Did The Bucs Find A Jewel In The Weeds?
August 11th, 2025
Bucs WR Garrett Greene looks for YAC against the Titans.
Ian Beckles was so right on with these comments.
The former Bucs guard was speaking on social media recently about Bucs rookie free agent defensive tackle Desmond Watson, but Beckles’ point was about every bubble player on every NFL roster.
For each snap a player misses in training camp, that’s one less he has to impress coaches. In 19 days, every NFL team must whittle its roster down to 53 men.
While one player stands on the sidelines unable to demonstrate he’s worthy of an NFL roster spot, another guy gets more reps and more chances to do just that: prove he belongs.
Enter undrafted free agent receiver Garrett Greene. He was a quarterback in college at West Virginia. Knowing there’s little for a 5-10 quarterback (that’s what he was listed at West Virginia) with a completion percentage of exactly 60 percent in college his final year, Greene decided to flip to receiver.
Greene has shown he’s a helluva athlete. And, he’s shown receiver skills. He caught both his targets in Saturday’s worthless preseason game for a total of 22 yards.
So while receivers Trey Palmer and Tez Johnson have been watching too many practices in street shorts and baseball caps, Greene is making plays. And Bucs coach Todd Bowles has noticed.
“I think the transition has been really [good] for him,” Bowles said. “He’s got a lot of things to learn from a fundamental technique standpoint for the position, but he’s very fast, very quick, very tough, and he has very good hands.
“He’s somebody we love working with and that we’d like to keep around if we could. He showed very good skill as a punt returner, which we didn’t know he had.
“We knew he could catch it, we knew he could run with it, but he’s a guy that’s growing every day and can do some things that we really like.”
Bowles obviously covets guys who are not one-trick ponies. If Greene can return punts at catch passes, that may just get him an NFL job.
Joe predicts Greene makes the practice squad. He’s showing just enough skill that if he works on his fundamentals, he could be something. But there also is the fact that Greene was a college quarterback. He could easily be a scout team QB, if necessary, and, heaven forbid, an emergency quarterback.
That’s versatility.
More importantly, Greene is healthy, making plays in practice and showing coaches he’s not a stiff.
August 11th, 2025 at 9:02 am
I definitely noticed the kid, hope he can take that punt return job
August 11th, 2025 at 9:06 am
We may have 7 WRs on our PS
August 11th, 2025 at 9:06 am
He indeed looked great….
Probably Shepard is a dead man walking….
August 11th, 2025 at 9:06 am
Can he rush the passer? I’ mean drop into passive empty zones?
August 11th, 2025 at 9:16 am
ryan miller and greene are keeper…jarrett and shep may be the old men out….trey palmer gives us that down field speed that our overall wr group is lacking so i think he’s safe….tez better tighten up but i think he lands on the PS
GO BUCS!!!!!
August 11th, 2025 at 9:18 am
Yep! I was thinking about this during the game… Looks like a real possibility that Palmer AND Tez both, could be in trouble of not making the 53… If they don’t get on the field ASAP. Could be anyway, regardless. One might get in there, if Godwin starts out on the PUP list. I think you have to give a ‘tie’ to Tez just because of the contract situation… You’ve got him for 4-years under team control. Palmer has had literally, EVERY opportunity given to him.
August 11th, 2025 at 9:23 am
If he can return punts I hope he makes the team. Miller should make it, too. I’d also keep Palmer for insurance. They all need to be special teams aces.
Job one for such small players as Tez snd Cam should be proving they can take the physicality. They need to show more.Greene seems tougher so far.
August 11th, 2025 at 9:36 am
Miller and McMillan are both making the squad – 100%
Do the math on the rest
August 11th, 2025 at 9:36 am
All I know is if he plays QB in any of the preseason games then is obvious the coaching staff has no faith in Trask.
August 11th, 2025 at 10:02 am
Trask looked decent. His problem is he backed up Brady & Baker. They almost NEVER missed a snap. There were a few games where Bowles could have pulled the starters and given Trask some playing time – thus giving him playing timel That is on the coach for not developing his players.
August 11th, 2025 at 10:02 am
“worthless preseason game” D@mn it Joe!
August 11th, 2025 at 10:12 am
Yeah Melvin I was thinking the same thing. Of the 2 I’d keep Johnson because he flash’s and except for the TD against the Eagles 2 years ago in the playoffs Palmer hasn’t really done much. Miller just does what he’s supposed to and Greene seems to be a football player. Palmers speed really hasn’t done much for the team that I have seen.
August 11th, 2025 at 10:24 am
Ryan Miller is the amazing find. He was the player Saturday that should have earned a spot.
August 11th, 2025 at 10:27 am
Tez may be the odd man out. Is Greene the next Cooper Culp or Adam Thelen ? probably not but maybe like Amendola when he played for the Pats. Greene seems pretty tough with good football instincts. Hope to see him used more against the Squeelers this week.
August 11th, 2025 at 10:33 am
This kid has the hallmarks of a contributor- particularly on special teams. There’s something that just screams out a willingness to do the dirty work, grind and get the job done.
August 11th, 2025 at 10:34 am
Ryan Miller does not disappear when the real liights come on, case in point, he played when needed last year and made plays. He was good then and was good again Saturday. Lets not sleep on him.
August 11th, 2025 at 10:42 am
Greene just feels like a football player and athlete. Given what he flashed with so little experience at WR, I think he will be a keeper on the PS at least. Ryan Miller still needs work on his routes and breaks but he has the motivation and skills. I think Palmer should be kicked to the curb or used as trade bait if anyone wants to throw a late pick at us.
We can do without a burner, we have Evans , McMillan and Egbuka all can stretch the field(less than Palmer) but they can actually make the catch. Evans being our main deep threat, je can be covered, it doesn’t matter
August 11th, 2025 at 10:56 am
Garrett Greene is more like Tayson Hill of the Saints
He’s a Utility player, a Swiss army knife
Can play multiple positions, you keep guys like him
August 11th, 2025 at 10:58 am
i would keep greene. nice option to have a qb as a slot rcvr to pull off trick plays. good hands, tough kid, – just an idea.
August 11th, 2025 at 11:01 am
Maybe, you can tell Trask has his favorite/reliable targets who he’s been throwing to all offseason. It was cool seeing him get some lesser known guys some shine.
August 11th, 2025 at 11:05 am
Greene hasn’t been at WR since high school and his progress is phenomenal, getting better every practice and showing great hands. He’s been catching punts since day 1 although I never paid much attention. At the moment, I’d put him ahead of Tez and Palmer. Tez to PS.
August 11th, 2025 at 11:15 am
I thought he looked pretty good for a guy making the switch from QB. Got to root for guys like this.
August 11th, 2025 at 11:29 am
Green & Miller & several other players on this season’s roster show how much the talent level on this team has improved. The Bucs were the better TEAM across the board Saturday night from the opening kickoff until the 00:00 . MIller should be on the 53 man roster , he made plays when called on last year & looks to have only improved. Hopefully Green will be a guy who makes the practice squad at least & shows the type improvement that makes him a home grown BUCCANEER player.
August 11th, 2025 at 12:06 pm
What we need is pass rushers!
August 11th, 2025 at 12:10 pm
Bowles said last week a one-trick pony WR is not going to make the 53 roster. I think that puts Tez squarely on the PS. Greene and Miller are way more versatile and offer the physicality and maturity that Tez doesn’t. If Tez was the lightest player even drafted in the history of the NFL at 154lbs, the guy looks like he’s actually lost weight since the combine. A sweltering Tampa summer is hard to make gains in, that’s for sure, but I bet if you put him on a scale, he’s even lost a few pounds. I don’t want to see him mangled on the field. He needs to put on at least 10 lbs of muscle to compete with the other WRs and who knows if his frame can hold it and if it would slow him down. A pulled hamstring too? too many unkowns and risks. Miller and Greene are the smart choices IMO.
August 11th, 2025 at 12:18 pm
Bucs’ 53-man roster is gonna be a major challenge for this coaching staff to pick. Normally I’d guess 25 offense, 25 defense & 3 S/Ts, but the depth of our WR position group & our Secondary group, as well as the recent signing of Teddy Bridgewater & Chris Godwin’s potential availability could very easily change that.
I think on offense the Bucs will keep 3 QBs, 3 RBs, 7 WRs, 4 TEs and 9 OLine (26 total). On defense they’ll probably keep 6 DLine, 4 OLBs, 4 ILBs and 10 Secondary (24 total). Plus our 3 S/T guys of course.
Gut feel is that the 7 WRs will be Evans, Godwin, Egbuka, McMillan, Miller, Palmer & Greene. The 10 Secondary will be Dean, McCollum, Hall, Morrison, Parrish, Vildor, Winfield, Smith, Izien, JJ Roberts.
August 11th, 2025 at 12:55 pm
🙂
August 11th, 2025 at 12:58 pm
DR
you like vildor over hayes, merriweather and funderburk?….
GO BUCS!!!!!
August 11th, 2025 at 1:02 pm
Please be the bucs version of Taysom Hill…this would take us over the top
August 11th, 2025 at 1:06 pm
Come on, if my name and Greene don’t make 🙂 sense, what good are ya?
August 11th, 2025 at 1:09 pm
I vacuum up every single Tweet that Baldy puts up. Last week he had one about a great run that Bucky had, MOSTLY it was about the incredible blocking we had on that play. EVERY single guy hit his target, and the final block was mebbe 25 yards down field where #81 kept their safety from getting at Bucky–just found out the other night that was Ryan Miller
August 11th, 2025 at 1:56 pm
what if the bucs cut tez? then he goes onto another team and stars… the bucs would look so dumb for not giving him a chance
August 11th, 2025 at 2:08 pm
Defense Rules. Think you missed it. Shep and Tez in. Miller and Palmer out. I like Greene too. Possibly Shep on PS and Miller in the seven.
August 11th, 2025 at 2:36 pm
Yeah “ballwasher61,” it’d be nice seeing us get some kind of value out of Palmer, even if it’s only a 6th-rounder… BUT he’s gotta get his ace out there on the field first. He has ZERO value to anyone, right now. It’s going to be real interesting to see how many WR’s they do decide to keep (and how the try protecting them, & etc). Godwin beginning the season on the PUP-list will save one of ‘em for awhile, & maybe they can hide another (one of those RB’s) on the IL for awhile, too!? Wonder how good of a ‘special teams’ guy this Wright is… Can he tackle!? He seems VERY mature. I believe he is a little older tho… A lot of these guys are right now, after getting that extra COVID-year, & etc. Hell, RWhite could even be your emergency #7WR as far as that goes. So, I’d prob go with just keeping 6-WR’s (and you get to hold onto one extra if Godwin goes onto the PUP). They’ve GOTTA find a way to protect/save Greene. His versatility and upside is HUGE. I would really like seeing him shine as a return-man… That would be so huge for us. There is so much they could do with him, and he should really progress and improve! I hope so, anyway. It’s exciting! Just praying for no more major injuries, and that Winfield Junior is BACK. I am worried about this very ‘stubbornness’ Bowles Defensive philosophy, though… Just figure it out, Man! Geez. ENOUGH of this insanity. Please. Also, Baker cannot throw 16-INT’s again, either. Hopefully, we can have a good solid ‘opportunistic’ DEFENSE this season, where maybe, just maybe, Baker doesn’t ‘think’ that he needs to play “Hero-Ball” all the time!? Now, that would be so nice.
August 11th, 2025 at 3:00 pm
I just do not see Chris being ready for Week-1, or Week-2 either, as far as that goes. Actually, I would be absolutely shocked, at this point. And, if he’s not then he’s not. No need to rush him. I could even see him being not completely ramped all the way back up to at full full-strength, until after the “Bye-Week.” It’s a real possibility. I mean, Joe did just say that HE has not even seen Chris ‘running’ yet, on ANY of the practice fields. Now, that’s at least a little bit concerning. It’s definitely SOMETHING.
August 11th, 2025 at 3:45 pm
got to find a way to keep him. He looks quick and can do it all on offense.
August 11th, 2025 at 3:47 pm
oh the possibilities. Line him up a WR, motion him to setup in the back field, then we can be a WR, RB, or gadget QB.
August 11th, 2025 at 4:21 pm
Ryan Miller, Kam Johnson, Rakim Jarrett, Trey Palmer, Tez Johnson, now Greene.
That’s a big list after the top five receivers. Makes me wonder if they’ll keep 7. Whoever they keep needs to star ⭐️ on special teams.
August 11th, 2025 at 4:24 pm
I think Sterling Shepard has a chance to be on the squad —- but just because the QB will have a little bit of a say for that last spot maybe.
I honestly think if it is Bowles, the OC, and the WR coach — it is obvious that they should move on from Shepard. My gosh — he is 32 years old and has not caught 40 passes in 5 years — he disappeared in the playoff game despite playing 60 percent of the snaps.
I am with other guys — keep one of the young guys.
Really the best news about Shepard is that if we get 2 injuries at WR, he will be available. He told the whole world in March: “If I had to choose between going to go spend time with my kids or going to go play football, if I was going to decide to play football, it would be with Baker Mayfield. I wouldn’t want to do it with anybody else.”
August 11th, 2025 at 4:36 pm
I’m dreaming of a Benned around flea flicker to Evans for the win against Atlanta.
August 11th, 2025 at 5:14 pm
Irishmist. Sounds good. Love the flea flicker and Greene is just the player to run it. Just hope it’s not the game “winning” play. Maybe the nail in the coffin. In the third quarter.
August 11th, 2025 at 7:38 pm
I doubt he beats out Ryan Miller and Sterling Shepherd… but maybe.
August 11th, 2025 at 11:13 pm
He really looked explosive in the very limited amount I saw him. When I looked up his workout numbers, I was expecting 4.3 speed or something, but it was a pretty ordinary 4.5 – he looked a lot faster than that.
I love the idea of keeping someone like this around on the PS, and giving them snaps all over the place, including QB – just in case. I always wished the Bucs had signed Quinton Flowers for that same role, I never understood how a guy who outplayed Lamar in college, and who was a better athlete, never got a real chance in the NFL.
August 11th, 2025 at 11:14 pm
unbelievable Says:
August 11th, 2025 at 7:38 pm
I doubt he beats out Ryan Miller and Sterling Shepherd… but maybe.
———-
Not really competing for the same job, would be as a return, maybe a gadget guy – and extremely unlikely he’d make the team, would be competing for a PS roster spot. If he made the team, it would mean all the returners above him got injured.