Sterling Shepard And His Impact On Quarterbacks
August 23rd, 2025
Increased responsibility.
Until Jalen McMillan got hurt, veteran receiver Sterling Shepard logged most of his training camp time catching passes with the second-team offense.
He was targeted a lot and caught a lot of balls.
Joe often uses where a guy plays (first or second team) and how often he gets touches as a barometer for where the guy sits on the food chain.
If a guy is with the third team (bouncers, substitute history teachers and insurance claims adjusters), his job is in danger. If a guy is on the third team and rarely gets touches (like Rakim Jarrett), that is a very bad position to be in.
If a player is on the second team but doesn’t often get touches, he’s on the bubble. If a guy is logging plays with the first team, even part of the time, that means he’s very likely to make the roster.
That’s sort Joe’s pecking order over the years.
Shepard gets targets whether he is taking snaps with the first team or the second team. He’s in a secure place, especially after McMillan’s injury.
(Joe thought about this driving to record an edition of the “Ira Kaufman Podcast” Friday morning: The camp meat cornerback with the Steelers, Daryl Porter, the man who undercut McMillan, that was a classic camp-meat-trying-to-make-a-splash-play-to-get-noticed kind of stunt. Joe’s not saying Porter deliberately wanted to hurt McMillan, but against a guy who knows he’s making the Steelers’ 53-man roster, and Joe doesn’t think McMillan is undercut like that.)
Joe thought entering training camp that Shepard was pretty much safe unless he blew chunks on the practice fields of One Buc Palace. Shepard is a reliable veteran and he just happens to be very tight with Baker Mayfield.
Sometimes, it’s not what you know, but who you know. And he has guaranteed money in his contract.
The way Bucs coach Todd Bowles spoke about Shepard this week, Joe is sure Shepard, short of an injury, is secure when the Bucs shave the roster down to 53 on Tuesday.
Bowles praised Shepard for often working with quarterbacks in a give-and-take on the field to help move the chains and score points.
“Well, he’s performed well because he [confers with quarterbacks] on the field, not because he hangs with the quarterbacks,” Bowles said. “But he’s very smart and he has opinions and advice just like Mike [Evans] and Chris [Godwin] do.
“He’s a veteran receiver, so quarterbacks understand him and they give him little nuances to work with. He’s very good that way. We’re getting everybody on the same page.”
Yes, Shepard made too many boneheaded plays last year. He cuts down on those; he’s an effective receiver.
Shepard will get snaps. Right now he’s the No. 3 receiver until Chris Godwin or McMillan return, whenever that may be.
Joe hopes McMillan’s return is on the short side of Thanksgiving and Godwin returns well before Halloween.
August 23rd, 2025 at 12:16 am
After Shep it’s RYAN Miller. He catches everything.
Then, I’d like to see Garrett Greene. Smart fast and versatile, and isn’t afraid to stick his face in the fan. Considering Godwin is active, there’s your WR roster. Everyone’s favorite dwarf is destined for the practice squad.
August 23rd, 2025 at 3:51 am
Garrett Green’s catching n running style reminds me of former Patriots receiver,Danny Amadola. He has good vision n field awareness n not afraid to grind it out. I’d take him over Ryan Miller, Rakim Jarrett, n Trey Palmer. I believe had he played wr in college he would’ve been drafted early third round.
August 23rd, 2025 at 5:52 am
Average WR with too many drops
August 23rd, 2025 at 7:00 am
May be that Sheppard is a lock Joe. However I think he has a couple of young guns making a run at his spot. That would be Miller and Greene. Best Bud Baker or not, those two have been standouts and they have youth and room for growth being younger. Plus I don’t think either has committed any boneheaded penalties.
Go Bucs
August 23rd, 2025 at 7:12 am
Shepard will play a somewhat important role for this team in 2025 – especially early in the season.
Just don’t be shocked when he gets “cut” in a couple days…..
The Bucs need the roster spot initially to help protect young talent and because both Godwin and Whirfs are apparently not going on PUP….
Both Shepard and Bridgewater will go to the practice squad after final cuts.
Then Shepard will be elevated to the active roster once the dust settles prior to game 1. And likely plays quite a few snaps vs Atlanta…
August 23rd, 2025 at 7:14 am
Cut Trask and throw Garret Greene in lol. Then throw a number of trick plays
August 23rd, 2025 at 7:38 am
guaranteed money is all you need to know
August 23rd, 2025 at 8:48 am
For the gut bottom guys, I think this next game tonight is extremely important. You guys that have drops are pretty screwed in the guy who makes blush blades, maybe that elevates them. Greene did look good but he’s also brand new the position. How well does he really understand playing receiver? What was said about Emeka being very quarterback friendly, is Greene quarterback friendly at all? Does he run routes as needed? Outside of the top four or five, I don’t really know about any of them. It’s obvious that if you play smart, mistake free football, that’s much better than making giant bonehead errors. But with practice and film and everything, the coaches see so much more than we do. They’ll make the right decisions. Bucs have been a great receiving team for a while, the ones that make it will be the ones that have potential and can turn into something for us. Shep with make the 53 I expect. He just needs to keep his emotions in check game time.
August 23rd, 2025 at 8:54 am
This ^^^^
August 23rd, 2025 at 8:55 am
Meaning the guaranteed $
August 23rd, 2025 at 8:57 am
I like Miller and Greene as well. Greene has been impressive for a former QB just turned receiver.
August 23rd, 2025 at 9:29 am
Shepard’s guarantee is only $500k. If he is on the roster the day after cutdowns, as a vested veteran all $1.7M of his contract becomes guaranteed.
The Bucs are likely looking to avoid his full contract being guaranteed. Ditto with Bridgewater. Which is why both are likely going to the practice squad initially.
August 23rd, 2025 at 9:51 am
6 penalties last year for Shepherd, way way too many
August 23rd, 2025 at 10:48 am
Pick said it above. Shepherd will be cut due to the guarantee and then signed to the practice squad and or elevated to the active roster after the guarantee is void.
August 23rd, 2025 at 10:50 am
One thing that isn’t being said enough is that these young guys have to put their talent on film. If it’s there, they’ll either make the team, get cut, and then picked up by another team. As far as the final roster goes, I know we’ll have one of the best. Still feels weird posting those words. I’ve been a Buc fan for too long. LOL.
August 23rd, 2025 at 10:54 am
No end arounds, jet sweeps, flea flickers or any of that cutesy stuff Joshua
August 23rd, 2025 at 11:39 am
Just wondering … Is the third WR considered a starter? I suppose he is if you run a base offense that is 11 personnel. Not sure if that is the Bucs, though – especially with their left tackle situation.
You can tell from his demeanor and responses that Bowles is frustrated with the injuries and that he is very wary of playing anyone that isn’t somewhat expendable.
It’ll be interesting to see if Sheppard plays tonight. Aside from Evans and Egbuka, any Bucs receivers that enter tonight’s game are in danger of not making the 53 man roster, I guess.
August 23rd, 2025 at 11:52 am
Mike Evans
Chris Godwin
Emeka Egbuka
Ryan Miller
Tez Johnson
Garrett Greene
August 23rd, 2025 at 12:40 pm
LakelandBuc, Shep has been here a year now and is getting more comfortable in the system. He’s 32 just like Mike and I believe both of them are getting a second wind. They are both playing great. Shep has an injury history with the Giants and even last year here. I’ve got my fingers crossed that he can stay healthy but if he does he’s got skills that will improve this team. And I’d like to keep all these receivers, except maybe Palmer, and you know Shep will do whatever he needs to do to let us keep as many of these guys as we can. But believe it, Shep is all about the team and doing his job the right way. Shep should be catching a few passes and laying a few blocks in that Atlanta game 2 weeks from now. And I would bet he’ll be doing just that.
August 23rd, 2025 at 1:37 pm
1. Evans
2. Godwin
3. EE
4. Miller
5. Greene
6. Shep (PS then elevated)
August 23rd, 2025 at 3:38 pm
When you are staying on the gas with a 7 point lead, Shepherd seems like a guy to throw to on first and ten or second and five.
Fourth and three in a tie game; maybe throw to someone else?
August 23rd, 2025 at 4:01 pm
toopanca, did you see the Chiefs game last year? Shep has been a good 3rd down receiver his entire career. If he stays healthy that’s just another positive he brings. We were the best team in the league in 3rd down conversion percentage. Shep had a hand in that.