Looks Like Benjamin Morrison Gets The Start
December 17th, 2025
First start coming?
Unless Bucs coach Todd Bowles does some juggling to his defensive lineup in the secondary — given how his defense has played the past six weeks, he may want to think about it — it appears rookie Benjamin Morrison will get the first start of his NFL career Sunday when the Bucs face the Stinking Panthers.
That is, unless Morrison messes up his hamstring again between now and Sunday.
Morrison, a second-round pick in April’s draft, has been hobbled by a hamstring all year, ever since training camp. He hasn’t played since the loss at Buffalo a month ago because — you guessed it — hamstring problems.
With Zyon McCollum on injured reserve after hurting his hip last week, it appears Morrison is the next man up.
If Bowles juggles his lineup, who knows, maybe fellow rookie Jacob Parrish could move over from slot corner. Either way, Bucs coach Todd Bowles said he’s ready to use either rookie.
“[I have] very high confidence in both of them,” Bowles said Wednesday. “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.”
But with Morrison seemingly more hurt with his bum hamstring than healthy, is Bowles confident Morrison is physically able to start and finish a game on Sunday?
“I do,” Bowles said.
Morrison has been up and down, sort of what you may expect from a rookie whose hamstring and previous surgeries playing at Notre Dame have abbreviated his adjustment to the NFL.
So really, while Morrison has suffered some learning lumps, he never really has had a chance to string together a series of games in order to improve.
Maybe Sunday is the beginning.