The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' top receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin saw a grand total of one possession during the Buccaneers' three preseason games. This allowed the Bucs coaching staff to assess the players they have when the group thins out.
Receiver Cody Thompson made his case to be a part of the group by being the team's most productive pass catcher in the preseason.
In the Buccaneers' 24-14 win over the Miami Dolphins, Thompson hauled in seven catches for 43 yards. This was a nice finish to a good training camp and preseason for the journeyman wideout. He had a team-high 15 catches for Tampa Bay this preseason.
Thompson also caught five passes for 66 yards and the Buccaneers only touchdown in their second preseason game. With the Bucs placing receiver Rakim Jarrett on the IR to start the season, that makes Thompson a possibility to fill a spot at the bottom of the depth chart.
It was clear during the preseason that offensive coordinator Liam Coen was looking to get Thompson involved as he was one of the most targeted players.
Thompson formerly played for the Seattle Seahawks in 2023 and suffered a shoulder injury that led to him spending a lot of time on the practice squad. He has shown throughout this training camp that he can be a valuable backup in case of an injury to another receiver.
Receiver Jalen McMillan was just announced as a starter and Trey Palmer has a little more NFL experience than Thompson, but Thompson is likely the next man up.
