One strong free agent pickup by the Bucs this year has been receiver Sterling Shepard.

He’s got the third-most catches among Bucs wide receivers and he’s rushed 7 times for 55 yards.

Coaches and players all praise Shepard for raising the energy level of the Bucs offense, even Todd Bowles, who isn’t known for calling out energy guys.

After eight years as a Giants-fan favorite with lots of highs and injury-induced lows, Shepard landed in Tampa after a call from Baker Mayfield, his old college teammate.

Shepard is an emotional guy, Mayfield has said that repeatedly, so Joe has no doubt that Shepard’s return to MetLife Stadium tomorrow will mean a lot to him.

Interestingly, the New York Post caught up to Shepard and he told the newspaper that being with the Bucs is a cultural football experience he’s not used to. It sounded to Joe like Shepard was trying not to throw the bumbling Giants under the bus.

“It’s just different, in so many different ways and so many different levels,” Shepard said. “When it goes down to the small things, what you can do in the building as a player, the way you’re able to communicate and be hand-in-hand with the coaches. It’s just a lot of different things I kinda picked up on being [in New York] for so long. Even down to the training staff or the weight coaches and some of the different stuff that we do here, it’s a difference.”

Well, Joe would hope the Bucs are a much more fine-tuned organziation than the Giants. It’s certainly showed on the field.

As for Shepard on Sunday, Joe hopes he can contain his enthusiasm a bit. Giants players told the Post they expect a ton of juice from their old teammate.