Report: Sterling Shepard released – JoeBucsFan.com

Joe expected this to happen.

According to JC Allen of SI.com, the Bucs will release veteran wide receiver Sterling Shepard. He came off the couch at the behest of Bucs quarterback Moxie Mayfield, Shepard's former quarterback at Oklahoma.

At first, it looked like a smart signing. Shepard put pressure on Trey Palmer and Jalen McMillan in the race for the third receiver. And coaches like Shepard.

However, Shepard was injured about halfway through training camp and never got back into shape. In the meantime, two other receivers, Cody Thompson and (the young, inexpensive) Kameron Johnson, took advantage of Shepard's absence and made impactful plays both in practice and in worthless preseason games.

This generally means the end for an injured player on the bench. And that's exactly what happened to Shepard.

The former Giants receiver is a good guy. Smart. If something happens to one of the Bucs' other receivers, Joe is confident Shepard will get another call from Mayfield.

The Bucs are in the process of reducing their roster to the mandatory 53 by 4 p.m. tomorrow.