WR Cecil Shorts Signs With Bucs
September 6th, 2016
Today’s hero
UPDATED 6:52 p.m. – General manager Jason Licht is not messing around.
Today, Licht acknowledged what Dirk Koetter so eloquently stated the other day: the Bucs are “light on the back end” of their receiving corps.
As Joe wrote earlier, veteran wide receiver Cecil Shorts, 28, was cut by the Texans and quickly was brought in today by Tampa Bay. Licht is close friends with Texans head coach Bill O’Brien, and that is no coincidence.
Sports reporter Mark Berman of FOX 26 in Houston was Twittering at 5:06 p.m. that Shorts is in Tampa and will be a Buccaneer in a matter of minutes.
Joe really wants to buy Licht a couple celebratory beers. Or perhaps Licht should just jump in his pool and share the photo on Twitter, as he does after victories. This truly is a big signing, considering how weak the Bucs’ depth was at receiver.
Shorts is apparently healthy after hamstring and shoulder issues last year.
In 2015, he caught 42 balls and two touchdowns for a division champ Texans team with bad quarterback play. With the Jaguars in 2014, Shorts caught started 12 games and caught 53 balls. In 2012 and 2013 in Jacksonville, he caught a combined 110 balls and 10 touchdowns.
So this guy is legitimate depth.
The Bucs will have to clear a roster spot to make room for Shorts. Evan Spencer, zero career catches, was the No. 5 wide receiver as of yesterday.
UPDATE – Tampa Bay made the deal official and Evan Spencer was waived.
September 6th, 2016 at 5:36 pm
Thank Gawddd…
September 6th, 2016 at 5:37 pm
Any warm body with some career experience is an upgrade.
September 6th, 2016 at 5:37 pm
Cut Myers !
September 6th, 2016 at 5:38 pm
Wonder if that Jameis speech last night had anything to do with it
September 6th, 2016 at 5:49 pm
Let’s hope he doesn’t have a torn ACL that the medical team missed.
September 6th, 2016 at 5:51 pm
Lets just hope the medical team who says his hamstring and shoulder are healthy aren’t the same people who said Sweezy and Vitale are good to go. This guy is probably going to play one game and will be out the rest of the year… best ability is availability! Lets not wait until the everyone else is picked through, go get someone else now!!!!!!!!!
September 6th, 2016 at 5:51 pm
Evan Spencer getting cut apparently.
Not sure why we’re still insisting on keeping 5 TEs.
September 6th, 2016 at 5:53 pm
Hope our medical staff check him out thoroughly. We don’t want another…Easy Money Sweezy!!
September 6th, 2016 at 5:54 pm
I never heard of this guy, I’m so broke I can’t pay attention.
September 6th, 2016 at 5:55 pm
Very good signing. Better than anyone else available. Him and humph can rotate in the slot and he can handle kick return with humph doing punts. LOVE IT BABY FIRE THOSE CANNONS BEOOOOTCH!!!!!
September 6th, 2016 at 5:58 pm
Plus he knows kotter system so this should be an easy transition for him
September 6th, 2016 at 6:04 pm
Great signing this guy can ball when healthy way better then murp also and not to mention I love Adam Humphries but i could see this guy taking time away from him in the slot he can play
September 6th, 2016 at 6:06 pm
LOVE this signing
@ buc fan 37. Do u live under a rock? How have u not heard of Shorts?
@NOSBOS. How bout that JW3 speech last night? We ain’t puppies, we sum DOGS
September 6th, 2016 at 6:07 pm
We don’t need 5 TEs.
September 6th, 2016 at 6:08 pm
I’m very happy about this news and expect more roster changes at the bottoms of the 53.
September 6th, 2016 at 6:15 pm
Whats wrong with you People!
Last year anybody with eyes seen we needed someone to replace old VJ when he goes down with injury.
So all through the draft, the offseason, preseason games and….
less than 5 days from starting the regular season, we get a cut player from another team????
never seen the playbook, lockerroom,never ran a route in tampa, never caught a pass from Jabooo, Jaboo never threw to him once…WTF?
less than 5 damn days??? and we have people here kissing his acdc loving arse??
What the hell was Forrest Gump doing all this time??
September 6th, 2016 at 6:16 pm
Welcome aboard Cecil Shorts!!!!!
September 6th, 2016 at 6:20 pm
Like it. Adding Shorts and hopefully having a healthy Loyis Murphy return would greatly increase the depth at WR.
September 6th, 2016 at 6:21 pm
Kobe faker,
Actually he has already played in dirks offence in Jax. And I agree that we should have drafted a wr instead of Roberto, and I’m a FSU fan. But just think if we can get a guy like Mike Williams or Juju smith Schuster next year. But shorts don’t have to start right away, that’s the beauty of it. He can sit for a week or 2 and learn.
September 6th, 2016 at 6:43 pm
Yea JIMBO it was reminiscent of that time he was in that dug out during that baseball game. I never mention Famous man mainly because Ialrwady know what he brings to the table. Folks round thinking Famous about to go 7 and 9 in his second campaign blasphemy I say. A prediction of 7 and 9 after all movement this by this staff and GM is an insult.
September 6th, 2016 at 6:45 pm
No worrie tho you meek of heart will begin changing your tune real soon.
September 6th, 2016 at 6:46 pm
Kobe. I have no problem with them adding quality depth today or tomorrow. We take good guys when you can get them…he is a seasoned pro and will come up to speed quickly.
September 6th, 2016 at 6:49 pm
My only complaint is that he has NEVER made it through a season without injury.
He won’t be much good to us if he can’t take the field.
Joe said it. “Shorts is apparently healthy after hamstring and shoulder issues…”
Given the luck Jason Licht has had with injury prone players, do you really think this guy will last?
September 6th, 2016 at 6:50 pm
J. R. Sweezy was apparently healthy too.
September 6th, 2016 at 6:51 pm
They should just activate Butler.
September 6th, 2016 at 6:57 pm
Good signing. He is a younger version of Roddy White, yet with 6 yrs experience gives us a solid receiving corp. Don’t think Spencer will wind up on PR. If Murphy doesn’t improve we now have an alternative. Let him learn for a few weeks before throwing him in. Interesting to see the impact on Humphries.
September 6th, 2016 at 7:25 pm
Will you people stop with the murphry crap…. even if he improves he still sucks… bucs want versatile players not broken down has beens that never were any good in the first place… Murphy doesn’t play special teams, cant stay healthy and doesn’t score touchdowns…. Murphy is a compkete waste of bucs time
September 6th, 2016 at 7:25 pm
Put your big boy pants on Mr Shorts, its almost showtime
September 6th, 2016 at 7:27 pm
The Bucs also worked out RB Jacquizz Rogers, RB Antone Smith and LB P.J Dawson. Rogers and Smith is a good fit in Koetter offense, Mike James days in Tampa may be coming to a end. Both of them had good years with Koetter in Atlanta, on offense and on special teams.
September 6th, 2016 at 7:29 pm
Everyone comes in to the league with zero catches… Not sure how you can tell how a player you like.. Plays with a $hitty #3 QB an OL that can’t gives up pressures etc… Doesn’t makes sense and is flawed thinking.
September 6th, 2016 at 7:59 pm
Murphy is no all pro, but he has his uses. When healthy he has made some nice contributions for the Bucs. No need to hate on Murph, he is better than a lot #4s in the league.
September 6th, 2016 at 8:00 pm
@martinii
He is not a returner.4.59 speed
September 6th, 2016 at 8:03 pm
It’s a one year deal. Obviously, Licht doesn’t see Shorts lasting long.
INJURY PRONE!
September 6th, 2016 at 8:09 pm
Trubucfan22
You are full of sh!t murphy isnt better than any other 5 or 6 in the league go look up his stats he is horrible…. if he is better than other teams 4 why was he on the couch 2 years in row and only the bucs came calling. Local feel good stories dont win games
September 6th, 2016 at 8:13 pm
thats awesome. now cut a te or cb and sign another experienced wo land ill be comfortable
September 6th, 2016 at 9:05 pm
Kobe FLAKER is an NFL faker.
In another post you asked why all the hate towards you. Well if you can’t figure it out go back and read what you post
You’re a damn idiot. Hopefully that helps you
September 6th, 2016 at 9:06 pm
Sorry got off subject but great signing
September 6th, 2016 at 9:29 pm
tmax. Oh reality is a Bit@h. The players you hate so much are still here. Keep crying . Keep posting the same exact words everyday. Licht may listen to your all knowing knowledge. And I know how much you hate local feel good nice guy stories. So you may as well start on Hargraves now and get it over with. Oh I forgot. You don’t get over it. You just cry about the same players everyday.
September 6th, 2016 at 10:05 pm
Shut up kobe
September 6th, 2016 at 10:13 pm
Thanks bucfan. Tmax gets old. I do agree with a lot of his stuff and he is educated and mostly on point but some of the stuff just is tiresome. Mostly bout gmc lol. Murphy isn’t all that but as a 5 he’s really solid. Asking him to be a 2 is a dif story but as one of te last wr on the team? We could def do worse
Glad we signed this guy. He’s a vet. Knows what it takes to be a pro. Stuck around. Can’t blame him for getting injured. It’s obv unfortunate but he gives us a little more security and I’ll only need 6 beers tonight instead of the 8 required by our wr depth chart. I happen to be a creature of habit so ima just stick with 8 bc it makes me feel warm and comfy
September 6th, 2016 at 10:58 pm
Eh, woulda rather had jalen strong ha. Or Hopkins or fuller or Miller. Holy jeezus
September 7th, 2016 at 2:28 am
also worked out former Falcon Jacquizz Rodgers, former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker PJ Dawson, former Cincinnati wide receiver Mekale McKay, former Alabama quarterback Blake Sims (as a running back), running back Antone Smith, who was most recently with the New York Jets and former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver DeAndrew White.
September 7th, 2016 at 7:57 am
Grest signing Licht. I can see him in the slot doing damage. Welcome to Tampa my friend.
September 7th, 2016 at 8:56 am
Don’t follow Houston. Do watch Jax. Jags have always had decent Os though the QBs were ?? So, if Shorts produced under DK in Jax, works for me. 🙂 Get Humphries off the PR duty. He’s developing into an over-the-middle dependable receiver. He’s too valuable to do PR.
What’s with all the bellyachin’ over Murphy?? Shut-up, already!! Louis Murphy is a team player with no character issues!! He has proven that he’s a dependable member of the team. Why else would he still be on it w/DK and Licht calling the shots?! You bet he’ll be playing sometime this season, and shutting up a few loudmouthed yahoos on here. Dimwitted, too. I come on here to learn and laff. Sometimes, I wonder (??) about the learning.
Go Mighty Bucs On Sunday In Hotlanta!!
September 7th, 2016 at 10:09 am
My only problem with Cecil Shorts is his, Catch Ratio…It’s a career 51%. I’m hoping that Jeremy Butler get on the active roster.