Mike Evans and Chris Godwin return as one of the top duos in the league. Godwin, who signed a new 3-year $60 million contract to return to the team, is still working his way back from a torn ACL. To round out one of the NFL’s best receiving corps, the Bucs added former Falcon Russell Gage to the roster. Evans, Godwin, and Gage create a formidable trio that will give defenses plenty of problems.

Behind the big three will be an intense battle for the fourth, fifth, sixth and possibly seventh spots. Ten players will be competing for the final three spots. Tyler Johnson has a strong chance to land a spot on the roster as the team’s fourth leading receiver in yards in 2021. Behind him the group of Breshad Perriman, Scotty Miller, Jaelon Darden, and Cyril Grayson, Jr. will compete for the remaining two or three spots.

The Bucs have some dark horse candidates on the roster as well. With four undrafted receivers vying to crack the roster. Deven Tompkins has already caught the eye of teammates and coaches alike and will be a name to watch, though Jerreth Sterns, Kameron Brown, and Kaylon Geiger are also in the mix. Rounding out the receiver rooms is four-year veteran Vincynt Smith, who last spent time with the Jets.

Evans has been one of the top wideouts in the NFL since entering the league. Posting eight straight seasons of 1,000 yards and breaking the Bucs franchise record for receiving touchdowns. As he enters his ninth year, Evans looks poised to keep that streak alive. While Evans made plenty of plays, he only had two games of 100-plus yards. Taking over games should be an area he is looking to improve on in 2022.

2021 Stats:  74 receptions for 1,035 yards and 14 TDs with 1 carry for 10 yards.

Godwin is the prototype slot receiver for the Bucs offense. Big enough to be a factor in the run game but quick and agile enough to be a problem for slot and perimeter corners alike. Recent reports suggest Godwin could be ready to go to start the season which would be a big boost for the offense. Even missing five games last year Godwin was the Bucs’ leading receiver in both yards and receptions. After receiving a $20 million per season payday, Godwin will look to top his numbers from last year.

2021 Stats: 98 receptions for 1,103 yards and 5 TDs with 4 carries for 29 yards and a TD.

The acquisition of Gage was surprising to say the least. But the fifth-year pro should play a pivotal part in the Bucs offense, especially if Godwin isn’t ready to return Week 1. While he’s not necessarily Antonio Brown, which is probably a good thing, he posses inside outside versatility and gets his nose dirty in the run game. Over the course of the last two seasons Gage saw his roe increase with the Falcons. Injuries to Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley opened up a path for Gage to start and see the lion’s share of the targets in Atlanta. Not only did he answer the call, the former sixth-round pick excelled in the role. With the Bucs Gage will benefit from an offense that rolls out receiver heavy sets and has the greatest quarterback of all time throwing him passes.

2021 Stats: 66 receptions for 770 yards and 4 TDs.

Heading into his third season, it’s time for Johnson to carve out a consistent role on the offense. He stepped in last season when Godwin went down with injury. But he didn’t perform to the expectations with the opportunity he was given. Johnson struggled to separate from defenders and doesn’t offer much after the catch. His best role is probably as an outside possession receiver as he moved the chains with efficiency last season averaging 10 yards per catch.  While probably the safest bet to make the roster out of the next group of guys it will take a consistent camp to earn a spot.

2021 Stats: 36 receptions for 360 yards.

Grayson didn’t come on until late last season but looked like he was going to earn himself a bigger role. After multiple practice squad elevations, Grayson was signed to the roster in January. He started the first three games of his career and had the game-winning touchdown against the Jets in Week 17. Averaging a whopping 21.2 yards per catch, Grayson’s deep speed is an asset to the Bucs offense. A hamstring injury knocked the six-year pro out of the Week 18 matchup against the Panthers and for the teams two playoff games. If Grayson can build off the momentum he was gaining last year, he could earn himself a spot on the 53-man roster.

2021 Stats: 10 receptions for 212 yards and 2 TDs with 1 carry for 14 yards.

Darden is the wild card for the Bucs. Last year’s fourth round pick, the Bucs traded up to get him hoping he would be able to be a solution in the return game as he developed. Darden didn’t exactly set the world on fire and wasn’t even given the role until Jaydon Mickens was released. Even then he only averaged 7.5 yards per return on punts and 19.9 on kickoffs. Darden didn’t fare much better in the limited snaps he was given as a receiver either. But he’s had a strong offseason and will look to build upon that in training camp to grab one of the final roster spots up for grabs.

2021 Stats: 6 receptions for 43 yards with 1 carry for 11 yards.

Last season didn’t exactly go the way Miller wanted it to. After suffering a severe turf toe injury in Week 3, Miller was sidelined for eight games before making his return. At that point other receivers on the roster had already carved out roles and it was difficult for him to crack the lineup. Down the stretch he was inactive twice but found a new role on special teams as a gunner where he forced two fumbles. Miller is just a year removed from seeing him lead the team in receiving yards at the halfway point in 2020. He’ll look to get back on track in camp where he’ll be fighting for a roster spot in the last year of his contract.

2021 Stats: 5 receptions for 38 yards with 1 carry for 9 yards and a TD.

Perriman is the oldest receiver on the roster other than Evans. The former first-round pick has bounced around the league and is on his second stint with the Bucs. Signing with the team mid-season Perriman provided a nice boost for the offense after signing to the active roster from the practice squad while Antonio Brown served a three-game suspension. His biggest play however came when he scored the game winning touchdown against the Bills in overtime. Perriman will have some tough competition to make the roster but shouldn’t be slept on with his knowledge of the system and relationship with the coaching staff.

2021 Stats: 11 receptions for 167 yards and a TD.

Smith entered the league in 2018 and has spent the last three seasons with the Jets. Amember of the practice squad last year, Smith was called up for two games but did not record a stat. The 6-foot-3 receiver had his best season in 2019 when he started four games and racked up 17 receptions for 225 yards. With more accomplished veterans and younger options available, Smith will be hard pressed to land a spot on the active roster.

Thompkins was the talk of the town in during the Bucs offseason workouts. receiving shout-outs from head coach Todd Bowles and Mike Evans. Projected as an outside receiver the 5-foot-8 wideout displays impressive straight line speed to take the top off of defenses. He routinely got behind coverage at camp and made plays on the ball with his ability to fight for contested catches.While he faces long odds to make the roster, his ability to separate and find the ball will give him a chance at sticking around on the practice squad.

2021 College Stats: 102 receptions for 1,704 yards and 10 TDs.

A highly productive player in college, Sterns is as pure of a pass catcher as they come. He’s a savvy route runner that will get good separation despite a lack of top-end speed. He can track the ball well and isn’t afraid to make catches over the middle in traffic. At 5-foot-9 he doesn’t have the prototypical size the Bucs look for in their slot receivers, and will need to get stronger to handle the blocking duties of the position. He’s a long shot to make the roster, but could make the Bucs practice squad with a good camp.

2021 College Stats: 150 receptions for 1,902 yards and 17 TDs.

The biggest of the undrafted free agent receivers, Brown stands 6-foot-3. He made an amazing highlight catch in the back of the end zone in mini-camp where he high-pointed the ball above the defenders head and landed in bounds for the score. Brown would immediately become the second tallest wide out on the team if he were to make the 53-man roster. But he faces tough odds with proven players ahead of him. He could be a candidate for the practice squad after cut downs.

2021 College Stats: 36 receptions for 605 yards and 5 TDs.

Geiger is a polished route runner with excellent short area quickness and displays the ability to separate on shorter and deeper routes. He can track the ball well and is dynamic with the ball in his hands. Those abilities were on display during offseason workouts where Geiger made plenty of plays with Evans only there for mandatory mini-camp and Godwin, Gage, and Miller all sidelined with injury. An accomplished return man, Geiger saw plenty of action returning punts and kickoffs as well. He’ll will have the greatest opportunity to make the team in that role. Though he could be destined for the practice squad.

2021 College Stats: 43 receptions for 553 yards and a TD.