Bucs' Wide Receiver Competition Could Go Down to the Wire
On August 30th, each NFL team will be required to submit its final 53-man roster.
So just like every team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will have a number of difficult personnel decisions to make over the next week. But unlike every other team, the Buccaneers will need to cut several wide receivers who are capable of playing on an NFL roster this year.
For the Bucs, a combination of superstars, proven veterans, late-round draft picks, and undrafted free agents make up one of the most impressive collections of wide receivers in the entire league.
Players like Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Russell Gage, and Julio Jones, are not at risk of being cut.
This leaves just two (maybe three) spots available for a whole bunch of different players with a whole lot of juice.
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There are a number of returning Buccaneers, such as Tyler Johnson, Scotty Miller, Jaelon Darden, Breshad Perriman, and Cyril Grayson. Of these receivers, none are guaranteed a spot on the team.
With Grayson and Perriman having both been banged up throughout training camp – and the emergence of several younger receivers – it is my belief that both players are more likely to be cut than they are to make the team.
In regards to Tyler Johnson and Scotty Miller, neither are in a position to relax entering final roster cuts. Of the two, I think it's clear that Tyler Johnson has made the biggest impact so far this offseason. After receiving a lot of praise based on his play in training camp, Johnson has been the Bucs' best receiver through two preseason games. Of the two, he's definitely helped his cause the most.
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Scotty Miller remains a curious case. Despite possessing game-breaking speed, and having contributed a number of big plays for the Bucs during their Super Bowl winning season in 2020 – he clearly fell out of favor with the coaching staff last year. Upon returning to the lineup following a bout with turf toe, he was unable to establish himself as a factor. This trend has continued into this preseason, where despite seeing a significant number of snaps, Miller has not found a way to contribute to the offense – despite often being matched up with the opposing teams' reserve defensive backs. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, I wouldn't be surprised at all if Scotty Miller ends up being the odd man out.
Based on his performance in training camp, it appears as though Jaelon Darden has taken strides from last season, at least as a receiver. After being drafted in the fourth round in 2021, he saw the majority of his work come as the team's primary return man during his rookie season. There's no doubt that the fans in Tampa Bay expected more from Darden in that area though. Darden has already scored a touchdown this preseason, and reports coming out of camp indicate that the coaches have been pleased with his development – though he'll need to take a big step forward as a kick returner. Similar to Tyler Johnson, I think Darden has a good chance of capturing one of the elusive final wide receiver spots on the Bucs' 53-man roster.
There are still several days of training camp remaining, as well as a final preseason game vs. the Colts. But if I were to predict the first six receivers to make the team at this point, it would be Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Russell Gage, Tyler Johnson, and Jaelon Darden.
In which case, the first question should be, would the Buccaneers seriously consider keeping seven receivers?
I believe the answer is yes.
Which leads to the next question, which receiver would earn that final roster spot at the wide receiver position?
I believe that player will be the 5'8", 155-pound UDFA out of Utah State, Deven Thompkins.
Despite his modest stature, Thompkins has been electric since the day he first arrived at rookie camp. He has the athleticism and short-area quickness to get open at every level. He has good hands, an uncanny ability to come down with jump balls, and all-around craftiness that makes it hard to believe he's just entering his first season as a pro.
After a dominating senior season for the Aggies, which saw Thompkins collect 102 receptions for 1,704 yards and 10 touchdowns, he also proved to have plenty of juice in the return game, where he averaged 23 yards per return. After continuing to stand out at an NFL training camp, it's apparent that Deven Thompkins is an all-purpose player.
Thompkins isn't the only UDFA who has impressed though. Jerreth Sterns (Western Kentucky) and Kaylon Geiger (Texas Tech) have both looked like receivers who should have been drafted back in April. Which is a testament to the Buccaneers' scouting/player personnel departments.
If the Bucs end up keeping seven wide receivers, my prediction is that Scotty Miller is out, and Deven Thompkins is the one who makes it in.
That said, these decisions aren't up to me. Nor should they be. And it's important to note that with one preseason game still to be played, the team's final decisions are likely not set in stone quite yet. And with how close of a race it has been throughout training camp and the preseason, who's to say that one final push from someone couldn't sway the final outcome for all of them?
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