Bucs Lock Up WR Ted Hurst, Adding Depth Behind Egbuka and Godwin

Per PFT's reporting, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed third-round wide receiver Ted Hurst to his four-year rookie deal, leaving second-round linebacker Josiah Trotter as the lone unsigned draft pick from their 2026 class. The Bucs also added 14 undrafted free agents, headlined by Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels, giving the organization a notable haul of developmental talent to sort through this summer.

Hurst arrives with legitimate production credentials. Over his final two seasons at Georgia State, he posted 127 catches for 1,965 yards and 15 touchdowns — numbers that translated well enough to earn a Day 2 investment from Tampa. He's a slot-capable receiver with strong hands and a route tree that should translate to an NFL offense, though the transition from Georgia State competition to the NFC South will be the real test.

The receiver room he's entering is already crowded at the top. Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin anchor the depth chart, with Jalen McMillian pushing for a meaningful role as well. Hurst figures to spend most of 2026 as a rotational piece and special teams contributor, with the ceiling of carving out a complementary role in the slot if injuries or inefficiency create opportunity. He's not a threat to displace the starters — not yet — but Tampa clearly valued his skillset enough to spend a third-rounder on him.

From a prop market standpoint, this signing consolidates what we already knew: Egbuka and Godwin are the Bucs' pass-game pillars entering the season, and their target share is unlikely to be meaningfully disrupted by a rookie. Baker Mayfield's receiving yard props will flow through those two first. Where Hurst's presence does matter is in dampening the upside on any long-shot receiving props for Jalen McMillian — there's now a drafted competitor with arguably more upside pushing for his snaps in the slot. McMillian's receptions and receiving yards props, if they open with any volume attached, deserve skepticism early in the season while the pecking order gets established.

As for Daniels — the undrafted QB from Kansas — his signing gives Tampa a developmental arm for the practice squad, but his presence has zero bearing on Mayfield's workload or any relevant passing props. This is roster-building noise at the margin, not a signal. The Hurst pick, though, is worth tagging for the back half of the season: if he develops quickly and Godwin's injury history (ACL, hamstring) catches up to him again, Hurst could emerge as a live target-share beneficiary whose prop lines will open far too low.