mean more pressure packages. It can let the safeties play more aggressively. It can give Bowles more freedom to disguise coverages instead of protecting weaknesses.
Morrison doesn’t have to become an All-Pro for his presence to change this defense. He needs to become the player Tampa Bay believed it was getting in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Talent Has Never Been the Question
There was a reason Benjamin Morrison was once considered a potential first-round draft choice.
During his first two seasons at Notre Dame, Morrison intercepted nine passes and recorded 23 passes defensed.
But a hip injury ended his 2024 season after six games and required surgery, helping push him into the second round.
The Buccaneers grabbed him with the 53rd overall selection.
Assistant general manager Mike Biehl called Morrison a “first-round talent” after Tampa Bay drafted him.
His rookie season offered flashes of that ability but was again interrupted by health issues.
Morrison appeared in 10 games with three starts in 2025, playing 359 defensive snaps.
He finished with 26 combined tackles, two tackles for loss, four passes defensed and a fumble recovery.
Those aren’t eye-popping numbers, but there were encouraging signs. According to the Buccaneers, Morrison had five games in which he allowed an opposing passer rating of 80.0 or lower, tied for sixth-most among rookie defenders.
Injuries Have Tested Morrison
The most interesting thing Morrison said after Thursday’s practice wasn’t about coverage technique or winning a starting job.
It was about what the injuries have done to him mentally.
“When I miss those snaps, and I miss that time out here, you just appreciate it even more when you come back,” Morrison said. “But it is frustrating.”
Morrison admitted having football repeatedly taken away from him has been difficult, but he believes the experience has changed his perspective and built character.
He also credited veteran defensive tackle Vita Vea with helping him through the process.
“I just respect him so much as a man and as a person,” Morrison said of Vea, adding that one message from the veteran has stuck with him: “Tough times do not last.”
That’s not a bad person for Morrison to lean on.
Vea understands injuries, expectations, and what it takes to become a cornerstone of an NFL defense.
Now Morrison gets another opportunity.
Why Morrison Could Be the Missing Piece
The Buccaneers don’t need Morrison to carry their defense. That’s what makes his return so intriguing.
Tampa Bay has Antoine Winfield Jr. and Tykee Smith at safety.
McCollum has developed into a significant piece at cornerback. Parrish gives Bowles positional flexibility, and Scott provides another young, versatile option.
Up front, the Bucs have the potential to create significantly more pressure, with Vea, Calijah Kancey, Yaya Diaby, and rookie Rueben Bain Jr. among the pieces Bowles can attack with.
Give the defensive front an extra half-second to reach the quarterback and sacks become turnovers.
Force a quarterback to throw before he wants to, and talented corners get opportunities to make plays.
That’s where Morrison could make his biggest impact.
At Notre Dame, he showed patience in coverage, good route recognition, excellent lateral movement, and the ability to challenge receivers at the catch point.
If Morrison can stay healthy, the Buccaneers suddenly have the potential to put a young, athletic secondary behind what could be a much-improved pass rush.
But Morrison has to stay on the field.
His hip injury ended his college career early. Injuries limited him during his rookie NFL season. A hamstring issue then cost him most of this year’s training camp.
Potential only matters when it’s available on Sundays.
The Buccaneers aren’t simply evaluating whether Morrison can win a starting job. They’re trying to determine whether they have a long-term answer at one of the NFL’s most important positions.
This defense already has star power. It has young pass rushers. It has an aggressive, defense-minded head coach who isn’t afraid to send pressure from anywhere on the field.
What Bowles needs is a secondary capable of letting him take the handcuffs off.
A healthy Benjamin Morrison might do exactly that.
If he can finally put the injuries behind him, the Buccaneers’ secondary doesn’t just become deeper.
It could become dangerous.
