3 Things We're Looking For During Buccaneers' 2nd Week of OTAs

Here's what we're keeping an eye out for at Tampa Bay Buccaneers OTAs this week.

Georgia State wideout Ted Hurst (WO24) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are set to undergo their second week of OTAs beginning on Tuesday after completing the first week at the end of May. OTAs are just smaller practices to get ready for the grind of training camp and they are optional, but that doesn't mean they can't give us a small look into how things are going to go for the rest of the offseason.

BucsGameday was live at One Buc Place for the first day of OTAs last Tuesday, and on this upcoming Tuesday, they're set to kick off Week 2. Here are a few things we'll be looking for at practice:

More Reps for Ted Hurst

American Team wide receiver Ted Hurst (7) of Georgia State works in passing drills | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

New Tampa Bay wideout Ted Hurst was in for a few snaps last time out at OTAs, but we'd like to see what he can do with some more reps as he gets used to the speed of the game and the Florida heat.

Chris Godwin got a majority of the work during the media's first window during OTAs, and many fans saw wideout Emeka Egbuka's circus catch posted on social media afterward. But Hurst was drafted to potentially fit the X archetype for the Buccaneers, and it would be interesting to see him get a few targets while working with the first team to fill that role.

There's plenty of time this offseason for Hurst to establish himself, so there's no rush — but we'd like to get an early look at it.

Kenny Gainwell's Special Teams Usage

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell (14) runs against the Baltimore Ravens | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

New Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell is no stranger to special teams. He played special teams in Pittsburgh in 2025, and he was seen running back kicks at OTAs last week.

The Bucs have been looking for strong returners for some time now, and if he's willing, Gainwell could fit the bill. The Bucs also have another option in new nickel cornerback Keionte Scott, but Scott is recovering from a wrist injury and can't hit the field yet. Gainwell will rotate in with other competitors, but it will be interesting to see if he emerges as a serious contender to run back kicks during the 2026 season.

Big Plays From Tampa Bay's Outside Corners

Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Zyon McCollum (27) warms up before a preseason game against the Tennessee Titans | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Tampa Bay's outside cornerback room, featuring Zyon McCollum and Benjamin Morrison, has a lot to prove heading into 2026. Both players had an up-and-down season last year (Morrison was a rookie), and both are set to play major roles on Tampa Bay's defense this year.

The secondary came close to making a few plays last Tuesday, but they weren't able to pick off any quarterback. It's very early in Phase 3 of the offseason, of course, but to see McCollum or Morrison make a big play would be an encouraging sign heading into mandatory minicamp and training camp — especially against Tampa Bay's talented receiver corps.

Defensive back Jacob Parrish is set to join the outside cornerback room when Scott gets healthy again, so that could add another dimension to that unit during training camp.

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