After eight years in New York, Sterling Shepard is set to join a new team for the first time in his career. The veteran wideout has an agreement in place with the Buccaneers, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. 
To little surprise, Garafolo notes this will be a one-year pact. Many free agents still on the market this deep into the offseason take on deals of that length as they attempt to use the summer as a means of carving out a roster spot. In Shepard’s case, doing so would give Tampa Bay an experienced pass-catching option. He will receive $1.21MM on the veteran salary benefit, Greg Auman of Fox Sports adds.
The 31-year-old has played 90 games, including 74 starts. Shepard proved to be a consistent producer with the Giants, recording between 586 and 872 yards each year from 2016-20. He was a favorite of both Eli Manning and Daniel Jones, drawing at least 83 targets every season during that span. Injuries have proven to be a hindrance since then, however.
Shepard suffered an Achilles tear in December 2021, limiting him to seven games. That was followed by a torn ACL early in the 2022 campaign, which led to further missed time and minimal production. The Giants’ longest-tenured player entered last offseason on the roster bubble after signing another pact for the veteran’s minimum. Shepard played 15 games in 2023, but he made just 10 catches; New York elected to go in a different direction this year at the WR spot.
Now, a reunion with quarterback Baker Mayfield is in store. He and Shepard were teammates at Oklahoma, and strong play with a familiar face during training camp could allow the latter to secure a spot on the depth chart. Tampa Bay has Mike Evans and Chris Godwin in place for at least one more season, and the team also rosters Trey Palmer along with third-round rookie Jalen McMillan.
Shortly after moving on from returner Deven Thompkins, the Bucs added Cody Thompson to the receiver mix. Shepard will be competing with the latter for reps during the summer as he attempts to rebound from the missed time and underwhelming totals of the past three years. Remaining healthy in 2024 would go a long way to meeting both goals while also helping his free agent stock.
Good place for him to organize a boat trip on his day off.
Interesting pickup and I forgot he played with baker in college
Hard to see him lasting long. Beyond Evans and Godwin, Palmer looked pretty good last year and McMillan is a very good prospect. Hard to see much path for a 31 year old who has a hard time staying healthy and doesn’t play special teams.
Yep he is just going to be a vet perceived threat so it looks like Palmer and McMillian beat someone out. I would have liked Hunter Renfro instead if they wanted a real vet option. They want Godwin more in the slot so I guess that is why Renfro wasn’t an option. If Shep was to produce he is an outside wr.
McMillan played almost entirely in the slot last year at Washington, so that’s another reason not to bring in a slot only guy. I also wonder if Renfrow just isn’t the same guy, given that Vegas didn’t use him and no one has picked him up.
Not a huge shepherd fan, but I do hate to see guys who play for a long time with one franchise go out as a camp body with another. Hope he gets his health and makes the team.
Shepherd will get a chance to face his old teammates in NY on week 12 if he can make the roster…so perhaps that will provide some motivation.
Decent not great player. I didn’t know he was still available this late in the year
Camp body, I didn’t know he had the double whammy Achilles and ACL I remember the ACL only.