One of the biggest storylines of Bucs training camp thus far has been the battle for the final few spots on the team’s wide receiver depth chart. With the team’s top four receivers getting the night off for Saturday’s preseason opener, the stage was set for others to make their case for spots five through six (or seven). And most didn’t disappoint.

During his post-game press conference, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles singled out several receivers when asked who helped their case to make the team’s final 53-man roster.

“Well, there are guys that made cases obviously this week as well. So, I’ve got to see how they did on special teams,” Bowles said. “But I thought [Kaylon] Geiger, Tyler [Johnson], [Jerreth] Sterns played well.”

Receivers Headlined The Best Bucs

For Bowles to single out three receivers out of five total players goes to show the performance the unit had overall. Johnson led the team with six catches for 73 yards. He was downright dominant at times, proving to be the engine that powered the Bucs’ offense in the first half. Geiger and Sterns ended the game with four catches apiece. Geiger’s went for 52 yards, while Sterns’ produced 51 and a touchdown. Both had big moments in the second half.

Sterns really showed up on a 4th & 12 from the Bucs’ 31-yard line with only 1:13 remaining in the game. Tampa Bay was trailing 26-24 at the time. Quarterback Kyle Trask was able to find Sterns on a deep pass that went for 20 yards. That play gave the Bucs new life. And earlier in the game, Trask was able to hook up with Sterns on a beautiful slot fade for a 19-yard touchdown.

Meanwhile, in the third quarter, Geiger helped set up a Jose Borregales field goal when he was able to pick up 19 yards on a catch-and-run that got the Bucs into Miami territory.

Originally, it was thought that Johnson, Scotty Miller, Breshad Perriman, Cyril Grayson Jr. and Jaelon Darden would be battling it out for two or three spots at the bottom of the Bucs’ receiver depth chart. With the emergence of Sterns and Geiger, what was a five-man race may now be up to seven. Throw in Deven Thompkins, another impressive rookie, and you have eight in contention for two or three spots. Bottom line: The Bucs have a wealth of riches at a critical position for their success – maybe even more than they originally thought.