Shepard Leads For No. 4 WR
August 19th, 2016
Impressing coaches.
As Joe has written, no offensive player has shot up the depth chart this summer like special teams ace Russell Shepard.
Prior to this season, Shepard was largely an invisible yet valuable special teams warrior. This summer, he has blown up as a wide receiver target.
Yesterday, after the joint practice with the Jags, the second of two sessions, Bucs coach Dirk Koetter all but announced Shepard is your Buccaneers No. 4 wide receiver.
“It’s still a work in progress [but] I think Russell Shepard has been the best of that next group and been the most consistent,” Koetter said. “We know he’s a good special teams player as well. We’ve still got a battle in there. I think it’s still a tight group. There’s a pecking order right now but there’s still time.”
Joe wonders who Koetter is giving a not-so-veiled jab at to get his rear end in gear?
We all know Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson are your two top receivers and Koetter already announced Rudy Humphries is the team’s No. 3.
August 19th, 2016 at 10:05 am
Why stop at 4? compete for #3 and get ready for #2. I’m just saying be prepared if necessary chances are we gonna need somebody to step up by mid season.
August 19th, 2016 at 10:23 am
Russell Shepard is a very good football player….he can run, pass & catch….he hustles…has a great attitude and will do everything he’s asked…..I’m very happy to see him getting some credit.
August 19th, 2016 at 10:26 am
Good for shep.. keep working
August 19th, 2016 at 10:26 am
As a banker will say, credit is earned, not given.
August 19th, 2016 at 12:07 pm
Evans, V-Jax, Humphries (YEAY!), and now Shepherd if he continues to improve. 4 24K/State-Of-The-Art WRs!!! When’s the last time the Bucs could brag about that?? Go Tampa Bay!!
August 19th, 2016 at 12:18 pm
Did anybody else notice that Humphries looked VERY slow as a punt returner??
I love him as backup slot receiver, but
starting slot receiver and punt returner?
Are u serious?
I am usually a very positive fan, but we can’t be “mr. nice guy” and win a Super Bowl.
We need to draft 2 young WR’s next year.
Robert Herron and Kenny Bell are NOT cutting it! (our last two wasted picks)
Cut bait and move on!
Josh Gordon next year anybody??
Or Alshon jeffery?
Plus a 2nd round WR?
August 19th, 2016 at 12:24 pm
Humphries’s brain and his hands are why he’s a Bucs WR. We’ve got speedsters, but catching the ball is the First Commandment in the WR Bible. Plus, he’s not afraid to grab it over the middle. Works in my book. Go Tampa Bay!!
August 19th, 2016 at 12:25 pm
That was Dominik’s Achilles heel. He was always looking for boy scouts more than football players.
August 19th, 2016 at 1:29 pm
We see this every year from Sheppard. Looks great in preseason and disappears during the regular outside of special teams. Call me pessimistic but I need to see it too believe he can be a reliable target.
August 19th, 2016 at 2:40 pm
I think the drop-off is evident after the first 2, maybe 3. There’s no question in my mind that the front office is aware of that.
What’s tripping me out a bit is the VJax criticisms. 4 years, 20 TDs, 4,200 yards. His last year he was injured. Show me a trend.
August 19th, 2016 at 3:36 pm
He kind of looks like R. Kelly
August 20th, 2016 at 1:20 am
Teacherman777-definitely not gonna be wr in rounds 1&2
Never know what will happen till the next off-season but now I’m thinking 1. (wr/og) 2. (Wr/og-whichever we didn’t get in 1) 3. (dt/te/fs). But like I said, you never know