The Ayden Garnes Files
August 12th, 2026
Undrafted Bucs rookie cornerback Ayden Garnes today practicing in New Jersey.
Joe hasn’t written much about undrafted rookie cornerback Ayden Garnes for a couple of reasons.
First, he was an undrafted rookie out of the University of Arizona and he wasn’t coming off an injury last season. So why wasn’t the highly-athletic Garnes drafted? Joe needed to see Garnes do something especially impressive (more than some good practices) before beginning to drool.
Today, the drool started flowing a little, especially given the injuries to Buccaneers cornerbacks Benjamin Morrison (hamstring) and Zyon McCollum (unknown).
Garnes had a day practicing against the Jets in New Jersey. The Bucs were thin at corner and Garnes and Demarion Williams (who?) got a good share of first-team work.
To close practice, the first-team Jets offense was given the ball at their 20 yard line with timeouts and 1:06 on the clock.
On the second play of the drive after a dropped Jets pass, Geno Smith came out throwing to Jets stud receiver Garrett Wilson, who has three 1,000-yard receiving seasons in four NFL years. Garnes had him blanketed and broke up the pass on the left sideline. The Bucs’ bench erupted.
The Jets limped closer to midfield with about 15 seconds on the clock. Smith dropped back to pass — and back to his top target, Wilson. Again, Garnes was all over Wilson and cleanly broke up the pass; he didn’t just get in the way. On the Jets’ final play, as Joe detailed, Rueben Bain recorded his second sack of the drive. The Jets were done.
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles noted the strong Garnes play against Wilson but said Garnes still has much to learn.
Of course he does, but there is room for optimism.
Not long ago in 2023, then-rookie cornerback/safety Christian Izien played 17 games and had two interceptions and a solid share of big plays. The way things are going with the Bucs’ health, Garnes may land in the spotlight quickly.
Big preseason game upcoming for the rookie.
August 12th, 2026 at 3:39 pm
Let’s see if it sticks. Why not? It would be nice to have found a diamond in the rough for once in the Secondary.
August 12th, 2026 at 3:42 pm
I like him let’s Go
August 12th, 2026 at 3:47 pm
The 6.0 Ayden Garnes has good recovery skills with a 4.39 but is a lightweight at 181 lbs. I am guessing he wasn’t drafted due his poor tackling.
August 12th, 2026 at 3:50 pm
What happened to Funderburk…
August 12th, 2026 at 3:52 pm
This kid is the surprise of camp so far.
Not only will he make this team, he will be a starter at some point.
Hopefully the bozo fans on here understand he’s a rookie, an undrafted one, playing the hardest position on defense to learn.
August 12th, 2026 at 3:53 pm
I can’t wait to see him play under the bright lights. Pepe too!
Im gonna assume JJ Roberts ain’t gonna make a TC or preseason appearance at this point. Bummer
August 12th, 2026 at 3:54 pm
Build a D-line and the corners will come….
August 12th, 2026 at 4:00 pm
At least he’s not injured. Morrison was a wasted pick.
August 12th, 2026 at 4:07 pm
Should have kept Izien but Bowles and Licht are Iziots
August 12th, 2026 at 4:16 pm
I’m hoping Joe, this kid has always shown up ready to give it his all from the start of rookie mini camp!!!! Let’s Go Bucs!!!!! 2 sacks on one drive Bain is looking the part so far and Walker. Keep’em on the sideline till it gets real in game one season opener.
August 12th, 2026 at 4:39 pm
He does look like he’s a bit skinny and should spend some time in the gym, but his speed is a huge asset. Still, you have to be strong enough to tackle…hopefully he is!
August 12th, 2026 at 4:39 pm
There will be cut downs too. I don’t think they want Trevon Diggs
August 12th, 2026 at 4:50 pm
i thought you said preseason games are worthless 1,000,000 times, give it a rest it’s tired and your a buzz kill to our psyching for friday night
August 12th, 2026 at 5:00 pm
I’ve heard it on good authorty that Myron Lewis is coming out of retirement.
August 12th, 2026 at 5:23 pm
I wish to hell that September would get here! We are damn desperate for something to talk about!
August 12th, 2026 at 5:35 pm
Pound the over and the over on Burrow’s passing yards and make it a triple taking Cincy and the points. Seems like a no-brainer. I’ll eat my crow later but that offense is gonna crush it this year. Yikes.
August 12th, 2026 at 5:43 pm
@JfgoBucs
I think he’s in Carolina. I thought he could’ve been decent for the Bucs if they just kept working with him.
August 12th, 2026 at 6:03 pm
Glad he’s doing good. Between Zyon, and Morrison Licht needs to bring someone in.
August 12th, 2026 at 6:07 pm
“The Bucs were thin at corner and Garnes and Demarion Williams (who?) got a good share of first-team work.“
Actual underdogs, trying to get it out the mud. Who knows, Garnes can be the new Izien for all we know.
August 12th, 2026 at 6:31 pm
Clean House is right
Izien was one of the only guys who played well last year.
He’s a warrior and he loves football.
He has many interceptions and FF in limited games.
Detroit is lucky to get him.
He was one of my favorite players.
August 12th, 2026 at 6:32 pm
He may be the last uninjured Buc.
August 12th, 2026 at 6:42 pm
I “HOPE” our M&M corners get better fast. It would surely behoove them, seeing that with the defensive line we’re fielding is gonna make cornerbacks look especially good.
Ayden Garnes? Demarion Williams? Josh Hayes? I’m thinking if they’re ready and willing, heck yeah! These guys aren’t new to the game. We will have a few guys step up this year who we aren’t so familiar with.
Or should I say, we better have a few guys step up this year who we aren’t so familiar with?
August 12th, 2026 at 6:47 pm
So far so good ! Keep learning kid!! Get better everyday!! The Buc’s need you!!
August 12th, 2026 at 6:52 pm
Hopefully another diamond in the rough!
August 12th, 2026 at 6:57 pm
We need all the help we can get at outside corner!!
Wish we would have kept my man Dean around here
Go Bucs
August 12th, 2026 at 7:01 pm
6-11
August 12th, 2026 at 7:11 pm
Music to my ears. It would be nice if he could keep McColumn on the bench. Yes sir, we can hope because hope is all we have right now.
August 12th, 2026 at 8:31 pm
Would love to be shocked by Garnes and “Pepe” but we need to get Morrison and Zyon back on the field.
I believe I heard jets will be playing starters @ least a little. Will be some valuable reps for some of our newbies.
Wonder if we’ll see Bain? I doubt it. Trotter ? Walker ? Anzolone ?
August 12th, 2026 at 8:34 pm
When Joe(s) say things like “worthless preseason games” it’s just a trope. A trope is like a “crutch” or an “catchphrase”. The Joe’s use it like a butter knife to smooth peanut butter and jelly over a slice of bread. On every other site, authors write under their own name. Here “Joe” is anonymous. “Kitcat eating Todd Bowles” and “worthless preseason games” smooth over the distinction between writers. And yeah preseason games are worthless, sorta. I watch precisely 3 of them a year lately. BUCS games only. Why would I watch any other preseason games? The Joe’s watch them too.
August 12th, 2026 at 8:46 pm
The hell Joe does.
August 12th, 2026 at 9:30 pm
Snobby reason to not cover him. Good thing there are other news outlets or I would not have known how well he was doing.
Be better, Joe. One or two lines is not going to hurt. This is digital. Not print. It’s cheap to post articles.
August 12th, 2026 at 9:33 pm
If Bowles could face Geno Smith every week, he might go 9-8 instead of 8-9.
August 13th, 2026 at 8:22 am
I did not think Izien was good any of the last 2 and 1/2 years. He had a good 1st 6 games and then looked as a bottom of the roster guy the rest of the time.
August 13th, 2026 at 9:18 am
mj Says:
August 12th, 2026 at 4:50 pm
i thought you said preseason games are worthless 1,000,000 times, give it a rest it’s tired and your a buzz kill to our psyching for friday night
_______________________________
If pressed, most players and coaches say they get way more out of the joint practices/scrimmages than they do the games.
I’m not saying they’re completely worthless, but if we’re going to have three more games on the schedule, make them count for something. I’d be fine if they did nothing but the joint practices, start training camp 3 weeks earlier, and kick the season off in the second week of August.
August 13th, 2026 at 1:20 pm
Bucs gave Garnes $20k to sign and guaranteed him $120k…
Last year they gave UDFA OT Chukwuma a nice guarantee as well….
This strategy of paying for high end UDFA talent seems to be working well. Bucs are stockpiling quality young talents that they paid little to acquire.
I also find it hard to believe the Bucs didn’t think Izien was worth re-signing. He signed a 1 year $2M deal with Detroit. He was hurt and unavailable a # of games last year – so perhaps that has something to do with it?
August 14th, 2026 at 11:02 am
Images of Funderburk are dancing in my vision