Fascinating WR Battle More Interesting
August 18th, 2018
Strong game by rookie.
Earlier this week, Joe wrote how the Bucs have a fascinating wide receiver battle on their hands.
It may have gotten more interesting Saturday night.
In the Bucs’30-14 win over the Titans in the second preseason game, rookie wide receiver Justin Watson sure made a case to be kept. The fifth-round draft pick led the team with Saturday with four catches, for 54 yards, and a helluva touchdown catch.
In the second quarter, America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, found Watson open along the right sideline in the end zone and Watson looked like a combination of Adam Humphries with the catch and Mike Evans with the pretty footwork to make sure he didn’t stumble out of bounds.
So now what do the Bucs do? Will the Bucs keep six roster spots for a wide receiver with Freddie Martino or Watson as the final two spots? It seems unlikely Watson would clear waivers to be placed on the practice squad. Would Bobo Wilson clear waivers? Would Bernard Reedy?
This fascinates Joe and probably, the guy who plays the best special teams will make the roster.
Given how the Bucs might need an extra offensive lineman and a cornerback the way those guys are dropping like flies, might a trade be in the works using the Bucs’ crazy depth at receiver?
August 19th, 2018 at 12:08 am
Watson is a lock.
August 19th, 2018 at 12:15 am
Freddie Martino can be cut. Watson flashed really well tonight.
August 19th, 2018 at 12:18 am
Agreed, Skipper. The battle is between Martino anD Wilson. Something tells me the edge goes to Martino. I also think we see D-Jax returning kicks come regular season.
August 19th, 2018 at 12:21 am
The Bucs better not trade away Watson or put him on the practice squad and lose him. He is definitely a keeper and is great on Special Teams too. Licht deserves big kudos for drafting Watson. Trade away Reedy if you like. We need to keep Watson and Bobo.
August 19th, 2018 at 12:22 am
This is something we only dreamed of when we were fielding the glass….err… I mean white tiger Galloway and the bandit of hopefuls back in the day. Love it!!!!
August 19th, 2018 at 12:26 am
Watson and Bobo Wilson to the 53, with Bailey to the PS.
Martino, Reedy and company can be cut.
Not an easy choice, but we have seen the ceilings of Martino and Reedy. Let’s move on to see the kids play and grow.
August 19th, 2018 at 12:28 am
Bailey impresses the shi! out of me too though..I think we are double-stacked at WR!!
But Watson?? Wow…plays like a veteran..and has a Bod of a God too…
This lady will take him on and off the field..lol..
August 19th, 2018 at 12:31 am
Watson looked like a polished veteran tonight.
August 19th, 2018 at 12:31 am
I was able to watch Waston in a Open Practice for the fans last Saturday at One Buc Place, reminds me of another tall smooth WR who played for the Bucs in 2002 for CHUCKY Gruden, Joe Jeravisis. Plus Waston’s Smart. How do I know? Because Waston went to the same Business School as Pres. Trump at The Univ. of Penn., The Walton School of Finance, and once interned at Gorman Sacks for a summer. Just a rich White Kid who call big time ball. Make the team? You bet he does folks! Also Played in the East West Shrine Game in Jan. at Trop. Field. Too. David Corcoran, Winter Park, Florida.
August 19th, 2018 at 12:33 am
Bailey > Bobo
August 19th, 2018 at 12:41 am
Though I couldn’t see the game that td by Watson was spectacular, not just the way he caught the ball but how He shielded the defender with his body. Very veteran move right there by the young man. That’s how you show up in a game! Catching a td from Americas Game Changing QB Jameis Winston! Last week’s fumble is all forgiven! This young man has to make the team, Marino and Bobo have not flashed that much in 2 seasons! He keeps it up he’ll have to be called WattsOn he’ll be electric!!!
August 19th, 2018 at 12:51 am
Watson has such huge hands and physical abilities I don’t know how he could not make it. Little more time down the road and he could be great. Could be Cam Brate (Ivy League) WR. And this guy Bailey II has done nothing but ball in camp. Certainly better than Martino, Reedy, and BoBo. Numbers 5 and 6. “Build through the draft.”-JL. Have to cut DJax no matter what next year cus we aren’t going to sign him for a long, big contract in 2020 if we have to pay a ton of young guys top dollar to stay next year.
August 19th, 2018 at 12:57 am
Watson will be the 5th.
The 6th will be a battle between Reedy, Bobo, Martino and Baily.
Reedy and Bobo will be cut, unless one wins the return job. Martino is the favorite, since he produces and Winston likes him.
But Baily is becoming a wild card!
August 19th, 2018 at 1:00 am
David
Good call. I didn’t realize it till now, but Watson does give off a nice Jeravicous look. Nice.
August 19th, 2018 at 1:11 am
@ david
The difference between trump and watson is watson actually went to class. There is no way anyone that attended penn for 4 years and in your vocabulary is the word bigly among other things ie multiple mispellings in tweets etc.
August 19th, 2018 at 1:18 am
@ david
I said the “T” word in my comment so it did not come through. So i will write it again without the “T” word. Yes the pres and watson may have gone to the same school but only one went to class. You could not attend penn for 4 years and part of your vocabulary is the word bigly or have the multiple spelling errors on twitter.
August 19th, 2018 at 1:22 am
Off topic, I kinda hope marko Myers makes the roster. Really nice guy and has ton of football knowledge. Just makes the rookie mistakes
August 19th, 2018 at 1:31 am
We are so deep at Wrs. Evan and Jackson can sub out for a break while Godwin and Watson can play the outside with Hump stay in the slot. Wow the combos are great.
August 19th, 2018 at 2:24 am
Watson should be the #5, bobo martini and Reed battle for the #6
August 19th, 2018 at 4:06 am
Should also be a fascinating battle at Qb for the 1st 3 games of the season. I’ve thought this for weeks now, what if Griffin looks better than Fitz in preseason , does Koetter stay with the bearded one? Contrary to most of the JW haters that appear on here daily that want him gone, i don’t and I see a huge difference in Winston this year. Minus the one bone headed touchdown, he looks razor sharp! However if something bad should go down and JW is gone after this season I could see Griffin slinging the ball for years to these very talented receivers for many years. Watson included. No way you let this kid walk.
August 19th, 2018 at 5:44 am
Watson definitely is a keeper. What’s interesting about the WR group is that our cup runneth over there, and yet in some other offensive position groups (RB, OLine?) we don’t have nearly the quality depth that we need. Maybe something’s wrong with our drafting priorities? Pretty much the same thing with our defense IMO. We had to go out and buy a DLine (3 FAs in 1 off-season?) because we gave it no drafting priority for years. Same thing with our Secondary. We had to use 3 draft picks in 1 year to fill our holes. Sorry, but that says a lot to me about how NOT to build a team. If you’re constantly reacting to the previous year’s starting weaknesses year-after-year instead of drafting to build depth & future starters then something’s wrong. Our near-constant string of losing seasons pretty much testifies to that. Or we could blame the coaches as always.
August 19th, 2018 at 7:15 am
Watson looked great but one game ain’t enough to cement him as #4 or 5. Good game…do it again rook!
August 19th, 2018 at 7:31 am
Watson definitely cemented his spot on the 53 with tonight’s performance.
Bucs need to shut this Bailey kid down now if they have any hope of trying to slip him onto the practice squad.
August 19th, 2018 at 8:13 am
Looks like it was a mistake drafting OJ Howard n signing Desean Jackson over getting help at DE OT CB.
August 19th, 2018 at 9:00 am
Watson is a lock as the #5, and it looks like Bailey might be in the cat birds seat at #6, unless Bobo can do something spectacular in the next few games. Martino will get cut unless one of those 3 get injured.
August 19th, 2018 at 9:41 am
Agree with Defense Rules that the Bucs are generally in the patching holes routine every year.
August 19th, 2018 at 10:15 am
Watson needs to stick. Great on ST too. No one is going to jump on Reedy or Martino. Hell I’d keep Sergio Bailey before those two.
August 19th, 2018 at 12:23 pm
Don’t recall ever being this deep at receiver spot. Maybe the ’02 squad w Key, McCardell, Truth and Jurevicius. But to think we are looking at 5, 6, 7 spots as hard decisions. Man that is a good problem to have.
August 19th, 2018 at 12:31 pm
Watson should be a lock. The last spot will be between Bobo & Sergio. Toss up, although Sergio might have a slight edge at this point. Number of canidates left over for PS including Martino.
August 19th, 2018 at 12:37 pm
Watson looks he part, and boy was that a great catch. It should be really interesting to see him in these last two games. If we end up with him being the 5th guy, and a possible 6th being someone like Bobo, we will have a very solid WR corps, especially when you consider Howard and Brate as essentially additionaly WRs, because they can definitely stretch the field.
August 19th, 2018 at 4:21 pm
Unless he gets hurt, it’s Bailey’s job to lose at
Unless he gets hurt, it’s Bailey’s job to lose for #6.
Evans, Jackpot, Godwin, Watson, Hump, Bailey.
Bobo, Martino PS.
August 19th, 2018 at 4:23 pm
Actually, Bailey, then Hump. And if I had my choice, I’d keep Martino ove Hump. Humps been good, but the honeymoom’s over. Talent takes over.
August 19th, 2018 at 4:31 pm
Jameis loves Martino. The guy catches everthing thrown his way.
Unless he gets hurt, it’s Bailey’s job to lose for #6.
Evans, Jackpot, Godwin, Watson, Hump, Bailey.
Bobo, Martino PS.
August 20th, 2018 at 12:39 am
I been watching The WWE SummerSlam PPV tonight. Gald I paid my $19.99, real action tonight, unlike all of you TROLLS who have to pay Reg. season $$$💰for 3rd rate Football at the RJ for preseason games. And to all the HATERS talking about me and my Hero TRUMP, He said he went to The Walton School of Finance for over 30 yrs. now! Remember that folks. Monday’s best bet, Take Cleavland (Kluber on the mound) vs. the Red Sox at Boston. +110 or + 105 sounds good to me, Thanks. David Corcoran, Winter Park, Florida.
August 20th, 2018 at 2:34 am
If it did matter. Which it don’t. Jameis favorite would a fellow FSU alum Bobo. And as he would put it, (the next Antonio Brown).