Bucs CBs Coach Rashad Johnson Drops The Word “Elite” On Benjamin Morrison
May 19th, 2026
Now healthy and ready to compete.
Bucs cornerbacks coach Rashad Johnson got promoted this year. Prior, Johnson served as the Bucs’ assistant secondary coach since Todd Bowles took over as head coach.
So Johnson, who had Nick Saban as head coach/secondary coach at Alabama, was obviously around last year seeing then-rookie cornerback Benjamin Morrison.
Morrison wasn’t fully recovered from shoulder surgery at this time last year. So Joe could argue Morrison was behind the eight-ball in catching up to NFL ball.
That seemed to show up a few times — that maybe the NFL as a bit too big for him in the moment.
No such worries about Morrison now, Johnson said. In fact, Johnson believes Morrison possesses high quality traits to play next level cornerback.
“Ben is elite with his skill set,” Johnson said today at One Buc Palace. “He’s a long body. He’s twitchy. Can play man-to-man.”
Morrison last year didn’t appear to be anything special other than in his ability to get hurt. Johnson told the local pen and mic club Tuesday that the Morrison likely will be competing for Jamel Dean’s old gig.
Now, in late-May, Johnson said Morrison has no obstacles like he did last year. “We kind of thought that things may be how they were his first year, understanding the significance of the [shoulder surgery],” Johnson said.
Morrison sort of had an NFL version of a redshirt season last year.
“So we kind of knew the first year was going to be, you know, [have] some ups and downs, some lower extremity things that we’re gonna have to deal with,” Johnson said. “But he’s healthy [now], he looks great out there now working out with the off-season program [and] also in the individual drills when I’m getting a chance to work with him.
“He’s taking those next steps mentally in the room, those different things that you know he wanted to learn, so it’s kind of [an] opportunity for him to learn, to get some bumps and bruises, but also take some steps.
“Like he made some plays. He got a chance to get that wetness behind the ears gone. So now he’s ready and confident to kind of step into, you know, that road to competing [for a starter’s job].”
Joe gets that the NFL is a huge jump up for college players. Some make it, some don’t.
Now that Joe has heard from Morrison’s position coach that he’s ready to compete to start in place of Dean, Joe sure hopes Morrison earns that chance rather than it being a case of NFL nepotism.
May 19th, 2026 at 4:53 pm
Check your headline.
May 19th, 2026 at 4:59 pm
He wasn’t ready last year yet Bowles put him out there benching a healthy Dean, to get his feet wet? Cost us a game why not, a game cost us the division. Glad we retained the genius, guru Todd Bowles.
May 19th, 2026 at 5:04 pm
“Now healthy and ready to compete”
LOL!
For the first time since High School… Believe it when I see it.
May 19th, 2026 at 5:09 pm
Scott’s going to start at Nickel, and Parrish has to start somewhere at one of the 2 outside CB spots, so that means that Morrison and McCollum are competing for the other outside CB spot.
I mean, we can’t keep Parrish off the field. He’s our best cover guy. And Scott is pretty much penciled in at the starting Nickel spot. So, it is what it is right?
May 19th, 2026 at 5:30 pm
Morrison better be ready, because opposing offense won’t care and will test him early.
May 19th, 2026 at 5:47 pm
The hopium is extra strong this offseason.
May 19th, 2026 at 6:08 pm
Yea let’s trust this guy against Amon Ra St. Brown, Drake London, JSN, Jamar Chase etc
May 19th, 2026 at 6:10 pm
I saw flashes from Morrison that tell me he’s going to be a good NFL corner.
Philly game comes to mind.
May 19th, 2026 at 6:14 pm
Rashad,tell the Dline to do its job it’ll make life easy
May 19th, 2026 at 6:21 pm
Tough crowd as usual and as usual one of the joes is Mr. Negative. Not everyone explodes their first year and some take a couple. This guy looked good coming out and had a couple plays that you can see he knows the position . Knowing he was d dealing with recovery makes since and deserves the benefit of the doubt .
May 19th, 2026 at 6:30 pm
Jack Says:
May 19th, 2026 at 6:10 pm
I saw flashes from Morrison that tell me he’s going to be a good NFL corner.
Philly game comes to mind
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He was seen by some teams as a 1st round talent but dropped because of the injuries he was dealing with.
May 19th, 2026 at 6:37 pm
More hype. It will eventually stop when Morrison gets worked again this season by 3rd string WRs.
May 19th, 2026 at 6:51 pm
Damn, so he had hip and shoulder surgery huh 🤔
GO BUCS
May 19th, 2026 at 6:54 pm
I remain on the record that Morrison is going to be a good corner.
May 19th, 2026 at 7:02 pm
Man this group would have ousted Barber so fast before he became a HOFer! Patience my friends, he barely has a half a season under his belt…Give him a half a chance before u want to cut him!
May 19th, 2026 at 7:14 pm
Shoulder??
Morrison is a super talented CB that didn’t get any off-season due to his injury. Most rookie CBs struggle.
But in the fantasy world of idiotic Buc fans, they believe all rookies should be good from the jump.
Same bozos that thought Ronde and Kelly were busts after their rookie years.
Some really clueless fans in here.
May 19th, 2026 at 7:20 pm
He got burned for many touchdowns last year.
If the coaches knew he had hip and shoulder issues, why did they throw him in the fire at all?
Dean was on the cheap, playing like a top 5 CB, and fighting for his next contract.
Morrison cost us a couple games.
He did not have elite catch-up speed.
He also had a very high missed tackle rate.
He had no business being on the field last year.
He should have been put on IR.
May 19th, 2026 at 7:34 pm
Deep ball TD,s dont happen when the qb gets rid of the ball in 3 seconds or less, Line is the key!
May 19th, 2026 at 7:35 pm
Hodad Says:
“He wasn’t ready last year yet Bowles put him out there benching a healthy Dean, to get his feet wet?”
It actually makes a lot of sense if you don’t have a hate on.
May 19th, 2026 at 7:40 pm
Dline is the key ,more then 3 seconds equals big play
May 19th, 2026 at 7:41 pm
Erik with Clean Athletics™ Says:
“And Scott is pretty much penciled in at the starting Nickel spot. So, it is what it is right?”
I don’t think Scott will be locked in as Starter at any one position. He’s very versatile. I think he will see time in 2-3 spots in every game.
May 19th, 2026 at 7:48 pm
He is going to get smoked like a Boston Butt at 225 for 8 hours by Chase and Higgins, week 1. Sooo much hype about soo many players. So far we have not seen all the hype. Less hype and show me some results.
May 19th, 2026 at 7:58 pm
I’ve been saying all along that even great CBs can take more than their rookie years to develop, and that Ronde Barber was the perfect example for Bucs fans. He took years to become great.
Really, most rookies at any position usually take longer than their rookie year, with only the rare exceptions.
That’s why I think it’s stupid to judge players because of their rookie years.
May 19th, 2026 at 8:26 pm
Todd’s godson sure was elite last season.
Almost as elite as his Godfather and HC\DC has been his entire HC career.
Simply the best!!!!
May 19th, 2026 at 8:27 pm
I would imagine that parish would still take some snaps in the slot with Morrison and McCollum on the outside.
May 19th, 2026 at 8:34 pm
As long as the health issues are behind him, I think BMo will be good.
A couple games, he was staying right with guys.
That Pats game where he gave up the long Kyle Williams TD, his coverage was pretty tight, to the point he thought he could get in front and make a play on the ball… Maye made an elite pass. If Shough or Young target that same player it’s a pick or pass breakup.
May 19th, 2026 at 8:55 pm
I admit I have been down on him.I hope he does develop. The facts are he did not last year and was made to look silly often. I would expect the position. Coach to say good things you don’t want to destroy his confidence. However., nothing as of yet is believable. It appears he has been given the job, which is sad because as of yet he has earned little certainty not a starting job. With that said if it comes down to him and McColumn let’s all hope Morrison wins. While I have little faith right now in Morrison I have even less for McColumn. I think he is done
Please remember Barber was not handed a starting job and it took him a few years to develop.
Let’s wait four games In The season and see if Morrison is elite. Hopefully he is healthy .
May 19th, 2026 at 9:53 pm
Hoping that it is so. If it is, it is just one more thing that raises the ceiling for what this year’s team can achieve.