The Battle For No. 3 Receiver
July 25th, 2024
Making tough catches… so far.
The Bucs have only had two training camp practices. The pads have yet to come on. And even though Joe should know better than to anoint receivers in underwear football, time to dip a toe into the pool.
It sure seems like the Bucs are going to have a hard time selecting a No. 3 receiver.
Trey Palmer has been getting the most targets with the first team. He’s not consistent catching the ball but with his wheels he is dangerous anywhere with the ball in his hands.
Joe doesn’t know if rookie Jalen McMillan is the type of playmaker that Palmer is. However, McMillan is making splash plays.
Old friend and former Oklahoma teammate of Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield, Sterling Shepard, started off rusty on Wednesday but today had a much better practice and demonstrated how he can find open space.
How good might McMillan be? Well, today he made a sick catch for a touchdown. Joe doesn’t care if he’s a rookie or not. This was a catch by a man with skills.
In red zone work, Mayfield threw a touch pass to McMillan to the left sideline in the end zone. McMillan had tight coverage. Somehow, McMillan got leverage against the left sideline. With his back turned to Mayfield, not only was McMillan able to haul the pass in, but as he was going out of bounds he somehow had the concentration and body control to get both feet inbounds as he fell to the ground.
Touchdown!
It was probably the play of practice. From a rookie.
Even if Palmer or Shepard get the No. 3 receiver gig, in Joe’s mind, if McMillan keeps practicing at this level when the pads come on, it will be damn hard to keep him off the field.
July 25th, 2024 at 4:15 pm
Just wondering: You know how Mike Evans’s skills made people think Manziel was a real QB? What if McMillan’s skills made people think Penix was a real QB? Penix certainly wasn’t quite the same without McMillan on the field.
July 25th, 2024 at 4:35 pm
Penix plays for Sean Payton. I hope he stinks. Almost everybody on this site loved the JMac pick. So far he’s been a real underwear warrior. Let’s see what Monday brings.
July 25th, 2024 at 4:39 pm
Totally agree, Joe. Jmac made some bodacious catches today, but Shepard found ways to get wide open. A great competition today.
July 25th, 2024 at 4:40 pm
I really think McMillan is as good as (different skill set) Rome Odunze and would have gone late 1st to early 2nd had he not had a lingering MCL injury last year. McMillan will be WR3. He has already shown how polished he is. See Mike Evan presser yesterday. He is ahead of both Mike and Chris their rookie year of training camp with football IQ and route running. Coaches are saying it will be a 3a and 3b with he and Palmer because there will be games and even drives in games that Palmer’s skill set of taking the top off backfields will be important to keep teams honest and play off. Both of them will get plenty of snaps. At the end of the year if they’re both healthy McMillan will lead the snap count by a fairly large margin.
July 25th, 2024 at 5:08 pm
Fred, wrong coach dude, Penix plays for Morris
July 25th, 2024 at 5:22 pm
McMillan looks like a really good rookie. Trey Palmer looks like he can improve a lot during his 2nd year, and Sterling Shepherd has been a complete stud every healthy year since he was 8 years old. Great problem to have!!!
July 25th, 2024 at 5:25 pm
I still think Shepard will have a hard time getting playing time in the regular season. We will get a good look during the preseason but the past couple of years show us he just does not have it. This is not a preference, just a prediction. Obviously, I hope he becomes an all pro, but the probability is quite low.
July 25th, 2024 at 6:52 pm
This WR room may very well be one of the best in the league. It’s encouraging to see capable depth as insurance against potential injuries. If the O-Line can gel quickly, we will have some fun on Sundays!! Bring on September. 😎
July 25th, 2024 at 6:56 pm
You just see things on his tape that scream first round talent. He does a lot of things easy. It appears to not have a good but great hands. It’s a little early to make statements like this, but I thought Godwin was a steal looked good coming out, but I think McMillan appears more talented and smoother than Godwin …………… in a blind taste test with no injury information I think he gets picked ahead of the other two Washington receivers by many people in 22……….. I mean, who thinks Washington has three first round or first and early second round receivers coming out in one year???? Let’s see if he matches up to an early second round talent? Appears to be better than Michael Clayton than my eyes.
July 25th, 2024 at 8:23 pm
What the hell is with that hairline? Is that some Gen Z nonsense – or is that just how you grow plugs now?
July 25th, 2024 at 10:14 pm
The hairline is a red flag for sure.
My favorite thing about Evans and Godwin may be their usually pretty normal hair.
July 26th, 2024 at 12:25 am
Larrd Says:
July 25th, 2024 at 10:14 pm
The hairline is a red flag for sure.
My favorite thing about Evans and Godwin may be their usually pretty normal hair.
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Well said. You sir are a great American.
July 26th, 2024 at 4:44 am
Also really like McMillan and what Joe broke down on his camp 2 notes about him. Looks like a superstar too.
Agree with a-bomb and others too. Evans made every single QB he played with looked good including JM at A&M. McMillan is looking to be that guy too. I am hearing that the Falcons are already all over the place about the way they are using Penix. The number two QB for Cousins is still Heinicke. You never know, we may not see Penix this season unless the Falcons are doing horribly and change up QBs quickly.
July 26th, 2024 at 7:53 am
“What the hell is with that hairline? Is that some Gen Z nonsense – or is that just how you grow plugs now?”
He wears braids A.I. style(the player lol), but when you’re getting your hair braided instead of pulling the hair back you preserve the hair line so you can still goto the barber and get a clean line up. JMac is in football mode, it’s hot af in FL, so he’s probably just letting do whatever.
July 26th, 2024 at 9:38 am
Iverson should sue Silicon Valley for stealing his handle.
July 26th, 2024 at 10:06 am
It won’t be a difficult decision at all… It’ll be real easy. Won’t even be close. Palmer could be a very nice X-factor/#4/Return Man for the team this season, IF he can be depended on to just CATCH the damm BALL.
July 26th, 2024 at 11:19 am
Obvious three and four are Shepherd and Palmer or Palmer and Shepherd. The rookie is five.
July 26th, 2024 at 2:45 pm
Dude – Thank you for the explanation. I literally had no idea about any of that, and I must say I once braided and put beads in my hair in 1999, just to annoy my employer since they wanted everyone to dress up fancy because investment bankers were coming in. Anywho, they didn’t get the money, and the company went out of business just over a year later. I like to think I had something to do with that.