Your New Wide Receivers Depth Chart
August 12th, 2016
The clear No. 4
Joe’s not about to wait for Dirk Koetter to print a new near meaningless depth chart out next week.
The position battle at wide receiver, one that makes Joe and others lose sleep at night because of the quality of participants, got a whole lot clearer last night.
After the consensus No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3, Russell Shepard is a clear No. 4. He was a standout last night, not just squeezing the football, three catches for 62 yards and a touchdown, but he shook tacklers. A lot of those 62 yards came directly from Shepard.
“I thought Donteea Dye and Russell Shepard both showed up in a wide receiver/special teams area,” Koetter said.
There’s that Dye kid again, impressing the head coach. Yeah, he made a couple of guys miss on a kick return and didn’t fumble, much better than Bell. Dye didn’t catch anything in Philadelphia, but maybe Koetter liked his routes.
That’s your top five right there, Evans, Jackson, Humphries, Shepard and Dye. Keep in mind Koetter likes Dye dating back to last year.
Kenny Bell was bad and fumbled badly, and No. 4 and No. 5 receivers have to contribute on special teams to make a team. Forget about the fumble, Bell wasn’t even running with the first coverage units.
Evan Spencer had a bad drop and didn’t catch anything. Nobody ever read on these pages that Spencer was a player.
Jonathan Krause had just one catch in six targets. Maybe Krause wasn’t aggressive enough on a Ryan Griffin throw that was jarred from his gut for an interception.
Bernard Reedy and Andre Davis made a couple of nice catches, but Joe sees them as bubble guys.
As of today, Joe would see the Bucs keeping five receivers and waiting for Louis Murphy to return, as well as placing one other guy (Reedy?) on the practice squad.
August 12th, 2016 at 9:04 am
I agree.
And I’d put Reedy #5 and Dye #6 as of today.
Kraus looked horrible (unfortunately).
Reedy has some flashy potential and decent hands from what I saw.
August 12th, 2016 at 9:07 am
Kenny Bell is our new Dexter Jackson 🙁
Not the safety. The other one
August 12th, 2016 at 9:14 am
Yea, very auspicious start for Bell! It was telling that he didn’t see the field again until late. It’s going to be N.ot F.or L.ong for Mr. Bell if he keeps producing that garbage!
I did like Shepard. That’s how you make a team’s roster.
Overall, this game did not make me feel any better about WR depth.
August 12th, 2016 at 9:16 am
I thought dye sucked in the recieving game last night. He had his chances and made no plays. Kenny Bell couldnt even give us three solid seconds. Then Humphries ran a awful route in that second drive to make us three and out……he did not look like a clear cut #3.
August 12th, 2016 at 9:17 am
Watching Russell Shepard last night alleviated some concerns I have about the Bucs wide receivers.
August 12th, 2016 at 9:20 am
Yeah, Sheppard was fun to watch last night. Hope he can keep making plays in the upcoming weeks. He defenitally earned more reps with the starters. Our running backs look very solid too.
August 12th, 2016 at 9:23 am
Wr depth chart numbers should read
1 & 2, then 4, the 10-17!!!!!!!!
NFL GM Licht has been watching game film for hours already of other teams WR roster!!!!!
NFL Draft 2017 WR, TE!!!!!!!!
August 12th, 2016 at 9:23 am
There goes joe dropping the name of the useless bum louis Murphy in another receiver post… does his mother bake you guys cookies every time you mention that bum. Murphy has never been nor never will be the answer for any team that needs help at wr… bucs need to jump on some other teams garbage after cut downs. It can’t be any worse than the collection of garbage at wr currently on roster.
Good thing for glennon a lot of talent scouts from Allstate, State Farm, Geico and even the HR director for iheart was watching bucs game for prospective talent.
Here i thought Glennon Came into his own….
August 12th, 2016 at 9:31 am
Yeah Glennon just cant make plays. I thought Griffin looked a lot better but it didnt shown because the recievers around him were absolutely horrible.
August 12th, 2016 at 9:32 am
Shepard was pretty much always going to make the team due to his ST play…..for those that don’t know…..Russell Shepard was a QB and was switched to WR at LSU…..he can also run.
I would really like to see Shepard in the wildcat on some plays and see him throw some passes out of the WR position……he is very versatile and a good solid player.
As for Dye & Reedy….I think we will end up picking up a FA WR before it’s all over.
August 12th, 2016 at 9:36 am
Well tmax, the only thing I can say is that Murphy>Bell. We’ve been building this guy up so much (Bell) that I expected him to at least make A play. Talk about a dud!
Given what he had to throw to, I’ll give Glennon a pass for last night.
August 12th, 2016 at 9:37 am
Lmao mornin’, Joe. Zero catches for Bell: cut instantly. Zero catches for Dye: “he showed up”
August 12th, 2016 at 9:37 am
^ For the record the guy you are calling a bum and making jokes about his Mother is a man whose Mother is deceased and he has had a longer than average solid NFL career. He was injured while performing for your team, have a little class and show some respect.
August 12th, 2016 at 9:38 am
I suspect the #5 & 6 are not on the Buc roster.
August 12th, 2016 at 9:40 am
Russel Shepard has some nice run after catch skill set.
**Both Mollase Evans and Ancient Jackson cant gain yards after catch. Mo ranked #72 even with all those catches and targets. 1 trick ponies
August 12th, 2016 at 9:44 am
That seems right except one thing- I think the keep 6
August 12th, 2016 at 9:45 am
Shep has paid his dues time be rewarded wit some playing time..
August 12th, 2016 at 9:46 am
Did anyone see Dye run through that would be tackler on kickoff? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a kick returner run through someone before
August 12th, 2016 at 9:47 am
I called it, Shep is ready. After killin it on ST the last 3 years he’s ready to get paid. I say he can still compete for #3 WR. After that, idk, I saw Andre Davis make a catch and a nice play by Martino. No one else impressed. Reedy looks fast but … And your boi kaurse who was being talked up all week showed why he only has 2 catches in 2 years. Cut!
August 12th, 2016 at 9:47 am
C2
Lighten up frances. . The bum Murphy has not had a productive nfl career anyway you slice it. He’s garbage. In know way shape or form was i making fun of his mother. Get a life idiot or Crawl back under your over sensitive politically correct rock….
August 12th, 2016 at 9:48 am
Bell’s claim to fame is that he was Jameis’s roommate last year. Nice kid, I wish him well on his next career. I for one will be happy to not see him looking incompetent in Bucs gear.
August 12th, 2016 at 9:49 am
shouldhavedraftedefiert Says:
August 12th, 2016 at 9:46 am
Did anyone see Dye run through that would be tackler on kickoff? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a kick returner run through someone before
————-
You mean the face mask he ran through yes I saw it. I swear refs hate the books.
August 12th, 2016 at 9:49 am
Keep 6? Its hard to even see 4 NFL caliber recievers on this team right now.
August 12th, 2016 at 9:51 am
Bell is scare of contact in the NFL. Sad to say but he will never make it at this level playing scared.
August 12th, 2016 at 9:52 am
Bucsfanman
Yeah you are correct sir Bell was a dud. Good choice of words… i am a huge shep fan but not sure we can role with him at 4 … lucht needs to find some help…
August 12th, 2016 at 9:52 am
Now lets see which wr can have a good week of practice and follow it up with another good game.
August 12th, 2016 at 9:58 am
What me worry! The bugs will be worked out soon enough. Nice to see the Bucs on TV again.
August 12th, 2016 at 9:58 am
I like Dye returning kicks… He looked unafraid and if you give him a seam no one can catch him.
August 12th, 2016 at 9:58 am
Thought Shepard did a good job. I would like to see more of Dye receiving and after the catch work.I really like Louis Murphy, but you have to ask how much longer, and what overall impact will injury have on his game. I agree with TBBF we need another good FA in the mix. Of course it was the first Pre-season game and with few exceptions you can’t put a lot of stock in it. Really need to work on dumb penalties, and turn-overs. I can’t sit through another season and watch us beat ourselves.
August 12th, 2016 at 9:58 am
One last thing since we’re talking WR group. Did ME have ky hands again last night or did the messiah miss him short and to the inside AGAIN? I’d like to see the savior over-throw ME at least once. #ky
And Jaboo missed ME on 3rd down running wide open on an In route. Instead he threw short or incomplete to Brate.
Finally, is it me or would vjax normally have taken that post pass-catch for an xtra 20-30 yards? Yesterday he just fell to the ground. Not encouraging.
All in all its a good starting point, I think the oline needs to improve dramatically, Marpet got schooled by Fletcher Cox and these guys still didn’t have enough time to throw. They had barely enough time to throw.
August 12th, 2016 at 9:59 am
That’s a low blow.
August 12th, 2016 at 10:02 am
Well, Joe actually watches games and — gasp! — noticed that Murphy may have had his best season working in a Dirk Koetter offense.
Of course Murphy is not “the answer” if you are looking for a No. 1 receiver. For a No. 3 receiver, Murphy did rather well last year.
So you prefer Dye or Bell over Murphy?
Not sure why you are hellbent on running a guy out of town who showed success in the head coach’s offense? Decent receivers are hard enough to come by as it is.
August 12th, 2016 at 10:07 am
Freddy Martino?
August 12th, 2016 at 10:12 am
Joe the guy is unreliable and not versatile they can find an upgrade to Murphy at most budweiser distribution centers in florida. A couple of decent plays in koetters offense last year is hardly justification for wadting time on Murphy.
August 12th, 2016 at 10:15 am
Murphys a bum! I’d rather dye,martino,Andre Davis, shiii I can prob out play Murphy and I can’t even run anymore which puts me even w murph.
August 12th, 2016 at 10:20 am
shepard was a friggin stud at LSU and showed that athleticism last nite he is more of a 3A/3B if he can maintain that consistency…. aside frim pamphile whiffing jameis looked real good
August 12th, 2016 at 10:33 am
You can’t even respond to this guy anymore he’s full of himself I thought the same I like Murphy not because he’s from FL because he showed up big when he played and that’s it he hurt his knee can’t say the guy sucks cuz he got hurt smh
August 12th, 2016 at 10:39 am
I don’t know what Murphy ever did to get called a bum. The guy is obviously a hard worker to make the roster every year. He’s a backup level player and has made differences in games when needed. The next time he takes a roster spot over somebody more deserving you let me know………by the looks of it, it won’t be this year.
August 12th, 2016 at 10:44 am
VJax can find that open spot and make the catch then fall down. He knows he can’t take a big hit on those often injured knees or he will be watching from the sidelines. This late in his excellent career that is reality.
August 12th, 2016 at 10:52 am
I don’t understand why people talk that way about Murphy I guess they weren’t paying attention to him last year the knows how to get open and even more important he catches everything thrown his way go back and watch the game tapes then come back and apologize for being ignorant
August 12th, 2016 at 11:06 am
You got look at Murphys entire career. The fact that he made like 2 plays in the last 2 years doesn’t mean a whole lot. Russell Shepard can contribute just as much if not more and not tie up a roster spot.
August 12th, 2016 at 11:16 am
@Bucfan37 … “VJax can find that open spot and make the catch then fall down. He knows he can’t take a big hit on those often injured knees.” It was a preseason game and he already had the 1st down if I remember right. He’d already tweaked something in practice and missed a couple of practices I believe. VJax will be there when he’s needed … ask Jameis. As for Murphy, why all the commotion? Don’t remember him playing last night. Let him get healed and cleared by the team docs before everyone skewers him. He did quite well last year in Koetter’s offense in picking up 1st downs especially … ask Jameis.
August 12th, 2016 at 11:21 am
Uncle Donnie
go look at his career stats and you will be the one apologizing for being ignorant. He has done NOTHING in his 7 seasons. 4 teams, 10 TD’s in 7 years, 1 40 catch season, he has spent more time on IR and the Couch waiting for teams to call than he has catching everything thrown his way. A couple of good plays last year is hardly worth gambling on an often injured receiver who does not play special teams and is not very versatile. The bucs are better off spending team with younger guys with higher ceilings than an often injured has beens that never were.
August 12th, 2016 at 11:38 am
I love how you call our pre-season depth chart meaningless, then pump out a depth chart 1,000 times more meaningless…. And reactionary, not taking into account any of the previous practices.
August 12th, 2016 at 11:46 am
Kenny Bell will make this roster. He has all the traits and will get his shot, especially in the 4th preseason game when the 4-5/6 spots will ultimately be settled.
August 12th, 2016 at 1:19 pm
Come September, Kenny Bell will be substitute teaching in the Tampa Bay school district. Smiling and teaching little kids. Which will be his forte. Bucs need ballers. Not clipboard carriers!
August 12th, 2016 at 1:19 pm
Ive always liked Shepards receiving skills he’s just never really played in regular season except for special teams
August 12th, 2016 at 1:24 pm
@Tony- If he makes it that far. Yes, he will get another opportunity or two but if he performs how he did last night…..Buh bye!!!
August 12th, 2016 at 1:37 pm
surprised no one is on the andre davis bang wagon….he had 2 great catches and a good block for hansbough….I like him over Krause,martino, spencer and bell….dye and reedy played well too….GO BUCS!!!!
August 12th, 2016 at 1:39 pm
After Jameis left the game, QB play was so poor that I found it a little difficult to gauge the WR’s playing with those guys.
August 12th, 2016 at 2:06 pm
I’ve been on the Andre Davis bandwagon since he was at USF..he should make that roster..period..
August 12th, 2016 at 2:27 pm
Are we that impatient for football where were gonna base our depth chart off the first preseason game.. Joe, Russel Sheppard is most certainly not the “clear cut” number 4 receiver. Competition for spots takes time, not a few good plays against backups.
August 12th, 2016 at 2:35 pm
Shepard, Dye, Reedy, Martino stepped it up, I saw nothing from Hump and much less from both our back/up QB’s, man I’m disappointed! To all who say coaching is so important: Please tell me where did it show last night?! I’m waiting for your answer!
August 12th, 2016 at 2:46 pm
@Hog- It’s kind of hard to argue. If anything, the defense played better.
Overall though, it just fell flat to me. Of course, the off-season tends to drive the expectations higher.
August 12th, 2016 at 2:52 pm
One more thing stop calling our players bums, try calling out the entire offensive coaching staff, incompetent, in over their heads,…… But that D/Line looks good, defensive back/field will come along slowly and lastly I give Banks the #4 cornerback job! There is a lot of work to be done in the next 7 days!
August 12th, 2016 at 3:40 pm
Bucs3-Russel Sheppard was playing with the starters last night. I think he played 3 quarters. And he is the clear cut number 4 for right now. Obviously there is still a few weeks and that can change. Looking at all our options from last night I fail to see that there is anybody who can challenge him. This Bell guy sucked hard last night, he couldn’t get separation against 2nd and 3rd stringers and that is alarming.
August 12th, 2016 at 4:00 pm
One thing is for certain from last night, Glennon for all his experience, is not a good backup for Jameis. After he gets hit a few times he is no good. At least our third QB is better. Ryan got us a field goal and could drive third stringers down the field and didn’t have the reps squandered on Glennon. We would be better trading Glennon for a seventh pick because he will be gone next year for good and we will have nothing to show for him. One reason Jameis got 4,000 yards last year despite VJAX going down, is because we still had Murphy, who was experienced and knew how to get open and pick up yards for us. He is no bum and we still need him. Hump and Murphy have good hands too. This first cut our bushy headed softy receiver needs to go along with the tall Gator TE with poor hands. Let’s look at White and Krause and the rest of our receivers again and see how they do against Jacksonville. If we don’t have enough receivers we can count on, get Roddy White in here on a one year contract no money guaranteed and see how good he can play for us since he already knows our Offense.
August 12th, 2016 at 4:04 pm
I bet Bell becomes a Patriots star after we cut him.
August 12th, 2016 at 4:15 pm
Bell is not going to be a star anywhere in the NFL. He is a late round draft pick who is bearing out the statistics of late round draft picks. He is just not good enough to play in the NFL.
August 12th, 2016 at 4:27 pm
Besides Evans and Vjax, all our WRs not named Shepard blew it last night. Preseason is the time for question mark guys to make their mark and standout. That didnt happen. Kudos to Shep for stepping up. Hump still needs to earn that #3 designation. Bell fell and Dye died.
August 12th, 2016 at 5:49 pm
Our top two guys are great our third has potential but after that yikes we may have the worst WR depth in the NFL
Maybe we should just keep 4 WR, 5 TE’s and have Sims be our 5th receiver and find two WR’s eligible to go on our practice squad from another team.
If VJax or Evans get injured we are screwed this year.