Tampa Bay Buccaneers land veteran free agent with strong ties to quarterback Baker Mayfield
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers believe in having a happy quarterback. They certainly just make Baker Mayfield exactly that way. The Bucs have reached an agreement with free agent wide receiver Sterling Shepard, per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. Mayfield and Shepard are former collegiate teammates at Oklahoma. The duo played together during the 2015 season, where […]
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers believe in having a happy quarterback. They certainly just make Baker Mayfield exactly that way.
The Bucs have reached an agreement with free agent wide receiver Sterling Shepard, per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.
Mayfield and Shepard are former collegiate teammates at Oklahoma. The duo played together during the 2015 season, where Shepard had a monster senior year in Mayfield's first at OU. Shepard posted a stat line of 86 catches for 1288 yards and 11 touchdowns.
However, that was the pair's only season together. Shepard went on to be drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Mayfield would go on to play two more years at OU before being selected with the first overall pick by the Cleveland Browns in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Now, the duo is set to resume playing together in pewter and red. According to NFL insider Josina Anderson, Mayfield actually recruited Shepard – who sounded as if he might have been on his way out of football – to Tampa Bay.
It's actually a pretty good fit for both Shepard and the Bucs. Behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, the Bucs have two young and talented but still unproven players in Trey Palmer, who delivered some big plays in 2023, and 2024 third round pick Jalen McMillan. As such, Shepard holds the upper hand as far as experience and could have a shot at earning some playing time.
It's great for the Bucs in that it gives them a chance at adding a solid veteran wideout as a potential third option at likely a club-friendly price. It also provides another experienced player who could help the young receivers come along.
Shepard, per Anderson, will be at mandatory minicamp next week, so we'll get a chance soon enough to see how the veteran looks. Regardless, no one is more excited about him being in Tampa than the man throwing him the ball.
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