Ted Hurst III is turning heads in Tampa Bay, and Day 14 of Buccaneers camp gave another glimpse of why the rookie keeps climbing the depth chart.
While other wideouts were limited to individual work or sat out altogether, Hurst took on a bigger load and looked ready for it. He opened by hauling in a spectacular jumping grab, then absorbed contact from safety Antoine Winfield Jr. as both players hit the turf. Neither missed a beat, and Hurst kept stacking reps from there.
He also kept building on his growing connection with Baker Mayfield, coming down with a slant over the middle before stretching the field on deep routes. In the red zone, he finished the job with a touchdown. Those are exactly the kind of “X” receiver traits Tampa Bay lost when Mike Evans left for the San Francisco 49ers in free agency.
That comparison has followed Hurst throughout camp. Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds has called the rookie “Mike-like” on multiple occasions, and Hurst keeps giving people reasons to use the label. No one is pretending he can simply replace Evans’ steady 1,000-yard production, but the rookie is clearly making himself part of the conversation.
After practice on Aug. 9, Hurst said his attention has been on being a pro and understanding his role. He pointed to the way his teammates approach every rep with purpose and intensity, saying that has pushed him to attack his own career the same way.
Hurst has already gotten his first preseason action. In Tampa Bay’s 24-16 win over the New York Jets last Friday, he caught two passes for 19 yards while quarterback Connor Bazelak had trouble getting him the ball in the first half.
Now he gets another shot to show the coaching staff what he has been flashing in camp. The Buccaneers face the Kansas City Chiefs this Saturday, and Hurst should have a chance to redeem that preseason debut.
Todd Bowles said he expects to play the starters, though he isn’t sure how much they’ll actually be on the field. Egbuka and McMillan will be out and watching from the sideline because of injury.
That makes this a meaningful test for Hurst and Mayfield. If the rookie keeps earning work with the starters, that’s a strong sign for a Tampa Bay offense that spent too much of last season dealing with injuries at receiver. Evans, Godwin and McMillan all missed significant time, and Mayfield ended up throwing for under 4,000 yards for the first time in a Buccaneers uniform.
If Hurst keeps stacking practices and carries that into the preseason, Tampa Bay may have found a receiver it can trust when the starters aren’t available.
In Other News...
Buccaneers May Finally See A Path Through The Vita Vea Standoff
Vita Veas holdout has been one of the more notable tensions hanging over Buccaneers training camp, with the veteran defensive tackle seeking either a new contract or a trade while Tampa Bay tried to sort through its options. For a while, the situation carried plenty of uncertainty, especially with Vea still under contract and backed by a strong recent performance history, even as outside interest in a possible trade continued to circulate.
Adam Schefter recently suggested the mood around the standoff may be changing, saying the sides now appear closer to a potential resolution than they did before. Tampa Bay has also started engaging in extension talks after previously not getting into that conversation with Veas camp, which at least opens a path forward for a player the Buccaneers have not been willing to move despite the trade noise. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Still Have A Real Playoff Path Despite One Clear Concern
Tampa Bay enters the new season with a familiar mix of optimism and uncertainty, having kept much of its core together after finishing last year 8-9 and second in the division behind Carolina on a tiebreaker. Even with expectations trimmed a bit, the Buccaneers still look like a team with enough continuity to make a push back into the playoff picture, especially if the offense can keep building around Baker Mayfield and Chris Godwin.
Recent practice work has offered some encouraging signs, with Mayfield, Godwin and Kenneth Gainwell all standing out in those sessions. The bigger issue remains on the other side of the ball, where the defensive front seven still looks like the area most in need of a jump. If that group comes around, Tampa Bay could make its path to the postseason a lot cleaner than it appears right now. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Suddenly Have A QB Battle That Matters More Than Usual
Baker Mayfields contract situation has added a little more weight to a backup quarterback job that usually gets handled in the margins. Tampa Bay still views Mayfield as its franchise quarterback for now, but with his negotiations paused and free agency looming after the season, the Buccaneers have at least something to monitor behind him as camp and the preseason unfold.
Jake Browning and undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels are in the mix for the No. 2 spot, and Daniels gave the Bucs a reason to keep watching after an encouraging preseason debut. Todd Bowles has made clear the job will be settled by competition this summer, which gives Tampa Bay an unusual bit of intrigue at a position that could become a lot more important than the label suggests. [Read more 🡒]