Two 2025 Buccaneers Find New Homes
August 22nd, 2026
Bucs GM Jason Licht
A couple Bucs that combined for over 850 snaps last year have new homes.
Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht had no more use for defensive tackle Greg Gaines (2 sacks) and receiver Sterling Shepard (39 catches, and some of them big).
Shepard, 33, signed with the Texans yesterday and Gaines caught on with the Bills this week. Gaines, 30, was with the Bucs the past three years and played in every game last season with two starts.
Joe always gets uneasy when a player leaves the Bucs roster and not picks him up. So it felt good to see these guys find jobs with quality teams. Even guard “Not That” Michael Jordan found work with the Eagles.
August 22nd, 2026 at 11:51 am
I wish both success!!!
Also, I see Nick Chubb retired,…. I thought maybe, the Bucs could have offered him a minor league (sorta….. this does not happen in the NFL…. but the equivalent)…. He must have been thinking retirement for a while now and now he is retired.
Anyway, I look forward to seeing tonight’s game versus the Chefs!
August 22nd, 2026 at 11:59 am
Both seemed like good dudes. Good for them!
Notice how they both play at our most stacked positions? We’re deep in places. Glad D-line is finally one of them. Secondary is a different story.
August 22nd, 2026 at 12:24 pm
There is another guy that has found a home elsewhere. The 49rs have been very pleased with their new Defensive coach. He is (wait for it) our old friend RAHEEM MORRIS! Good for him.
August 22nd, 2026 at 12:35 pm
I thought Sterling Shepherd would surely be one of those guys that is waiting for us in the event that we had a WR injury. Sad to see him go. If he gets on the PS of the Texans I bet we try to grab him off waivers if we have any injuries
August 22nd, 2026 at 12:47 pm
Shep may just get him a ring yet. Texans are no joke. Watched Defense Rules favorite nose tackle, Kayden McDonald, sack Mendoza the other night. We’re good to go up front, I think, but imagine if we’d of gotten him, too. Whoa!
August 22nd, 2026 at 12:49 pm
Out with the old. In with the new! They will help their new teams!
August 22nd, 2026 at 12:59 pm
I believe I’ve solved the mystery of this Joe’s insistence that Bright Licht is Ring of Honor bound. Jason has promised him all of his “gently used” Buc gear once he’s through with it. Not bad at all…
Licht does deserve a “certificate of participation” in concert with Arians’ induction a few years ago. That should be more than enough.
August 22nd, 2026 at 1:18 pm
Why would it make you feel uneasy ? Maybe the Bucs know what they are doing when they let a guy go. But this Joe has to have a negative take on everything . It’s really nauseating.
August 22nd, 2026 at 1:39 pm
Winny Testaverde, would you deny that Jason Licht is the best GM the Bucs have ever had?
August 22nd, 2026 at 1:51 pm
Kyle Trask, too. Panthers, I think.
August 22nd, 2026 at 1:54 pm
I like Licht but Rich McKay was pretty good also! If Gruden hadn’t pushed him out maybe we would’ve kept winning!
August 22nd, 2026 at 2:10 pm
Good to see Gaines finding a place. He always gave us what he had. Good luck to the both of them.
August 22nd, 2026 at 2:23 pm
Licht don’t deserve to be in the ring of honor imo
August 22nd, 2026 at 2:33 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai Says:
August 22nd, 2026 at 1:39 pm
Winny Testaverde, would you deny that Jason Licht is the best GM the Bucs have ever had?
Fair question…and a little complicated. Licht definitely is the longest tenured…top 3 in the entire league currently. He was as bad ( or worse ) record as the overmatched Dominik.
Ron Wolf was a heck of a GM…but it was a far different era including an expansion draft.
McKay did some good things ( some would argue Wyche was a huge part in that in the mid 90’s draft wise ).
I don’t love Licht without his big brother Bruce around. Early extensions that haven’t aged well…and before Arians arrival…Licht’s teams won only 1 out of 3 games.
Lucky for you…he’s likely a made man with The Glazers. And even luckier for you…you’ll likely get your wish that Tomlin is in queue. I think hiring Tomlin would be a mistake. But that’s another post…
August 22nd, 2026 at 2:47 pm
Speaking of former Bucs, Jameis Winston was in the middle of the melee with the Dolphins at joint practice. Still making good good throws and bad decisions.
August 22nd, 2026 at 3:24 pm
Lefty_R Says:
Also, I see Nick Chubb retired,…. I thought maybe, the Bucs could have offered him a minor league (sorta….. this does not happen in the NFL…. but the equivalent)….
——-
He has been washed up for years. Was a top tier RB at one time, but injuries just kept racking up. Yeah, sure, he had the TD run last year that the Bucs let him score to get the ball back, but otherwise he was painful to watch – a guy with his speed and elusiveness looked like a slower version of Ke’Shawn Vaughn the last few years.
August 22nd, 2026 at 4:26 pm
I’m very happy for them.
They are both great men.
I will miss Sterling Shepherd.
But we needed to upgrade Gaines.