Was Riley Cooper Battling Louis Murphy?
May 10th, 2017
In the wings
Veteran receiver Riley Cooper looked smooth, fit and sharp in rookie minicamp battling future grad students, appliance delivery clerks and kayak salesmen.
So why wasn’t he signed?
After all, the Bucs could use a quality body to compete with current receivers Bernard Reedy, Josh Huff, CFL star Derel Walker, future CFL star Donteea Dye, Freddie Martino (pride of the velvet-lined lounge in the Vero Beach Ramada Inn), among other hopefuls.
Joe is starting to wonder if the Bucs were measuring Cooper against Louis Murphy, who remains ready and available. And Murphy, remember, has been acting like he is still on the roster.
Murphy has had an NFL career similar to Cooper’s. Murphy has 162 catches in seven seasons; Cooper has 169 catches in six. Both turn 30 before opening day. Both play special teams. Neither played last year; Murphy was rehabbing from 2015 surgery and Cooper was unwanted.
Murphy, however, knows the Bucs playbook and is considered a dedicated teammate in Tampa.
Joe doesn’t rule out a Murphy return after Tampa Bay evaluates their slim pickings on the receiver depth chart.
As for Vincent Jackson in the same waiting room as Murphy? Well, no, Joe will share some fresh — and odd — news on that later.
May 10th, 2017 at 10:50 am
As for Vincent Jackson in the same waiting room as Murphy? Well, Joe will share some fresh — and odd — news on that later.
———————————-
In the words of Judge Smails…..Well? We’re waiting!
https://youtu.be/Z0YIJQ1jgEI
May 10th, 2017 at 10:53 am
It appears that “you’ll get nothing and like it”, Spaulding! 🙂
May 10th, 2017 at 10:56 am
While I’d like the last WR spot to be a young guy with some upside, I wouldn’t complain about a Murphy or VJax return.
May 10th, 2017 at 11:07 am
Agree with BuccaneEric…either one is still a strong veteran presence..
May 10th, 2017 at 11:07 am
Vjax would be a deadly 3rd down and endzone guy.
May 10th, 2017 at 11:07 am
Doubt it.
May 10th, 2017 at 11:08 am
And, Murphy’s gun toting at the airport charges have been dropped… bonus!
May 10th, 2017 at 11:14 am
Is Murphy fully recovered from his injury? He might be running now, but the reports were that the damage he suffered was severe. Time will tell I guess.
If he’s checked out and good to go I’d take him as a 5 or 6 receiver, gladly. Most guys in that spot are special teamers only with little upside. If we can get something more out of it then it’s a minor plus for the team.
May 10th, 2017 at 11:16 am
Evans, Djax, Godwin, Hump, Brate, Howard, and Murphy sounds great to me!!
May 10th, 2017 at 11:21 am
m.evans
djax
c.godwin
hump
d.walker/vjax
vjax/lou murph
I know one things for sure….the depth and the quality is a lot better than what it was last year….GO BUCS!!!!
May 10th, 2017 at 11:23 am
Ode to Ted Knight as a fellow Stick Carrier: It’s easy to grin when your ship comes in and you give the stock market a kick. But the man has it easy when the man can speak softly, and carry a big MnFn stick!
May 10th, 2017 at 11:24 am
Highly doubt Vjax will be back but I would like to see it.
He SUCKED before he got injured. I said that on here and people attacked me but he kept sucking and it was evident.
May 10th, 2017 at 11:24 am
you idiots have been flying the “Healthy Murhpy” flag for 3 years… Murphy like Martin can not be counted on. Murphy and VJAX are washed up has beens and Murphy is a NEVER WAS therefore this is beyond hilarious.
May 10th, 2017 at 11:25 am
Vincent Jackson hasn’t retired yet?
May 10th, 2017 at 11:26 am
There are a couple of undrafted FAs that seem to be pretty strong contenders for the last two WR spots – plus Walker is in the mix.
May 10th, 2017 at 11:34 am
Pass.
May 10th, 2017 at 11:34 am
Let the Caddyshack refs roll!
$50 bucks says the Cooper kid picks his nose!
May 10th, 2017 at 11:38 am
you murphy fans do realize he sucks and has made like 2 plays in his entire injury filled career… you do realize he is never available thus unreliable… will you at least admit the local feel good stories which are more like chic flicks are more important to you than winning because that is just about the only way anyone could justify wanting this bum on any nfl roster.
May 10th, 2017 at 11:44 am
tmax, you continue to call others idiots with the stuff you post?
LMAO IRONY. You consistently post the dumbest comments I’ve ever seen. I don’t see your name at first and I’m like, “damn this guy is just as dumb as tma…. o nevermind.”
May 10th, 2017 at 11:48 am
Eric
am I dumb one or the one with standards…. glad i am in your head little one…. murphy is a complete and total irrelevant joke who has DONE nothing in the NFL there is nothing dumb about that it is 100% accurate…. have a nice day little one
May 10th, 2017 at 11:53 am
na I wasn’t specifically suggesting this post. You do have some form of substance in this debate. I’m actually referring to the stuff you say on a daily basis like McCoy had little roi. HAHAHAHAHAAHAH WOW
You have all pro madden 2017 standards huh? The bucs failed cuz they don’t have evans, Julio, brown, and odell on their roster. Murphy? wow they’re dumb, they didn’t pick up Odell. You know nothing about depth charts, it seems.
little one? man come on… you’re like the little kid at a party with a fake badge pretending you’re an adult and everyone is laughing at you. that’s cute…little boy.
May 10th, 2017 at 11:54 am
VJackson WILL NOT be signed by the Bucs. Anybody thinking they should needs to put down the Madden controller and try to realize that a team’s 3rd-5th WRs, have to play special teams. He’s done.
May 10th, 2017 at 11:58 am
Evans is now a vet and learned from vjack plus djack also. Wee need to develop young talent meaning I hope we have3brought in guys wbu can beat out last year’s non contributors
May 10th, 2017 at 11:59 am
So am I blocked? My comments never show up when I post them. Was it too many tmaxipad jokes?
May 10th, 2017 at 12:00 pm
Eric,
Basic investment here… not complicated. The bucs pay these players to produce WINS which is the object of the game. Not a lot of wins for loser mccoy and unreliable martin. Both Martin and McCoy were bad investments anyway you look at it…
May 10th, 2017 at 12:03 pm
Nope, pretty sure both Murphy and Vincent are no longer part of this team.
The reason Riley Cooper wasn’t signed is most likely because they liked what they saw from one of the undrafted kids. Most likely Sperbeck or Bobo.
May 10th, 2017 at 12:18 pm
JP4… did you see the latest news, eating boogers is said to be good for the immune system.
May 10th, 2017 at 12:21 pm
if you think Gerald McCoy was a bad investment, you are seriously the dumbest buc fan I have ever encountered. I will not continue to rebuttal because that sentence alone speaks volumes and I will forever remember that comment anytime you post, nullifying any sort of merit you think you deserve.
You sir are dumb and an embarrassment to our fan base.
May 10th, 2017 at 12:24 pm
Players don’t forget. Riley Cooper dropping N-Bombs when he thought he was in like-minded company at a country concert – is the reason why he isn’t wanted. And these young Bucs didn’t want him in the locker room. Maybe management wanted to take a look, but coaches and players don’t forget. It’s pretty telling that Joe would campaign for this clown but has true disdain for Kaepernick who would make a pretty decent backup quarterback on this team who has no QB depth behind Jameis. C’mon Joe, you have nicknames for everybody in the NFL who has fun afoul of the societal norm. Why no nickname for Riley Cooper?
May 10th, 2017 at 12:26 pm
The Kaepernick reference is getting old. If you can’t see why he’s not on a team, and it has nothing to do with race, then it’s a pointless discussion.
Move on dude.
May 10th, 2017 at 12:32 pm
@Coach
commie kaepernick dropped the “N-Bomb” on the field in 2015 and was fined $11,000.00 for it!!!!!! How can you say no to Mr. R Cooper, but then in the same breath say bring in kaepernick???????
Go Bucs!!!!!!!
May 10th, 2017 at 12:35 pm
Speaking of racism, what happened to bighogheinous????? last I heard Joe slapped him around so hard that he forgot his name!!!!!!!
and we will not see VJ or murphy on the field this year!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!
May 10th, 2017 at 12:36 pm
Louis Murphy and Riley Cooper would both be #5 on the depth chart behind Hump and Godwin. Do you think Murphy and Cooper are gonna run down in kick or punt coverage? Unlikely. Not gonna happen.
May 10th, 2017 at 12:41 pm
I dont see VJax unless a Hump DJax or Evans injury. Cant carry a low backup WR who doesn’t play special teams.
May 10th, 2017 at 1:01 pm
Eric=1
tmaxcon=0
Would love to see VJAX as depth but the real question is will he sign for what we are willing to pay.
May 10th, 2017 at 1:01 pm
I don’t see any value with VJAX, Murphy or Cooper as our 5-6 WR. They don’t have any Special Teams value.
May 10th, 2017 at 1:30 pm
Do I hear JoeBucFan’s resident racist calling me out once again! This one is for you Realist: your words show that you know very little about the N-word and who can and can’t use it, when it’s ok and when it’s the dumbest thing you could have said, I suggest that if you don’t know the rules of the N-Word … then just don’t use it, don’t try to be too smart, don’t try to be slick, just don’t….that’s what I suggest just don’t ..it could save you a lot hurt and pain and dignity! JUST STOP BEING RACIST…YOU HAVE A CHOICE!!
May 10th, 2017 at 1:53 pm
I’m done with the Murphy experiment.
May 10th, 2017 at 1:53 pm
If the N-word can and cannot be used by certain people that is RACIST! Just thinking that way is racist. And, yes there is a LOT of racism around among all races.
A word is a word. A word is a word. Thinking otherwise is just a turd.
May 10th, 2017 at 2:01 pm
@bighogheinous
Maybe, if it is so terrible, so hurtful that it should be just banned altogether!!! I mean they did fine commie kaepernick for using it!!!! So that can’t be the “right way to use it” !!!!!if you make up all these unwritten rules, for who can and who can’t and that will only lead to misunderstandings and hurt feelings!!!!
And for the record, I have an “Honorary Brotha” card for service provided to the “hood” !!!!! ( It has been a while so I might have to get it renewed) But other wise bighogheinous, I am in the club!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!
May 10th, 2017 at 2:04 pm
Joe sometimes has polls on here for us to vote on things. I want a new pole. It would be interesting to see which posters are most valued and which ones we’d most like to block.
May 10th, 2017 at 2:55 pm
@Tmax, when you suggest McCoy was a bad investment with all his pro bowls under his belt I believe you lose credibility here on this board. You certainly have with me.
May 10th, 2017 at 3:01 pm
Where would Murphy fit in anyway?
1. Evans
2. DJax
3. Hump (for now)
4. Godwin
I mean AT BEST, he’s #5 on the roster but that’s before we even see what we have in Walker, Bobo, Sperbeck, Huff, Martino, etc…
May 10th, 2017 at 3:30 pm
Skipper, I doubt that he had any left to lose.
May 10th, 2017 at 3:31 pm
bucinjax: it’s not just a word…and I will not try and school you today but if you were put in the right situation I’m quite sure you would know not to use the N-word for even I know how to act on in public. Don’t let the Realist fool ya, how you think he got that race card, I always ask guys to research some history …. It’s ugly but it’s ours and it started about 400 years ago and we still refuse to learn from it!
May 10th, 2017 at 3:46 pm
@Bighogheinous
Everyone has an “ugly” history if you look far back enough!!!! and believe me, after doing some traveling outside of the US, it is not so bad here!!!!!
Dreaming of the day we can sit at the same table and share Barbecue (my barbecue cause I know its better!!) and we can drink and share bread and call each other friends!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!
May 10th, 2017 at 3:51 pm
Murphy is not on the roster?
May 10th, 2017 at 4:17 pm
murphy has also proven to be pretty darn good after the catch with the ball in his hands, whilst cooper is mainly known for his jump ball abilities. I think that Cooper would be an odd choice knowing how much the bucs are valuing the ability to create separation.
besides, the part of the depth chart that cooper is auditioning for is one where special teams grit matters alot more than your ability to beat college students in a pads-free passing drill. whether you are talking about murphy, cooper, or VJax, all would be at least 2 WR injuries away from being a factor in the passing game. Evans, DJax, Humphries, and Godwin give the bucs most of what they should need and injuries to any of those guys probably opens up a spot for more TE action than for the current #5 or #6 WR
May 10th, 2017 at 4:29 pm
Louis Murphy is good injury insurance and so is Riley Cooper. It’s pretty simple. Vincent Jackson needs to come to terms with the idea of being an assistant coach and settle in.
May 10th, 2017 at 4:47 pm
Part of it is Special Teams… your 5-6 WR needs to play SP Riley does not.
May 10th, 2017 at 5:03 pm
It absolutely disgusts me that Dye, Reedy, Martino, and Huff are even DISCUSSED AT ALL in our WR situation…
May 10th, 2017 at 7:42 pm
He wasn’t signed because of his racist comments why is everyone failing to remember we don’t want that cancer here just like half the people didnt want mixon just bad karma we dont need em please stop wasting articles on that trash
May 10th, 2017 at 7:43 pm
HEY! Quit dissing Murphy.
May 10th, 2017 at 8:43 pm
First, I hear Murphy’s gun charges for being a fool at airport security are dropped. I don’t know how he pulled that off, but probably good it happened in Tampa, proably better he doesn’t have Greg Hardys and Joe Mixon’s traits. We’ve all heard and some have seen how good “Murph” is in the locker room. I’d not be opposed to bringing him back.
On VJax, I have read/heard twice about a partially torn ACL…maybe speculation, I don’t know. But I had one that was partially torn, and it’s like being a little pregnant. Someone is, or they are not. I was doing about 70% of what could normally do, but was expected to it all (military physcial training, combat drills, etc), and kept having issues. So I’m definitely interested to hear what Joe has to report on this. Regardless. VJax deserves the best…he earned his millions for sure.
May 11th, 2017 at 9:20 am
The Bucs had no intentions of signing Cooper. They’ve learned that injuries may require depth beyond the roster. Cooper, Murphy and even VJax all have the potential to be that mid season signing if someone goes down, and they will most likely, but hopefully not. Murphy won’t make the initial 53 imo.