Ted Hurst III didn’t wait long to make his case.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ rookie wideout, selected with the No. 94 overall pick in this year’s draft, made a clean first impression in Week 1 against the Bengals, catching all three of his targets for 36 yards. His first NFL reception was the kind that gets noticed right away: a tough grab on the left sideline, through contact, with a first down attached to it. FOX’s announcer called the difficulty “at least 9.5,” and praised the former Georgia State receiver for locking in on the ball and finishing the play.
That debut came in a receiving room that already looks crowded on paper, with Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Tez Johnson and Jalen McMillan all in the mix. Even with that competition, Hurst found a way onto the field in a meaningful role. He played 30 snaps, the third-most among Bucs receivers, and the team’s early usage suggests his summer did more than just earn polite praise.
Before the season, general manager Jason Licht sounded like he expected Hurst to be more of a long-term piece than an immediate factor. “After we drafted him, I personally thought, okay, this is a great situation for him to be behind these guys and learn, may not make a big impact for us this year but, one for the future," Licht said ahead of Week 1.
"But I think he's proven to us throughout camp, even OTAs, practice every day that he's been very, very steady. And I think it's kind of evolved into okay, we can use him this year and he's going to play a role.”
Hurst’s rise into the rotation didn’t happen by accident. His work through training camp and the joint practices against other NFL teams put him on the staff’s radar, and he’d already made his intentions clear after rookie minicamp.
“I've been diving into the playbook really hard," Hurst said." You know, looking over it at night, you know, getting that install, you know, trying to perfect that, because that's a key aspect to you getting on the field and playing.
I want to play early.”
Now the question is whether he can build on it in Week 2. Tampa Bay heads into a matchup with a Browns secondary that gave up four passing touchdowns last week against the Jaguars, which opens the door for more opportunities through the air. With Baker Mayfield also carrying extra motivation against his former team, the Buccaneers’ offense should have chances to attack a Cleveland back end that looked vulnerable.
In Other News...
Warren Sapp Lands In An Awkward Off-Field Tampa Scene
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Sapp said he was at City Hall only to pick up paperwork and disputed the authority to remove him from the public building. It was the sort of public dustup that has little to do with football, but for a former Buccaneers star still known around Tampa, it was enough to put his name back in the local spotlight for all the wrong reasons. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Head Into Home Opener With One Lineup Concern Still Lingering
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Miles Killebrew, Jacob Parrish and Jalen McMillan all landed on the questionable list, leaving at least one lineup spot worth watching as kickoff approaches. Sean Tucker is expected back after sitting out Week 1, but Melifonwu remains part of the subtext here too: he was active last week without getting into the game, and this elevation also leaves Tampa Bay with one more practice squad call-up available later in the season. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs May Have Finally Fixed A Problem Fans Know Too Well
Tampa Bays special teams had been a sore spot for long enough that any early signs of stability were bound to draw attention, and the Buccaneers may already be seeing a difference under new coordinator Danny Smith. After 13 seasons with the Steelers, Smith arrived with a reputation for steadying that phase of the game, and the Bucs paired the hire with the addition of safety and special teams specialist Miles Killebrew to help fortify the unit.
In Week 1, Tampa Bay allowed just 23.7 yards per kickoff return, one of the lowest averages in the league, which is a small but meaningful start for a group that has been under scrutiny. Todd Bowles has already voiced confidence in Smiths ability to clean things up, and the early returns suggest the Buccaneers might finally be moving toward the kind of consistency fans have been waiting for on special teams. [Read more 🡒]