Tiquan Underwood Still On Bucs’ Radar
September 5th, 2012
Probably the most shocking of moves last Friday night when the Bucs cut their roster down to the league-minimum 53 players was the release of wide receiver Tiquan Underwood.
Underwood made play after play in training camp practices and did enough in games to show how he could stretch the field that it seemed guys like Sammie Stroughter and/or Preston Parker should be concerned about job security.
Alas, Underwood was released. Bucs coach Greg Schiano all but said the decision to release Underwood was his limited ability to provide help on special teams. It’s a line of thinking that Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik reinforced when he spoke to Booger McFarland and Todd Wright on WHFS-FM 98.7 Tuesday afternoon.
Not only did Dominik say Underwood’s lack of special teams acumen did him in, he also said that it’s not out of the question that Underwood returns to the Bucs.
“Underwood is not practice squad eligible so how do you use him on gameday? What is his ability and role and how do you make it work? Tiquan is a guy we will still continue to stay in contact with. Whether he ends up back on this roster at some point during the season, it’s a possibility. He is certainly not a guy that we have walked away from. So we will see what happens.
“He has a chance to [find work on] another roster but you have to go with the guys who you feel can help you in all three phases of the game or on all four downs of a football game.”
Given the news from yesterday that Preston Parker has been pulled off return duties, largely due to his nasty habit of putting the ball on the ground during returns, it makes Joe wonder if Parker was that valuable in other special teams areas because he still was able to stay on the roster over Underwood.
September 5th, 2012 at 8:25 am
Parker has an entire season of making clutch 3rd down catches to get him by. There’s a big difference between making an impact in preseason and making an impact when the pressure is on. I’m not necessarily a Parker fan, but he’s the only receiver we have that’s proved that he can reliably get open from the slot.
September 5th, 2012 at 8:28 am
I can’t believe he has not been snatched up, Miami even……..
September 5th, 2012 at 8:33 am
Miami should…. It would be a good fit
September 5th, 2012 at 9:03 am
Parker will have to play lights out every Sunday or Tiquan Underwood will be back in the time it takes to get a helmet over his high-top fade!
September 5th, 2012 at 9:13 am
Im not a Parker fan either and i can only imagine how hard it was making that decision. Logically, it makes sense that you keep a WR that Freeman has chemistry with and I believe this is Parker last opportunity as a WR because he dont offer anything special. Not fast, not special, not big, route running is cool, but he has chemistry with Freeman. If Parker gets hurt, Underwood will have his spot.
September 5th, 2012 at 9:20 am
Parker to me is a pure slot guy; Underwood is an X or Z.
I am amazed that Miami hasn’t picked up Tiquan.
September 5th, 2012 at 9:48 am
They play different positions. Parker proved himself last year. Ok, the guy can’t field punts, but he made a lot of clutch third-down receptions. During OTAs the coaches were raving about him. The guy has talent. He just has to produce. If he doesn’t, see ya.
September 5th, 2012 at 10:54 am
If Underwood was that great he’d be on another roster already. That alone speaks volumes.
September 5th, 2012 at 10:54 am
I’m surprised that any team hasn’t signed Tiquan to this point, including Miami. Schiano must’ve branded “Buc’s Property” on Tiquans forehead.
September 5th, 2012 at 11:10 am
It’s funny how quickly people forget a players performance/reliability based on a bad preseason. Truth is Preston is a WR before he’s a returner. That’s just a bonus and he has made PLENTY of plays especially when its mattered (on 3rd down) to earn his spot. He doesnt need a stupid little preseason to prove he can do it. HES DONE IT.
September 5th, 2012 at 11:54 am
Vorblaw , you make a good point; the league is WR-hungry right now, too.
September 5th, 2012 at 12:07 pm
or maybe since he has been released by 3 teams in 3 consecutive years it has blackballed him somewhat. Other teams figure he’s a risk without even giving him a try-out.
September 5th, 2012 at 2:58 pm
Capt. Jean Lafitte , quite true. Also we don’t know what Underwood’s asking price is; his agent may be waiting on injuries at the position.