Is it time for the Buccaneers to press the panic button on Benjamin Morrison?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers knew they were taking a risk when they selected cornerback Benjamin Morrison in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Morrison was born with a bilateral hip issue that required multiple corrective surgeries, and he also underwent shoulder surgery in 2023. His extensive injury history dating back to high school was a major red flag for many teams during the draft process, causing him to fall down the draft board. 

But when Morrison, who was almost universally regarded as a first-round talent, fell all the way to the Buccaneers at No. 53 overall, Tampa Bay felt the potential reward was worth the risk. If he could stay healthy, Morrison had the talent to become one of the steals of the draft.

But not every big swing results in a home run, and Morrison is already starting to look like a whiff by Tampa Bay.

Benjamin Morrison’s injuries are becoming a serious concern for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Morrison dealt with a nagging hamstring injury that sidelined him for the entirety of his rookie preseason last year. Injuries continued to be an issue throughout his first NFL season, causing him to miss seven games as a rookie.

After moving on from Jamel Dean in free agency, the team is counting on Morrison to make a significant contribution in his second season. Unfortunately, his injury concerns haven’t gone away. 

Morrison has been sidelined throughout the entirety of training camp with another hamstring injury.

He was expected to compete with fellow second-year cornerback Jacob Parrish for the starting outside cornerback job, but his inability to get on the field has given Parrish an opportunity to run away with the competition.

So, is it time for the Buccaneers to press the panic button on Benjamin Morrison?

It’s important to remember why the Buccaneers were willing to take the risk on Morrison in the first place.

He has legitimate potential to develop into a lockdown cornerback with a knack for creating turnovers. During his college career at Notre Dame, he recorded nine interceptions and 12 passes broken up. He posted an elite 90.5 PFF coverage grade while allowing just a 45% completion percentage when targeted. 

It makes sense why the Buccaneers were enamored with Morrison’s skill set, but his talent doesn’t do Tampa Bay much good if he can’t stay on the field.

There were several other defensive backs available when the Buccaneers selected Morrison who have been much more impactful early in their careers, including cornerback Darien Porter and safety Xavier Watts.

That doesn’t mean the Buccaneers made the wrong decision. Morrison still has plenty of time to change the narrative, but his margin for error is shrinking. 

Head coach Todd Bowles seemed a bit annoyed by Morrison’s prolonged absence during his press conference Sunday. When asked if Morrison was any closer to returning, Bowles gave a blunt response: 

“He’s the same as usual.”

It was a short, straight-to-the-point answer, but it spoke volumes about where things currently stand with Morrison.

This is a pivotal season in Tampa Bay, with expectations high and jobs on the line. They can’t afford to be too patient with a player consistently unable to get on the field, especially when there are other young defensive backs competing for his spot. 

Morrison is in danger of being left behind.

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