Tez Johnson’s Role On Offense
September 5th, 2025
Teammate shares observation.
All 160 pounds of Bucs rookie seventh-round pick receiver Tez Johnson are ready for his regular season debut.
But what will it look like?
The Buccaneers’ official depth chart for Sunday in Atlanta lists Kameron Johnson, not Tez Johnson, as the No. 1 punt returner. Joe assumes head coach Todd Bowles was spooked by Tez Johnson’s brutally botched punt/fumble in Preseason Week 2 at Pittsburgh, as well as an uncaught punt that cost the Bucs about 8 yards in that game.
Yes, Joe saw the huge return by Johnson, too, but Bowles is a first-do-no-harm kind of guy. Kameron Johnson might calm Bowles’ nerves as a punt returner. (Joe hears Kameron Johnson and wonders how he made the roster, but perhaps that will be clear by Sunday night.)
On offense, however, the Bucs are thin at receiver with Jalen McMillan out (neck) and Chris Godwin still recovering from his trashed ankle.
Tez Johnson doesn’t have a lot of straight-line speed but is super slippery with the ball.
Speaking in the locker room yesterday, YaYa Diaby, without being asked about Tez Johnson, noted the rookie is “getting good reps and getting in the flow with Baker [Mayfield]. So it’s looking pretty, pretty good.”
That caught Joe’s antennae. If Johnson’s catching balls from Mayfield in practice, that means he’s getting first-team work and the Bucs likley have a few packages for him in Atlanta.
However, with Mike Evans, Emeka Egbuka and Mayfield buddy Sterling Shepard healthy and ready, Joe doesn’t expect Johnson to get more than a couple of targets.
September 5th, 2025 at 3:45 pm
Tez will be a star, a big shining bright start I tell you,
September 5th, 2025 at 3:52 pm
If he does well early on he should get mire touches
September 5th, 2025 at 3:53 pm
Can’t blame Todd for not trusting Tez as a punt returner. He even decided not to give Tez a second chance in the final pre-season game. Opting for Johnson instead, and then assigning him to the 53. Hoping that Tez is getting lots of practice reps in case Johnson goes down, if they even have TJ as the back-up punt returner? I would love to see Garrett Greene get an opportunity.
September 5th, 2025 at 3:53 pm
I thought “somebody” said he was a dwarf who wasn’t going to make the team… Another spot on prediction from crusty the š¤”
Let’s go Tez šŖš¼š
September 5th, 2025 at 4:04 pm
Very limited!
Kid needs a few plays and no targets to see how he performs.
Just like Bucky , maybe by the second half of the season he will know what heās doing.
September 5th, 2025 at 4:09 pm
His target number will depend on what he does with those initial times he’s targeted. I expect that as the season goes on his targets will increase considerably.
September 5th, 2025 at 4:30 pm
He should be open with ME & EE on the field
September 5th, 2025 at 4:38 pm
tez needs space to move!!
September 5th, 2025 at 4:42 pm
He’s unguardable in the slot in short yardage situations. His ability to get deep is something he did quite often at Oregon. He’s going to make teams look foolish letting him make it to the 7th round. He’s going to make Licht look like a genius. The kid is a playa. Glad Peyton passed on him, he should’ve paired him back with Bo Nix.
September 5th, 2025 at 5:02 pm
Baker mentioned in his press conference that Tez is the smallest guy in the league and definitely needs to get down quickly or something along those lines
September 5th, 2025 at 5:04 pm
The midget receiver for Dallas contributed some last night. Hopefully Tez will follow suit.
September 5th, 2025 at 5:11 pm
A TD Tez Dispenser.
Only $59.95, about the cost of a beer at Ray Jay.
Get one now while theyāre hot!
September 5th, 2025 at 5:25 pm
I look for Tex to get in games late when the Bucs have big leads. Speed kills if the guy has good hands. Evaluate him and some other rookies in garbage time. You don’t know what he’s got until gets real exposure. Same goes for top rookies if the Bucs have a safe lead. Rotate a few of the better rookies when possible. It’s a long season and some starters will get dinged up. There’s no substitute for real game experience.
September 5th, 2025 at 5:57 pm
I liked Tez, but his size worries me.
September 5th, 2025 at 6:27 pm
Don’t worry about Tez’s size. Men twice his size are already injured, it can happen to anyone.
September 5th, 2025 at 6:28 pm
Itās really amazing that he has made it āTHIS FARā at his size, while not possessing āhigh-endā elite-level speed. Amazing. So, thereās got to be āsomethingā to him.
September 5th, 2025 at 6:45 pm
If Tez can stay healthy, Licht should get charged with Grand Theft for getting him in the 7th round.
Lots of qualified observers (including Tony Dungy) who watched some tape have asserted he can play WR right now in the NFL.
September 5th, 2025 at 6:45 pm
Jack Meoff Says …
Really, “Jack Meoff”? Are you 10y/o?
Maybe mix it up. Try out: Ben Dover, Mike Hunt, Hugh Jass, or Dick Hertz.
September 5th, 2025 at 7:00 pm
His elusiveness reminds me so much of Bucky. Just super difficult to square up and tackle. He probably runs a 4.5 backwards and sideways too, lol. Come to think of it, he reminds me of Dante Hall the human joystick too. Could be amazing on screens and gadget plays. And going deep once in a while.
September 5th, 2025 at 7:02 pm
Tez will either line up backside of the play or comes off the field on run plays and screens, as I doubt heās going to be asked to engage in open field blocking. Once JMac & Godwin return, we wonāt need to put him in any position to do anything but catch and run because his stature limits his effectivity in everything else WRs are asked to do.
September 5th, 2025 at 9:56 pm
Someone tell Tez to train his hands better. Seems like that is his weakness. Other than that he is an exciting player should be fun to watch. Go Bowles!
September 5th, 2025 at 11:00 pm
Tez caught 12 of his 15 targets in preseason…. 8 of 8 in the last one.
Kids got good hands. He just needs to keep grinding, following advice from Mike, Chris, EE etc and building confidence
He could be a matchup nightmare especially with our other WRs demanding attention.. Lot of mouths to feed for Grizz but he needs to keep Tez involved – he’s a weapon š£š He can at least get in the way as a blocker – lol.
September 6th, 2025 at 1:19 am
Itās a special package for sure. For 3rd and short, 4th and short.
Vita at FB, Tezzette at tailback. I-formation. Baker steps out from behind center and goes in motion left. Direct snap to Vita who in one motion hands the ball to lil Tezzy and hurls him over the DL for a first down.
Thanks, Mike Leach.
PS – the world has a place for everyone. No need to be a goner just because youāre gay.
September 6th, 2025 at 4:43 am
Tez size doesn’t worry me. Yes, “Super Slippery” describes him perfectly.
Also agree with Bucswin, GoneGator, and others commenting about Tez being fun to watch and a weapon for the Bucs. The Bucs have a solid team!
September 6th, 2025 at 7:38 am
There a hundreds of flag football players better than Tez , generally they donāt even play college because they are the same size as Tez . There is a reason why and it is because the are too
small for the beating they will take!
September 6th, 2025 at 8:25 am
Strange to me…He is not listed on the WR depth chart at all!
Bowles playing Jedi mind tricks?
Go Bucs!