VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Riley Cooper’s First Day
May 5th, 2017
Joe’s got Cooper video and Dirk Koetter was talking receiver depth.
Look out Josh Huff, Bernard Reedy, CFL-star Derel Walker, future CFL star Donteea Dye, undrafted rookie Bobo Wilson and Freddie Martino, late of the velvet-lined lounge of the Vero Beach Ramada Inn.
Riley Cooper is in town.
It was Cooper’s first practice today among the sea of tryout players and rookies at One Buc Palace, and the 29-year-old NFL veteran looked smooth, fit and capable — as he should among a bunch of inexperienced player. (Keep in mind the Bucs didn’t draft a cornerback.)
Dirk Koetter says Cooper’s appearance was no surprise in the bowels of team headquarters.
“He’s an experienced guy, we committed to him before the draft that we were going to bring him in,” Koetter said. “A guy with size and experience and we’re looking to increase our depth at wide receiver. Now, we did address that in the draft and free agency but we’ll see how it goes. We’ve got eight wide outs out here working and we’ll see how that carries over.”
Cooper spoke to media after practice and said how surprised he was last year when the phone didn’t ring after he was cut from the Eagles. He also referenced his long relationship with new Bucs speedster DeSean Jackson and how much the two bonded during their years in Philly.
Cooper said all the right things about his famous N-word fiasco years ago and emphasized that he’s just not the guy.
But can he play? Who knows? But after one day, it sure seems like he’ll get a shot to stick with the team and prove himself through spring practices and battle in training camp.
Here’s a Cooper highlight from today’s practice. Too easy.
May 5th, 2017 at 9:06 pm
Curious why Cooper doesn’t rate one of those 10-word descriptive nicknames like Talib or Peter King has on this sight. Hell it only has to be one word.
May 5th, 2017 at 9:20 pm
I got one play then the end with unrelated stuff in the video box.
May 5th, 2017 at 9:23 pm
It was about Aaron Hernandez and how the Pats may have to pay his family.
May 5th, 2017 at 9:25 pm
I hope Riley Cooper can improve on his catch ratio…53% won’t cut it in the NFL.
May 5th, 2017 at 9:27 pm
Maybe he’s our new Joe Jurevicius. One can dream.
May 5th, 2017 at 9:31 pm
Great improvement over last year’s roster and depth of WR!!!!!!
May the best rise and succeed!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!
May 5th, 2017 at 9:39 pm
This WR roster is far superior to the trash that we had last season.
May 5th, 2017 at 9:44 pm
Saw his entire interview. Got to say he seems a lot more humbled than he was in his philly days..Less cocky, more mature..
So maybe he is into a rebirth mode with the Bucs..
and I got to ask, which Vero Beach Ramada Inn has a lounge with a live singer? I don’t think they exist anymore…I use to work in one many, many years ago..
May 5th, 2017 at 9:57 pm
said how surprised he was last year when the phone didn’t ring after he was cut from the Eagles.
————————–
Dude is garbage, The End!!!
But for a team that signs and plays guys like Louis Murphy, Cooper should fit right in.
And as for Freddie Martino, I dare Joe to show us another WR on the roster w an 18 ypc avg. It most certainly isn’t fan favorite, nice smile, slow slot guy Adam Humphries. But wth do I know? Carry on!
May 5th, 2017 at 10:11 pm
Still no footage of our first round pick?
May 5th, 2017 at 10:13 pm
Why not just bring VJAX back??
May 5th, 2017 at 10:15 pm
Keep him !
May 5th, 2017 at 10:27 pm
Why ask why? I’m mean really anymore.
May 5th, 2017 at 10:31 pm
This just in : Logjam at WR.
Are we talking about the Bucs?
May 5th, 2017 at 10:41 pm
I read that UDFA Slot WR Jordan Westerkamp looked good in mini-camp today. PFF gave him an excellent scouting report. They even compared him to New Orleans Willie Snead. He could be our sleeper in TC.
May 5th, 2017 at 10:44 pm
DB55… slow slot guy… really… say what you are really thinking…. faster 40 than Cook…..
May 5th, 2017 at 11:05 pm
If he looks good and in shape keep him around through camp and into the preseason and see what happens. He has good size and used to have good speed, so if the speed is still there he could be an asset.
May 5th, 2017 at 11:06 pm
My bad….. Dalvin 4.50…Adam 4.51 at combine…. so I guess that makes Hump a slow ……..”slot” receiver ? oh by the way Cooper was 4.53…. Freddie Martino 4.49 40……. just sayin
May 5th, 2017 at 11:07 pm
Riley Cooper? Really? Where is BigHog when I need him?
May 5th, 2017 at 11:07 pm
6’4″, 230, 4.5-.6 speed, experience and a local boy ? Sounds like a solid mix for an off-the-street FA considering who the competition is…
May 5th, 2017 at 11:16 pm
Sadly, Joe does not have the kind of pull it takes to stop a Bucs practice, tell Koetter where to line up certain players and then begin filming. Most of yesterday’s practice was well over 100 yards from where media folks had access to. Plus, they were using two football fields.
Of course, Joe could have just focused on one player, never got the shot, and left empty-handed. Not gonna do that.
May 5th, 2017 at 11:17 pm
Isn’t Cooper basically just a Louis Murphy replacement? A washed up UF receiver with 160-something career receptions?
Do we really need another Louis Murphy?
May 5th, 2017 at 11:18 pm
One of two reasons. Either he wants too much cash or he is toast. Or both.
Not sure VJax wants to be a No. 5 receiver anyway.
May 5th, 2017 at 11:20 pm
Do the Bucs need Freddie Martino or Josh Reedy?
Keyword is “depth.” Generally, depth does not mean top-shelf receivers.
Murph was significantly better than the misplaced Calgary Stampeder, Martino or Reedy. Or even Josh Huff.
May 5th, 2017 at 11:22 pm
Guys have done a lot worse things than him. He’s got the experience and numbers to back him up. Only 29 years old and a Gator. Say hello to our new #5 receiver!
May 5th, 2017 at 11:25 pm
Now Joe is pushing to keep the guy? Come on man. Depth is needed at other positions, say LB and CB. Why didn’t you report on Cooper saying he isn’t 100%, he hasn’t even kept his body in shape. Marshawn Lynch has been out of football for a long time, but he still gets up and does sit ups and push ups every day. He is ready to go today. Cooper admitted he wasn’t ready. Sounds like a Hard Knocks story line is being pushed.
May 5th, 2017 at 11:28 pm
When Murphy was healthy …he made a big difference in depth.. Cooper is IMO a huge upgrade at the next man up ..
May 5th, 2017 at 11:36 pm
If he earns a roster spot, why not?
You wouldn’t take Cooper over schlock like Dye, Martino and Reedy? All three of those guys belong in the CFL if not the arena league.
May 5th, 2017 at 11:47 pm
@Joe
Ok, I was Just curious. No need to become the snooty waiter lol jk.
Assumed you would have gathered some since you got film of other players. And I thank you for your good work in that regard.
And I know Everybody likes a comeback story, And I don’t think a guy should get a crucified or receive a life sentence for saying dumb crap while intoxicated.
Although If it were me there today, I would have payed more attention to the shiny new Manbeast of a 1st round pick, and not the dude who was unemployed all of last year. But to each there own you know.
I definitely agree with you on Cooper being an upgrade over Martino, Huff, Dye and Reedy.
May 5th, 2017 at 11:48 pm
“Depth” is overrated. The teams with good seasons usually are the ones who remain healthy. Can anyone name Atlanta’s fifth or sixth WR? I’m sure he’s a nobody. But he never had to see the field.
And Freddie Martino did more than Murph has been able to do recently.
May 5th, 2017 at 11:50 pm
If you are around in about an hour, there is one video clip of OJ coming.
May 5th, 2017 at 11:53 pm
Yes “depth” is the keyword. But if any team loses their top 2 or 3 WRs, their season is usually doomed.
Riley is unemployed for a reason. He’s old. And he wasn’t that great before that.
Get this racist tool out of here.
May 6th, 2017 at 12:02 am
Joel Says: Get this racist tool out of here. So whats your thoughts about Mixon getting drafted …..
May 6th, 2017 at 12:04 am
I’ll be sure to check it out Joe!
http://www.buccaneers.com/videos/videos/Watch_OJ_Howard_MiniCamp_Highlights/24374f97-eb41-493d-9869-ff7132c8fa41
But I found this to tide me over for now Lol.
I think the kid looked solid, but then again its only underwear football at Rookie Mini camp 😀
May 6th, 2017 at 12:25 am
Blake..I saw one video of O.J.Howard today. Then i read that he had a few drops today.
May 6th, 2017 at 12:28 am
Joel..last season the Falcons had a lot of depth at WR. Julio Jones, Mohamed Sanu, Justin Hardy, Aldrick Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, Eric Weems. They all had roles, and they all saw the field. That’s where the Bucs need to be.
May 6th, 2017 at 12:36 am
Exactly Lakelandbuc. Cooper will destroy any 4th string DB.
May 6th, 2017 at 1:03 am
Well I read another report that O.J.Howard had one drop and Chris Godwin had 2 drops. It was mostly first day jitters, it got better as the day went on.
May 6th, 2017 at 1:49 am
I agree with what you’re saying Joe. Martino, Dye and Reedy aren’t the best WR’s out there. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were beat out by an undrafted rookie. I’m more worried about the chemistry in the locker room and on the field. This Bucs team is primed for the playoffs and they’re a team ready to strike and make a mark as one of the best in the NFL. The last thing they need is a distraction like Cooper.
May 6th, 2017 at 3:13 am
Jeez, soo many cry babies on here. I watched the full interview and he clearly said that he was working out EVERYDAY. And alot of people seem to have some hidden agenda to get rid of a hard working undrafted wr. Hump has done nothing but exceed expectations since he got here. And he is one of JW3 favorite guys (work ethic) and we all know what JW wants JW gets
May 6th, 2017 at 4:09 am
I’ve been an advocate for second chances…so he should get the opportunity to continue his career, will he make the final roster? I’ll leave that up to the coaching staff! Let the competition begin!
May 6th, 2017 at 6:44 am
BigHog, that was a truly impressive bit of color blind consistency. Nice!
May 6th, 2017 at 7:09 am
^^^ What he said. ^^^
May 6th, 2017 at 7:59 am
BigHog…
Dreambig Says:
May 6th, 2017 at 6:44 am
BigHog, that was a truly impressive bit of color blind consistency. Nice!
I concur… Man much respect big homie!!!
May 6th, 2017 at 8:05 am
I told all of you that BigHogHaynes had been working on making concise point in his post this offseason!! And that hard work has been paying off!!! Good job!!!!!!
Really hope that Cooper gets a fair shoot at making the team, as more competition will only benefit the team in the long run, and who knows, He might make it and we will start to see some Cooper Jerseys in RJS!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!
May 6th, 2017 at 8:31 am
Great depth, sign him Licht
May 6th, 2017 at 9:01 am
Wondering why we didn’t sign him last season if they like him so much?
May 6th, 2017 at 9:10 am
@Reza316
Cooper is referring to “football shape”, not general conditioning. Marshawn Lynch will go through the same process to get back into “football shape” regardless of what he claims.
One can be rested and well-conditioned, but not in “football shape.” Back in The Day, TC was much longer and we had 6 PS gems to get back into “football shape” because there were no OTA’s of any kind, period.
Nothing to worry about.
May 6th, 2017 at 9:11 am
I wish there were a 5 minute edit function on JBF. I mean “games” above, not “gems.” Damn tablet keyboard and manly fingers…;)
May 6th, 2017 at 9:29 am
Props to BigDog.
May 6th, 2017 at 9:41 am
bobo wilson will win the 5th wr spot mark my words unless they want to keep using hump as the returner this guy is the ideal man for the job did it in college pretty successfully and while he may not give u all to much receiveing it’s quality depth and you guys saw his route running ability yesterday he is so quick on his breaks if u can’t jam him it’s impossible to cover. a depth chart consisting of mike, d jax, hump, godwin, bobo seems pretty solid on paper and
makes sense with both godwin and bobo being able to contribute on special teams and i would not be surprised if godwin and hump end up almost splitting playing time with godwin getting most of his work in the red zone. i know he looked nervous yesterday but if you can’t remember correctly mike evans had the same problem years ago and as training camp progressed he was dominating
May 6th, 2017 at 9:43 am
I hear ya Cobra…trying to type on a micro keyboard with fingers the size of hotdogs don’t kick it sometimes.
May 6th, 2017 at 8:18 pm
Thanks to all my fellow posters …I calls it like I see it.