Sterling Shepard Making Strides
July 27th, 2024
Sterling Shepard demonstrated his (solid) hands Friday in practice.
Joe is really not trying to get ahead of his skis here, but through three days of Bucs Training Camp 2024, it appears the Bucs have a deep wide receivers room.
Of course, this is after watching underwear football. There may be no position that can be as misleading in underwear football as wide receiver. Joe has seen young receivers look fantastic in underwear football (Tommy Streeter and Kenny Bell to name two). But when the pads came on, you barely knew they were on the roster.
Rookie Jalen McMillan has been the talk of training camp for many people. Joe sees a neck-and-neck race for No. 3 receiver between Trey Palmer and McMillan. Again, based on underwear football. The pads, Bucs coach Todd Bowles said Friday, will come on Monday.
However, Joe is not about to discount former Baker Mayfield teammate at Oklahoma, veteran Sterling Shepard. He seemed to struggle on Day 1. Got better on Day 2. On Day 3, he had a really good catch (and a couple of drops) that may have been the play of practice.
And yes, Shepard has caught Bowles’ eye with his improvement.
“He’s coming on,” Bowles said. “Obviously, he got here late. He’s made some plays the last two days. He’s still grasping the offense and still learning some things, but he’s a true pro.
“He’s here bright and early in the morning, not too long after I’m here. He gets himself ready. He’s got great quickness when healthy. He’s a heck of a football player. It’ll be interesting to see how he fits in.”
Fun background story for e did not document this brief exchange Joe heard between Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen and Shepard. The two were 15-20 feet apart and yelling out loud to each other amid the chaos of post-practice when players’ families and friends are all crowded together by the patio that separates the practice fields from One Buc Palace. So it wasn’t like Joe overheard a private conversation. Maybe a dozen or more others also heard this.
Joe is paraphrasing, but Coen after Day 2 praised Shepard for bouncing back after a rough first day to have a strong practice on Day 2. Shepard responded with something along the lines of, I had to bounce back Coach to save face.
Joe thought that was cool that Coen recognized Shepard’s improvement and made sure the veteran heard it.
So the way Shepard has come on — yes, underwear football — do not count out Shepard as a No. 3 receiver.
July 27th, 2024 at 12:27 am
Good.
July 27th, 2024 at 12:34 am
From seeing Day 2 myself and reading Joe, I have this week’s rankings: Shepard, J-Mac, then Palmer. Let’s see who can compete with the pads next week.
July 27th, 2024 at 1:17 am
SS is a solid vet that will contribute.
July 27th, 2024 at 1:25 am
WR 1-5 is looking solid. That leaves one possible spot at #6 for Rakim Jarrett,
Kameron Johnson, Cephus Johnson III or Cody Thompson. Or one of the other 4 WRs. I can’t understand why they have 13 WRs.
July 27th, 2024 at 1:40 am
Health has been his issue. He looked like a solid NFL #2 early in his career, then just kept getting injured year after year after year. It’s been a long time since he’s done anything, but, again, if he’s healthy and didn’t lose all his speed/quickness, he’ll be a very quality addition to the WR depth chart and a feather in Licht’s hat. Assuming Licht wears a hat with feathers in it, and the feathers are earned by making good FA pickups, which would be odd indeed.
July 27th, 2024 at 1:45 am
Joe, you’re obsessed with the word underwear. Six times?! Why isn’t it shorts football? Aren’t they wearing shorts over their underwear? Weirdo.
July 27th, 2024 at 4:37 am
Excited about Shepard. So true, he got here late and is still impressing. Loving the chatter between Coen and him.
July 27th, 2024 at 8:00 am
Who is the KR/PR?
I remember how nice it was having a legit return man. Never worrying and our drops/fumbles. Always could run straight and then turn with the ball and take the hit properly. Clifton Smith I’ll always keep bringing this man’s name , oh and Michael Spurlock the guy who broke the curse that day 🙂
Never Forget That Bucs Fans!!!!
July 27th, 2024 at 8:05 am
You can count him out as the number three receiver. He is not going to beat out J Mac. While we’re at it, Hainsey is not going to beat out Barton, Smith will win the nickel job, and Braswell should’nt have a problem starting opposite YaYa. White will start, but Bucky could even move in front of him by seasons end. That’s some draft haul, because the players they’ll be winning jobs from have played some good ball for Tampa also.
July 27th, 2024 at 9:33 am
AintThatRight just reminded me of something. The only special teams mention I can recall is where some camp meat guy dropped a punt. Any impressions
of that unit yet?
July 27th, 2024 at 9:41 am
ThatAintRight! Says:
July 27th, 2024 at 8:00 am
Who is the KR/PR?
My picks at this point KRs would be Palmer & Irving…..because of their early elusiveness & speed.
I suspect one of our WRs will do that job.
I am not sure who the PR would be at this point.
July 27th, 2024 at 10:10 am
All of these comments about Baker had a “bad day” or Sterling had a few drops.
What is the purpose of training camp and practice? To get back in game playing shape, to learn new things and get comfortable with new players and coaches, and to cut down on mistakes so that when it comes to real games that count, they are physically and mentally ready.
So stop grading the practice like it’s a game.
July 27th, 2024 at 11:36 am
Shepard, once he gets fully acclimated needs to get the veteran days off with Mike & Lavonte. We need to preserve whatever juice this guy has left because I think he makes his money helping us improve our scoring efficiency from our opponents 25 yard line and in.
July 27th, 2024 at 12:55 pm
Bucky for KR/PR….watch him return one for 6….its been a long time since we’ve had one. Thats another reason i wanted him….its in the old crystal ball i use.
July 27th, 2024 at 2:02 pm
So stop grading the practice like it’s a game
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You got something better to do?
July 27th, 2024 at 2:17 pm
After Evans and Godwin, I don’t think we’re going to have a ranked set at 3, 4, and 5. I think Palmer, McMillan, and Shepard are going to be situational players, for the most part, and will be plugged into the offense depending on what the offense is trying to do and what the opposing defense is doing. Maybe think of our WR corps as Evans, Godwin, and Cerberus.
July 27th, 2024 at 2:46 pm
Shepard will make the team and will be on the field especially on 3rd downs, he will produce. Also. don’t ever count this guy out, he had a very rough childhood losing his Dad at 6 years old. They let him hang around in OU’s locker room for years as a kid, the guy knows football.
July 27th, 2024 at 4:00 pm
Hodad Says:
July 27th, 2024 at 8:05 am
You can count him out as the number three receiver. He is not going to beat out J Mac.
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It literally doesn’t matter if he’s 3 or 4 – the point is that if he’s healthy and plays well, he’s a weapon since he’s a guy who has performed at a very high level already and knows how to play the game. Also it pushes Palmer down to 5, which is great, since he’ll be even that much more of a mismatch the further down the depth chart he is.
Having depth is a fantastic thing. Humphries proved that. When Hump started, he was absolutely terrible, killed the offense since he could not get open vs starting corners, he just wasn’t fast enough. As a #3 WR, Hump was OK, nothing special but could do the job. However, as a #4 WR, Hump was a weapon because he was going against depth corners, safeties and even LBs – and against those guys, he could get open and make plays.
July 27th, 2024 at 5:37 pm
A lot of you people have nothing better to do than complain about anything and everything.. Why don’t you just not comment ? You sound like babies.. Go Bucs
July 27th, 2024 at 7:46 pm
I’m picking sterling to be wr3