Buccaneers Make Shocking Move During Roster Cutdowns

As the Buccaneers got down to the 53-man roster limit, they made a shocking move at wide receiver.

Aug 17, 2024; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Cody Thompson (83) celebrate after scoring a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second quarter during a preseason game at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

The Bucs and every other team in the league must whittle down their roster from 90 players to 53 by Tuesday at 4 pm EST. It's a tough day for coaches in front offices and more than 1,184 players will be told they won't make the roster. While about 500 or so will get another opportunity to join the team's practice squads, many will never don an NFL jersey again.

Deciding who will make the team, and who will join the practice squad is a difficult part of the job and evaluation for a team coaching staff and front office, and it's especially hard when a player has done everything right and stood out when their name was called throughout the preseason.

That is the case with Buccaneers wide receiver Cody Thompson, who was told on Tuesday he would not be making the team's 53 man roster.

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Thompson's signing was overshadowed by the team bringing in another veteran wide receiver in that same weekend, Sterling Shepard. While Shepard was the more accomplished receiver and had ties to Bucs starting quarterback Baker Mayfield from their college days, Thompson was the one who was consistent throughout training camp. Shepard, who has an extensive injury history, found himself dealing with nagging injuries early, opening the door for Thompson to show what he could do.

While Thompson hadn't had the stability Shephard did, playing with four different NFL teams and finding some success with the Seahawks, he had developed a reputation as a hard-nosed football player who wasn't afraid to get dirty blocking and as a special teamer. With Shepard sidelined and the starters not playing, Thompson ate up as many reps as he could on offense. He led all preseason receivers in the preseason with his 15 receptions and totaled 137 yards through the air and a score while adding 12 yards on two carries. After his touchdown reception, Thompson found himself right back on the field on special teams and was a leader for the Bucs in snaps on that unit.

The Bucs' decision to carry just five receivers on the roster ultimately led to Thompson not making the 53-man roster but it's hard to make the case he didn't deserve to. The team is hopeful they will be able to bring him back on the practice squad and with new rules to the unit they are afforded three elevations. So it might not be long before we see Thompson playing with the Bucs again. As for Thompson, he's not backing down from the journey ahead of him to accomplish his goals

It’s a long journey! Just keep going!

— Cody Thompson (@cthom1441) August 27, 2024

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READ MORE: 5 Instant Takeaways From the Buccaneers' Preseason Win Over Dolphins

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