Three Named In No. 3 Receiver Competition

July 24th, 2014

chris owusu 070Tampa Bay has a pile of receivers on the training camp roster, 13 to be exact, make that 14 if you count the man who could be the best receiver on the roster.

But general manager Jason Licht only served up three names when asked a question about the competition for the No. 3 receiver position.

With Tampa Bay’s first summer practice starting tomorrow, it’s the time of year when anything coming out of the head coach or general manager’s mouth takes on greater importance.

Speaking last night to the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, Steve Duemig of WDAE-AM 620, Jason Licht was presented with a question from a Bucs fan about the battle at for the No. 3 receiver.

Licht names Chris Owusu, Louis Murphy and Robert Herron as No. 3 receiver candidates.

Maybe Licht just didn’t feel like using his breath on candidates like Solomon Patton, veteran Lavelle Hawkins, Schiano man Skye Dawson and others? Or maybe Owusu, Murphy and Herron are leaps and bounds above the others.

Rookie running back Charles Sims, the 14th receiver linked above, sure is an X-factor here. Scouts say he can comfortably play slot receiver very well. If true, the Bucs might go heavy on running backs and keep five, including Sims, Doug Martin, Mike James, Bobby Rainey and Jeff Demps, and go with one less true receiver.

And there’s that other big question about who’s going to return kicks and punts. Eric Page?

23 Responses to “Three Named In No. 3 Receiver Competition”

  1. OB Says:

    Joe

    We shall see who the receivers are when the preseason is over, in the mean time we can keep your eye on them for us.

  2. DHutch Says:

    I don’t have faith in Owusu. I hope he puts it together. But after x amount of years in the league…you are who you are. Same for Louis Murphy.

  3. Jim Walker Says:

    Please, just get a punt returner that has good hands. I can live with fewer yards if it means no fumbles.

  4. SAMCRO Says:

    Wonder if Simms can return?

  5. SAMCRO Says:

    *correction* Sims

  6. T-DUB Says:

    KEEP THE INFO COMING JOE! BIG FAN OF THE SITE AND ONE OF THE MILLIONS (AND MILLIONS!) OF BUC FANS. THE REAL SEASON IS HERE!!! I HAVE MY #54 DAVID ELITE JERSEY! NOW LETS PLAY SOME FOOTBALL.

  7. BucsfaninChina Says:

    @DHutch you mean after a whopping 2 years in the league we should go ahead and write off Owusu? Okay then.

    Lovie will find a returner. Even if it kills him.

  8. Joe Says:

    T-DUB:

    Thanks for the kind words, man!

  9. DallasBuc Says:

    Now, if we only had a quarterback….

  10. Orca Says:

    Eric Page probably only makes the club if there’s an injury to another receiver and/or return candidate.

  11. Phillip Says:

    The kick return isn’t what we should be worried about (most can catch a kick off)… It’s the punt return where we are gonna have some real issues unless someone emerges(fingers crossed it is someone with speed to run away from defenders)…

  12. ToesOnTheLine Says:

    Should we wait for a third try at Owusu teasing people in camp only do dissapear as preseason wanes before we move on? I wish it weren’t so since he has good speed and size, but I’m going with the new guy (Herron) to become the #3 guy. Murphy has NFL experience but has for the most part been a non-factor with the Raiders, WR needy Panthers, or Giants, so it’s probably wishful thinking to hope for a journeyman QB…damn Tourette’s I mean journeyman WR to suddenly find success?

  13. biff barker Says:

    The 2014 punt return specialist may not even be on our roster folks.
    Sure doesn’t seem to me that Paige has made much of an impression at WR. He doesn’t even get mentioned as one. Just me?

  14. Brooks Says:

    Too bad we don’t have a QB. So if Brian Hoyer lights it up. And sims proves to be a great running back for us. We should trade Doug Martin for Manziel and pretend the last four months were just a bad dream. How bout it joe.

  15. panhandle buc Says:

    @ Brooks:

    That has to be the most ridiculous comment I have ever read, please change your name to Pete Prisco.

  16. Buc the Haters Says:

    DallasBuc might have to change his name halfway through this season just try to regain some credibility….

  17. ApolloXI Says:

    @ Brooks:

    What are you smoking? the Browns just drafted Manziel. Even if he plays terrible all season, they’re not going to send him packing (QBs, especially first-second rounders) always get at least a couple seasons to suck before they’re let go (not traded, because no team wants another team’s garbage). And even if they were interested in trading him away, it would take a hell of a lot more that Doug Martin to have enough value for the Browns to be interested. I’m not a Manziel fan at all, but the guy is considered to have “elite” potential. Hell, even I think he has elite potential, but I also think Manziel is his own worst enemy and will implode before he even gets hot. There is a good reason why most of the teams passed on him and took OTHER QBs first. EVEN THE BROWNS passed on him with their first pick! That means they were perfectly ok with taking someone else and missing out on him.

    TL;DR- We’re not getting Manzie. Ever. Get over it.

  18. bigpoppabuc Says:

    I’ve got a feeling Herron can be the dark horse here… This kid is super quick with some pretty impressive rout running from what I’ve seen. His skill set just screams slot receiver and if he can grasp the offense faster than the others I think he climbs the chart.

  19. DallasBuc Says:

    Buc the haters- you are the one that might want to change identity after you bragged about your beyond genius IQ. The fact that you didn’t proves you are full of sh!t. Keep talking pal. I’m here all day.

  20. Espo Says:

    To me 3 fighting it out for that 3rd spot just means we have 3, 4, and 5. I expect the ball to be spread around and they will all contribute.

  21. Jeffbuc Says:

    You guys are all bickering over who will be are number 3 receiver. Can’t wait for the season to start when we are so deep at positions fans are getting hot over who the 3rd receiver will be out of 4-5 choices

  22. willie d Says:

    Eric Page was top 12 return man in his first year in the NFL. I can only remember on fumble and that was a trick play where the he handed off and the guy muffed it but it was credited to Page. Most those guys mentioned have never taken a NFL hit let alone proved anything with pads on. I suspect Page will impress with the pads on as he did last year. Admittedly I have been the president of the Page fan club since he was in high school. I really hope lovie cuts him and he gets picked up by the Vikings.

  23. kris Says:

    I work in the trucking business and I know people who have delivered to mike Evans new home and has said that he’s been wasted on multiple times. Is this gonna be an issue for us during the season? Is lovie aware of this off field issue that can easily become a dui in Tampa?

    C’mon, man. Rumors are a no-go here. –Joe