Sterling Shepard has made a pair of appearances with the Buccaneers this season as a gameday elevation, but he is now set to receive a more permanent opportunity. The veteran wideout is being signed to Tampa Bay’s active roster, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports.
Players can be designated as a gameday elevation from the practice squad up to three times, so Tampa Bay could have taken that route once more. However, Jalen McMillan and Trey Palmer are both dealing with injuries, leaving the Bucs thin at wideout behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Shepard represents a veteran candidate for the WR3 role on a temporary basis.
The 31-year-old remained with the Giants for an eighth season in 2023, doing so after an Achilles tear. Shepard was used sparingly, though, and his 15% snap share was by far the lowest of his career. He took a deal with the Buccaneers in June after being recruited by former college teammate Baker Mayfield. That agreement did not leave Shepard on the team’s initial roster, but he re-signed to the practice squad after cutdowns. Now, the Oklahoma product is positioned to handle a rotational role in Tampa.
Shepard was not targeted during his Bucs debut, but he was much more involved on Sunday during the team’s win against the Eagles. The former second-rounder caught three of five targets for 51 yards, and a continuation of that production would help complement Evans and Godwin while Tampa Bay deals with other injuries in the receiving corps. Shepard could of course help his value on a new deal in the offseason by enjoying a strong spell on the active roster over the coming weeks.
