Getty The Buccaneers could move on from wide receiver Breshad Perriman.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be moving on from one of their more notable veterans.
According to a 53-man roster projection by Greg Auman of The Athletic on June 23, the Buccaneers are predicted to release wide receiver Breshad Perriman before final roster cutdowns. As Auman notes, Tampa Bay is most loaded at the wide receiver position; and that’s without Antonio Brown on the roster entering this season.
Auman predicts that the Buccaneers will enter the season with six receivers, with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Russell Gage, Tyler Johnson, Cyril Grayson and Jaelon Darden as the receivers on the roster.
“We’ll be optimistic about Godwin and put him on the opening 53 (though not necessarily ready to play in Week 1). So our six are Evans, Godwin, Gage, Johnson, Grayson and Darden,” says Auman. “That means Perriman and Miller are choosing between the practice squad here or another 53, with Thompkins, Smith and Jerreth Sterns among the best developmental types for the practice squad.”
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Auman: Perriman on the ‘Outside Looking In’
Auman also notes that with other young receivers in the mix, Perriman is on the outside looking in.
“Could the Bucs get a late-round pick for Miller? He didn’t have much of a role last season, even after he returned from injury, so he’s the biggest X-factor here, capable of grabbing the No. 4 spot if he looks like he did in 2020, or not making the cut,” says Auman. “Perriman had a huge catch to win in overtime against the Bills, but couldn’t get on the field with other teams for much of 2021 and could be on the outside looking in.”
Perriman signed with the Buccaneers for his second stint with the franchise after he was waived by the Chicago Bears in November of last season. After spending the first few weeks on the practice squad, Perriman made his debut in Week 10 against the New York Giants.
While Perriman made a minimal impact in the six games he appeared in at the end of the regular season, he made one very notable highlight when he caught the game-winning touchdown pass in an overtime win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 13.
Buccaneers Possess Similar Receiver in Grayson
Perriman certainly possesses world-class speed — he once clocked in at 4.25 seconds at the NFL combine back in 2015, with some saying he clocked in as fast as 4.19 seconds. For perspective, the fastest 40-yard-dash at the combine up until that point was Chris Johnson at 4.24 seconds in 2008.
But Cyril Grayson also has world-class speed, having clocked in at 4.33 seconds in the 40-yard-dash at the combine. Grayson also happens to be a former All-American track sprinter at LSU. After three seasons spent with the Buccaneers, he seemed to heat up towards the end of the season, catching nine passes on 11 targets for 162 yards and one touchdown during a two-game stretch.
The Buccaneers could opt to go with their wide receiver project over Perriman, who has already spent time with seven different teams during his seven years in the league.
Despite being a former first-round draft selection with world-class speed, Perriman has never established himself as a viable receiver in the league. The 28-year-old has failed to catch more than 36 passes for 645 yards and six touchdowns in a single season and has been waived/cut by four different teams in his career.
With the Buccaneers being absolutely loaded at receiver and with so few roster spots available, expect Tampa Bay to move on from the former first-round draft pick.