The Tampa Bay Buccaneers received some rough injury news ahead of their Week 5 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks. Cornerbacks Jamel Dean and rookie Benjamin Morrison will both miss Sunday’s game, leaving a hole at outside cornerback. Dean is the usual starter and Morrison filled in last week when Dean left the game, so the Bucs will be down to their fourth outside cornerback against Seattle.
Dean is dealing with hip and groin injuries, both suffered against the Eagles in Week 4. Morrison also left the game with a hamstring injury, and it sounds like neither will play in Week 5. That leaves the Buccaneers with few options, and they may have to do some shuffling around.
Dean, a third-round pick out of Auburn in 2019, is in his sixth year as a starter for Tampa Bay. On the 2025 season, 12 tackles, a pick six, and four passes defensed. Morrison, a second-round rookie out of Notre Dame, has five tackles and a pass defensed in three games to start his career.
How Will the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Replace CBs Jamel Dean and Benjamin Morrison?
Kevin C. Cox/GettyATLANTA, GEORGIA – SEPTEMBER 07: Jacob Parrish #25 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates after Younghoe Koo #6 of the Atlanta Falcons missed a field goal during the fourth quarter of the NFL 2025 game between Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 07, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
With both Dean and Morrison out, the Buccaneers are scraping the bottom of their depth chart to find replacements. CB Zyon McCollum will lock down one side of the field, and rookie CB Jacob Parrish has been stellar in the slot so far. But their other options on the outside are limited.
The only other outside cornerback on the active roster is Josh Hayes. The simplest solution for Tampa Bay would be to play him opposite McCollum. The team also has Bryce Hall and Damarion Williams on their practice squad, and either (or both) could be elevated to play against the Seahawks.
Alternatively, they could choose to move Parrish to the outside. While he’s a bit undersized and has thrived in the slot so far in the NFL, he played on the outside in college at Kansas State, where he was one of the best cornerbacks in the Big 12. He could play outside in a pinch.
It helps that the Buccaneers‘ options in the slot are more varied. S Christian Izien manned the slot for Tampa Bay last year, and could easily slide back into that role for a game. CB Kindle Vildor is also on the active roster as the backup nickel corner, if they’d prefer to keep Izien at safety. These are likely better options than they have at outside corner.
A Critical Stretch Approaches for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Starting with their game against the Seahawks on Sunday, the Buccaneers are about to embark on a critical three-game stretch in their schedule. After Seattle, they play the 49ers and Lions before a bit of a reprieve after that with games against the Saints and Patriots.
Tampa Bay currently has a one-game lead over the Falcons in the NFC South, and they also own the head-to-head victory in Week 1. With all the injuries the Buccaneers are currently facing, going 2-1 in this stretch would be huge for them in their quest to win the division. Winning games while dealing with loads of injuries bodes well for when the team gets healthy.
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