Wide Receiver Depth Dismal
August 21st, 2016
Still looking to make a play against an opponent.
Joe has only one word to say about the depth of the Bucs wide receivers after last night’s preseason game with the Jags.
“Awful.”
Let’s look at the schlock that played last night, beyond No. 3 man Adam Humphries.
Russell Shepard: Did OK, but had an ugly drop in the red zone. If Joe didn’t know better, he’d be competing for the No. 3 gig.
Donteea Dye: The misplaced Calgary Stampeder had a gross drop of a Mike Glennon offering. Flashed as a kick returner.
Jonathan Krause: Looked good facing future welders and first-responders late in the game.
Kenny Bell: Still looking for his first catch as Bell prepares for his fifth preseason game as a member of the Bucs this week. It’s difficult to believe he can make it to the 53-man roster and dubious to think he can make the practice squad. What exactly has he done other than run routes? Oh, he made two catches in a scrimmage against another team this week. Oh, good!
Bernard Reedy: OK, but again, playing against morticians and fishing charter captains. Maybe a special teams survivor.
Evan Spencer: Didn’t do anything to harm his chances of making the team except for getting hurt. Pretty much meh.
Unless someone goes crazy this week in the final competitive preseason game against Cleveland, it’s easy to imagine Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht going dumpster diving for a receiver before the season opener at Atlanta, hoping to find treasure amid other teams’ trash.
August 21st, 2016 at 8:04 am
Not like we could have drafted one in, say, the second round.
August 21st, 2016 at 8:07 am
Yes the depth of WR is “Awful”!!! But is anyone worried about the so called #1 and #2????? VJ87 turns 34 at the end of the season and is looking like it!!! Is the injury from last year still bothering him??? ME13 was pretty much shut down and blanket covered by Jalen Ramsey last night!!!
We all know that the scheme is not being run yet, But the running game better be as good as last year if some of these WR want time to finally get open!!! They all need to perform during the game, and not when the game gets out of hand and are facing prevent defenses at the end of games!!!!!
WR and TE for NFL Draft 2017!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 21st, 2016 at 8:17 am
Back on the censor’s list huh. Well take this site and shove up your ass then bro.
August 21st, 2016 at 8:18 am
that caption should be the same for Cameron Brate Still Looking To Make A Damn Play! Im sick of the BS!!!!
August 21st, 2016 at 8:18 am
Didn’t Bell get blown up on a crossing route? The defender hit him so hard, he got hurt.
Other than that and some overthrows I didn’t see another chance to get a catch. Not sticking up for anyone but I know the QBs played so bad in the first game Jerry Rice wouldn’t
make a catch.
August 21st, 2016 at 8:21 am
These guys can help it that they are playing against 3rd stringers……that’s what they are…what would you have Koetter do…..start them?
I do agree that the depth is a huge concern…..and Bell shows me nothing.
August 21st, 2016 at 8:30 am
They need to bring in some veteran help at WR. Our second round pick will come back to haunt us for years to come when one of the WR’s we could of chosen turns out to be the next megatron. Lol. Now that will hurt!!!! But in the mean time let’s put a bandaid on it and bring in a vet WR Cholston, White, damn near anyone would be better than the depth that we have.
August 21st, 2016 at 8:34 am
@ Chris – thinking the same thing
August 21st, 2016 at 8:37 am
5 wins looks like “maybe”
August 21st, 2016 at 8:37 am
Hey Nos Bos…………
“Just wait for it”
August 21st, 2016 at 8:44 am
There is a farmers insurance agency licking their chops in Lincoln, Nebraska waiting for the bucs to cut Kenny Bell. Hell they probably have his business cards being printed already. The guy is horrible. Not one single catch or meaningful play yet some of you hold out hope. How special…. no fanbase in the league latches on and falls in love with bad players faster than the bucs fanbase…
August 21st, 2016 at 8:50 am
Why does it seem that Bell gets completely blown up every time he has an opportunity to catch a pass? He has got creamed two weeks in a row on that crossing route. The ball hits his hands about the same time as a defender unloads on him. They’re going to end up carrying this little guy off on a stretcher.
August 21st, 2016 at 8:52 am
Reciever is a huge concern. Part of why Jameis looked so bad last night was that he had no one open to throw to. He had plenty of time on most pass plays, just know where to throw the ball to. Good thing the running game was bailing him out.
August 21st, 2016 at 8:53 am
oops …. know = no
August 21st, 2016 at 8:54 am
It’s the hair, seriously, that’s what it is.
August 21st, 2016 at 8:55 am
@Dreambig
It also look like they were bringing it from the Jags front 7 and for the most part, It looked like the O-line, TE and RB were picking up their blocking assignments pretty well!!!!! Can’t wait for the replay today to watch details a little more closely!!!!
August 21st, 2016 at 9:01 am
Never fear bucs fan the legendary receiving threat louis murphy with his 10 TDs over a 7 year career is waiting in the wings to save the day. Nevermind he is often injuried, doesn’t play special teams and has never been anything more than an afterthought for his previous 3 teams he will magically turn into a combination of lynn Swann and jerry rice to lead the bucs to the promise land…. i have been crying about bucs receier depth for 2 years. Its panic time buc fans. After evans the bucs could use a total house cleaning and start from scratch with their wr room.
August 21st, 2016 at 9:08 am
Morticians and fishing charter captains! Lmfao hahah too funny!
August 21st, 2016 at 9:10 am
It may be wise to consider signing a speedy free agent wide receiver like maybe Devin Hester. This would help take some pressure off the other receivers.
August 21st, 2016 at 9:19 am
These are the moves that has made us who we are over the past 15 years. Your college homerism is so bad, you jump up and down over a kicker picked in the 2nd, when there’s holes all over this team. We have a franchise qb, and you surround him with a 34 yr old receiver who is breaking down and Adam Humphries? Louis ( milk carton) Murphy, a 6th round receiver you’re expecting to compete? Bonehead decisions every year.
August 21st, 2016 at 9:20 am
911bucs
Hester is a returner not a contributing WR… do you realize how many coordinators that have tried to get more out of hester at wr….legendary returner but nothing at wr….
August 21st, 2016 at 9:21 am
If it wasn’t already, it is now blatantly obvious that Kenny Bell is not xut out for the NFL. He just looks lost, too worried about keeping his head on a swivel to make a play. I honestly don’t know if he could even handle the CFL. Alot of those men are hungry and will stop at nothing to get noticed. Arena league might work for him. With his speed he could be a star.
August 21st, 2016 at 9:22 am
@Nole
lol, you act like Joe is targeting you.
The system is automated. It detects keywords or phrases and flags them for Joe to approve. Sometimes, he doesn’t have the time to go through them all, but its not personal.
Believe me, I’ve had my share of battles with the censor system. It can be something as simple as starting three sentences with the same word.
August 21st, 2016 at 9:25 am
I have the perfect nickname for Bell.
Sideshow Bell.
Think about it 🙂
After waiting this long for him to make a catch, I think the fans deserve it to happen at home. That way all the fans can cheer, making the opposing team wonder why. hehe.
At that precise moment, the crowd should cheer louder than ever before, just for kicks.
August 21st, 2016 at 9:26 am
Good point Chris. IDGAF if Aguayo is the next Adam Vinatieri, a second round pick!?! We could have drafted an o lineman, safety or most importantly, a receiver!
August 21st, 2016 at 9:27 am
@Buc Bonzai is Bananas
I thought it was ‘Afro-Blunder”!!!!!!!
August 21st, 2016 at 9:27 am
As to WR depth…I agree. We should have gone after Jermaine Kearse or Marvin Jones like I wanted to do in free agency.
Would have been better than paying for a guard that can’t take the field, and both of those guys are up and comers (and young).
August 21st, 2016 at 9:30 am
WR in 2017!
August 21st, 2016 at 9:30 am
LargoBuc Says
“We could have drafted an o lineman, safety or most importantly, a receiver”
Just as much chance of that pick being a bust too.
No…Free Agency should have addressed the position, not the draft. There were very good choices, and the draft was handled perfectly. You may not see that yet, but you will eventually.
August 21st, 2016 at 9:33 am
This tra, needs Murphy to get healthy and it’s time to search the waiver wire when it hits. These guys are not stepping up. I counted over 5 drops last night. Unexcusable. Tighten up.
August 21st, 2016 at 9:37 am
Here’s my thought. I can’t really judge any of the depth receivers because pro bowlers would have a hard time looking good with the garbage throwing them the ball. Unless we could see them work with the first team offence against first team defenses we can only guess if they are as bad as they look.
August 21st, 2016 at 9:37 am
It is hard to be worried about the depth at WR.
I think ours is likely the worst after the starters in the NFL.
August 21st, 2016 at 9:48 am
The Bucs will be adding a WR…or 2…before the preseason ends, bank on it! Might even possibly swing a trade….we are deep at RB….some team might make us an offer for Simms or James.
August 21st, 2016 at 9:55 am
Thank god we didn’t draft a wideout with out late 2nd round pick!
Conner Barth was horrible and we needed the greatest kicker ever
August 21st, 2016 at 9:56 am
Destro44
You mean like the Hot Garbage that was throwing with the first team last night?
August 21st, 2016 at 10:04 am
Bucfan
Touché. I would agree with that assessment of Jameis last night.
August 21st, 2016 at 10:05 am
Bell is just to thin and frail. He just isn’t going to make it in the NFL. He was a 5th rounder and a lot of those guys don’t make it. Would have been nice if he had worked out but it didn’t. Hopefully a couple of 2nd rounders on this team will make it.
August 21st, 2016 at 10:06 am
Everybody take a breath. Once we play entire games with our starting OL, starting QB, and starting defense playing the whole game, some of these WRs are gonna make plays. Keep in mind that while they are going against backups, they are also getting balls thrown by backup QBs with “meh” OL protection. I like Shephard and Dye, especially once our running game gets humming with Dougie and Charles Sims III.
August 21st, 2016 at 10:07 am
I know it takes two to tango but the Bucs should have thrown some extra money Andre Johnsons way to get him here. Too bad Steve Smith went back to the Ravens.
August 21st, 2016 at 10:21 am
Need to commend you Joe for attracting so many women to a football site.
August 21st, 2016 at 10:22 am
What about swinging another trade for DGB? I know the stories about him being a slow learner but with JW and VJ in his ear he can develop into a decent WR opposit ME13. Can’t be much worse than what we have now. Just a thought.
August 21st, 2016 at 10:41 am
Yet we wasted a 3rd and a 4th on a kicker, a bad kicker at that. Get Jason Licht out of Tampa ASAP.
August 21st, 2016 at 10:46 am
I don’t know what is going on with our WR’s, but drops are really really scary. Brate dropped 2 passes, Shepard dropped a pass, Bell dropped 2 passes (I don’t care if he got hit hard, last time I checked it’s football and that happens), not to mention the no-name guys who dropped a few as well. I can’t remember any team dropping this many passes on such a consistent basis. Nothing leads me to believe it’s all of a sudden going to stop once the regular season starts.
I like Licht and think he’s doing a pretty good job (even though the results haven’t really been there yet), but he is failing if he doesn’t figure out something with this WR team. As presently constructed, we have the worst WR’s in the league beyond our top 2, and I don’t think it’s even close. Him relying on these guys to be something they are not is a huge mistake. I don’t care if he has to swing a big trade, he needs to do something, and do something right now. I don’t think we can win with what we have now.
August 21st, 2016 at 10:49 am
“Yet we wasted a 3rd and a 4th on a kicker, a bad kicker at that. Get Jason Licht out of Tampa ASAP.”
—————–
It’s amazing you can judge a kicker by his first few kicks in the preseason. Where do you coach kicking at? Were you the same person wanting to cut Jameis after his first throw against Tennessee? Settle down a little.
August 21st, 2016 at 10:59 am
ASJ is going no where.
August 21st, 2016 at 11:00 am
LOL..wrong thread.
August 21st, 2016 at 11:14 am
No but kickers have been cut in preseason for missing kicks. He won’t , because he’s a second round pick , the whole FSU thing is a major reason we gambled so high. If he’s the best kicker from Penn State, not a chance he’s here. And no, picking up scubs being cut from other teams is why we only have 1 and a half receivers going into the season. Draft them.
August 21st, 2016 at 11:18 am
How can anyone with a TINY amount of football knowledge justify Jason Licht trading a 3rd and a 4th for this bag of GARBAGE? I don’t know who is the most PATHETIC, the franchise or the fans.
August 21st, 2016 at 11:31 am
It seems that Licht gambled a little hoping Kenny Bell would become an NFL receiver. This I believe is why he drafted the kicker in the second round. Right now this is all blowing up in his face. Neither are panning out. Bell will not make the roster, Aguayo will but it won’t be for long if he keeps missing kicks.
August 21st, 2016 at 11:37 am
Rumor has it..Kenny Bell has already been accepted for the..Church’s fried chicken Mngt school in San Antonio, Tx. They know he’s available this sept so classes start Oct 1st. He’ll start off managing a chicken joint and perhaps move up from there. There Mngrs make between 50 to75 grand per yr. If he makes regional Rep, he can make over 100 grand a yr. Good luck Kenny!
August 21st, 2016 at 11:42 am
LakeLandBuc Says
“How can anyone with a TINY amount of football knowledge justify Jason Licht trading a 3rd and a 4th for this bag of GARBAGE?”
For hopefully the LAST time. Licht did not trade a 3rd and a 4th. He UPGRADED A THIRD with a 4th.
An extra 4th that he acquired in the same draft.
Really, if you go by the picks we had going into the draft, upgrading cost the Bucs nothing. Zero. Zilch.
Look at it this way…had he not traded, that pick would have been in the 3rd round, and it would have been the exact same pick if the guy was still there.
You guys act like Licht gave up a 3rd and he didn’t. He improved it.
August 21st, 2016 at 11:44 am
Well looks like a gator might have to carry a couple of nole bust’s.
August 21st, 2016 at 11:53 am
Nice drops by Brate, second one led to pick of Winston, he looked like crap in this game.
August 21st, 2016 at 11:54 am
Kobe faker 0 receptions
Kenny “the real faker” bell 0 receptions
I want to know when am I going to have my 1 on 1 personal interview with Casey phillips!
August 21st, 2016 at 12:08 pm
Three drops by Brate, one a td
August 21st, 2016 at 12:14 pm
Nice try, Buc PR guy.
Some improvement. That “upgrade” could’ve been a receiver. Or that 3rd and 4th could’ve been 2 receivers. Or an interior D-lineman.
August 21st, 2016 at 12:29 pm
@tmaxcon
“How special…. no fanbase in the league latches on and falls in love with bad players faster than the bucs fan base…”
And this fan base is the fastest to turn on young players with a lot of potential. I like Cam Brate a lot. Everyone was S-ing his D all offseason but now he hasn’t had two good preseason games and now people are turning their backs on him. pisses me off.
August 21st, 2016 at 12:29 pm
I’m fine with the Bucs going into the regular season with the best of the receiving group right now. Sure a case can be made for a needed added receiver, but these preseason games do not forebode dread at that position. Even with these players the Bucs will win about half of their games considering the overall package making up the team. We will go with what we have. Go Bucs!
August 21st, 2016 at 12:34 pm
Get on the phone Licht! Been saying for months WR depth was a huge problem. Kenny Bell is a fraud. The other guys behind Humph are absolute garbage.
August 21st, 2016 at 12:49 pm
I hate these articles. Big picture we’re going to need Kenny Bell more than any other receiver outside of Jackson and Evans. You’ll act like he’s getting 9 or 10 targets per game and still coming up empty. If Licht cuts him he won’t clear waivers someone will pick him up immediately and find a role for him. Then you’ll will start questioning Licht and koetter.
August 21st, 2016 at 12:51 pm
VJax & Evans are the only receivers that win against real competition. The GM, coaches, fans & media overrates all the other receivers on the roster.
August 21st, 2016 at 12:59 pm
Bonzai the 4th rounder we acquired on day one. Was not a coupon. An actual player could have been drafted. The kicker could have been drafted with the 3rd round pick. Nobody was gunna select this guy until the 4th round. Seabass was worth it because he gives you a chance from 60 yards. We should have not selected the kicker. Instead draft wrs with our 3rd amd 4th round picks.
August 21st, 2016 at 1:01 pm
Kenny Bell is not the problem. The OC/HC does not like Bell and has made that clear since the start of OTA’s. The press have slurped up the intentional rumor of Bell’s early demise and have been willing anti-Bell stenographers for the Bucs FO.
The truth, IMHO, is that th Bucs offense sucks. Winston is rarely on target and often forces passes that are everywhere but useable. He doesn’t anticipate routes well enough to help his targets get YAC. Deep balls are always of the toss n pray variety. Jackson and Evans really don’t have a deep gear and crowd the middle for RB and TE routes.
Bell and a parade of SPEED WR’s are being wasted on a team that can’t throw with accuracy over 15yds. So, all this talk about Bell being a disappointment is PR cover for a playbook and OC/HC that can’t throw deep.
For all the hoopla about Winston/Koetter, they can barely get consecutive 1st downs.
August 21st, 2016 at 1:07 pm
@que589
Bell can also. If wasn’t splitting all these reps with the rest of these bums that includes humphries. He needs more targets. I like Russ shep too because he never had a fair shot since coming out of high school and yet he still found away to stick around that’s says a lot.
August 21st, 2016 at 1:09 pm
Mo_Downs
Thanks for the laughs. Might be the dumbest post so far… Bell sucks simple as that.
August 21st, 2016 at 1:11 pm
iamkingsu
Bell has not made a catch in full pads yet you want more reps… maybe you and mo_downs can fetch coffee for Bell at whatever insurance agency or car dealership he chooses for a career. No team is going to claim bell… that’s hilarious
August 21st, 2016 at 1:12 pm
Tmaxcon
Bet it! You set the stakes
August 21st, 2016 at 1:14 pm
SOEbuc
The difference in getting rid of players with talent is they had talent in the first place bell is a 5th rd pick from a totally irrelevant football program that is better known for the archaic wishbone than receivers. Bell just cant cut playing with the big boys
August 21st, 2016 at 1:16 pm
Why not convert Simms to slot receiver? We have a ton of depth at RB in James,Barber, and Storm, but almost none at WR so why not move the most explosive player in our offense, who has proven that he has better hands than almost our whole receiving core to #3wr?
August 21st, 2016 at 1:18 pm
Thank you for calling Farmers Insurance this is kenny bell how may help you today…..
August 21st, 2016 at 1:23 pm
Other than the Glennon bash by tmax I agree with all he says about the receivers. Bell was the only receiver on a mediocre Nebraska team. It’s hilarious these guys with a conspiracy theory on a bum receiver. He will be cut, it’s not like the guy is Joey Galloway or Deon fast. Hey guess what , Skeets Neiamiah was fast too, only knew one route and couldn’t catch even when he ran it.
August 21st, 2016 at 1:25 pm
I’m on the fence considering Bell, all I can say is that the coaching must like something about his potential. There is still time left to make the team, even if that opportunity seems close to vanishing.
August 21st, 2016 at 1:32 pm
most of these guys have college degrees i’m sure they can at least get a job as a blogger or sports writers when they’re playing days are over
August 21st, 2016 at 1:33 pm
I don’t know but maybe it’s me but when I’m looking at the stat line after these preseason games I don’t see no one with 8 or 9 catches. I see a guys with a catch here and a catch there. You’ll are like the other receivers are dominating Bell or something.
August 21st, 2016 at 1:45 pm
iamkingsu
Your boy is going on 2 years with ZERO catches… might be a record for any drafted receiver. He doesn’t even look like he belongs on a nfl field… glad you like the guy everyone needs someone but you are goung to be disappointed when he’s out of the league in the next few weeks
August 21st, 2016 at 2:06 pm
This is reason #1 you don’t spend 2 picks on a kicker. Jameis is the franchise and we have no one to step in for injuries. Very dumb Jason.
August 21st, 2016 at 2:29 pm
I’d like to see some of these guys mixed with the first unit in the third game…to see what they are like with the starting unit. To see if anyone can stand out against opposing starters. I realize we want to get starters their reps, but injuries will happen to every team…why not get a look or two with the WR’s on the depth chart. SOMETIMES, it’s not always the receiver play. It’s the QB play….bad game, poorly thrown balls, not smart decisions. The receivers may run good routes but not have the ball thrown their way. Glennon and Griffin aren’t franchise type qb’s that they are getting the passes from either.
Dye had a nice return. I’m anxious to see Ryan Smith back there….he seems electric from his college tape….perhaps he’s distantly related to Clifton Smith 😉
August 21st, 2016 at 2:32 pm
btw, Bell nearly came down with a tremendous catch last night in the end zone. Defender made a great play and knocked it away last second. Bell just needs the reps…..and it wouldn’t hurt having Jameis throwing him the ball instead of Glennon or Griffin. That’s why I’d love to see Bell, Krause, etc. get a crack with the first team until for a series or two to see if they can get better looks even against higher competition.
August 21st, 2016 at 2:35 pm
ps – Bell nearly had two tds in the first two games…..Griffin overthrew a wide open Bell in the endzone vs. the Eagles.
August 21st, 2016 at 4:52 pm
It’s pre-season. Winston needs to work out some bugs, he wasn’t looking all that great early last night. ASJ looked better, but Cameron Brate had a drop. For some reason Glennon is trying to kill every receiver he throws to (no touch on ball). I think next week we will see the traditional 3rd game season tune up when all the best will line-up and hopefully James, Doug, Mike, and VJ will make one of our reserves look like a slot receiver. Shepherd and Humphries will be big factors. Hell Bell may decide to play to expectations. Now after the Browns game if there is no improvement at #3 I would advise checking out the waiver wire.
August 21st, 2016 at 6:03 pm
Licht has had time to fix wr and he didn’t. Why partially because he overestimated the value of the group. It’s his fault. What bothers me is we have cap room and a young qb. So it was a big need. Everybody saw it but the smartest guy in the room, same thing with that kicker pick. I like licht so far I hope his ego isn’t getting to big. No excuse for this kinda mistake..
August 21st, 2016 at 6:42 pm
So, is Roddy White no longer an option? Or am I missing something?
August 21st, 2016 at 6:44 pm
Roddy is no longer an option, because he’s too damn old.
August 21st, 2016 at 6:46 pm
Can Aguayo play WR?
August 21st, 2016 at 8:15 pm
It’s obvious receivers aren’t able to separate or win on deep routes but the GM refuses to address the position with proven talent.
Joe please ask GM why he refuse to add talent to a dismal receiving corp
August 21st, 2016 at 8:42 pm
87, the more important question is can Agauyo play kicker? LOL!
August 22nd, 2016 at 7:38 am
With Cleveland here maybe we could trade for Josh Gordon.
August 22nd, 2016 at 11:12 pm
& I was wrong to suggest that trading up for Aguayo was a bad move, & that we should’ve used those picks for a WR DB or DL..