The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had plenty to like when they spent a third-round pick on Ted Hurst out of Georgia State. At 6-foot-4, he looked like the kind of X receiver who could stretch the field, win in traffic and give the offense a big-bodied target after Mike Evans’ departure.
That buzz only grew during training camp, where Hurst turned in an impressive summer and looked ready to step in right away. Eight weeks into his rookie season, though, the production hasn’t matched the excitement.
Hurst has 11 catches for 168 yards and a touchdown, which works out to one reception for 21 yards per game. He has been targeted 24 times and has caught only about 46% of those looks, the lowest rate on the Buccaneers. That isn’t entirely on him, since not every target is truly catchable, but it still stands out that he’s the only offensive player on the team hauling in less than half of his targets.
The bigger issue is that the traits that made Hurst so appealing in the first place haven’t shown up consistently in games. His red-zone reliability and contested-catch reputation were supposed to travel from college to the NFL. So far, they haven’t.
Two plays stick out. In Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns, he had a chance at a game-winning touchdown and let it go right through his hands.
Last week against the Atlanta Falcons, he couldn’t finish off a perfect throw on a would-be touchdown and allowed it to be broken up. Both games came in suboptimal weather conditions, which matters.
Even so, those are the kinds of chances Hurst has to turn into catches, especially when the end zone is right there.
The numbers from Pro Football Focus aren’t helping his case either. He’s currently ranked No. 76 among 79 NFL wide receivers.
Still, this is far from a finished evaluation. Hurst has only played eight games, and he’s doing it in a run-heavy offense with a limited role. That’s not enough time to make any sweeping judgment about where his career is headed.
For Hurst to earn a bigger piece of the offense, he has to build trust with Baker Mayfield and the coaching staff by making the plays that come his way. That hasn’t happened often enough yet.
This isn’t me giving up on Hurst by any means. He’s shown flashes, and I believe he can develop into this team’s WR1 down the line. But when it comes to being an immediate contributor, Hurst hasn’t proven to be ready for a featured role just yet.
In Other News...
Calijah Kancey Just Reminded Bucs Fans What This Defense Needs
Calijah Kancey gave the Buccaneers another reminder of why his presence matters in the middle of the defense, even when the box score does not tell the whole story. Against Atlanta, he was part of a front that helped Tampa Bay stay organized at the point of attack, with Kancey chipping in three solo tackles and one assist while doing the dirty work that often gets overlooked on a stat sheet.
What stood out was the way he helped the Bucs hold their shape against the run, taking on blockers and helping close off lanes before they could develop. Tampa Bay has plenty of reasons to value disruptive plays from its front, but Kanceys value goes beyond splash moments, and games like this are a good example of why the defense looks different when he is involved. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Face A Vita Vea Decision That Could Shift Fast
The Buccaneers are in a familiar spot for this time of year, still hanging around the playoff race and not acting like a team ready to strip things down at the trade deadline. Even so, defensive tackle Vita Vea has emerged as a name worth watching, with ESPNs Jeremy Fowler reporting that New York is keeping tabs on him while Tampa Bay weighs its own path forward.
Veas recent extension makes any move feel unlikely, and the Buccaneers are not planning to deal him right now. But his recent dip in performance has added a layer of intrigue to a decision that could move quickly if the next stretch of games changes the teams outlook, leaving Tampa Bay to balance present contention against the kind of long-term roster call that can reshape a defense. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Ground Breakthrough Has An Unexpected Rookie Behind It
The Buccaneers ground game was humming against Atlanta in a way that stood out even by franchise standards, piling up a record 324 rushing yards with Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell doing plenty of the heavy lifting. What made the performance more interesting, though, was how much help the backs got from the edges of the formation, where Tampa Bays tight ends and wide receivers helped turn a productive day into a historic one.
Among the players drawing attention was rookie Bauer Sharp, a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft who has quickly earned praise from Todd Bowles for his blocking and his progress in the run scheme. For a team trying to build a more consistent rushing identity, that kind of development matters, especially when a young tight end is already becoming part of the conversation for reasons that go well beyond catching passes. [Read more 🡒]