Veteran slot wide receiver Cole Beasley’s arrival in Tampa Bay and pending official signing to the Buccaneers‘ practice squad comes at a time when their offense is in great need at the position.
Beasley’s reliability as a proven sure-handed presence is expected to fit in extremely well with quarterback Tom Brady who is excited about the addition of the former Buffalo Bills wide receiver, according to a league source. Beasley is expected to be promoted quickly to the 53-man roster, per a source.
Why the Buccaneers needed Cole Beasley
There are a ton of injuries at wide receiver, including starter Chris Godwin potentially sidelined for another week due to a hamstring injury suffered in the season-opener after returning from a torn anterior cruciate ligament last season.
Plus, wide receiver Mike Evans is awaiting word from NFL appeals officer James Thrash on his appeal of a one-game suspension for fighting. And Julio Jones is dealing with a knee injury.
There were also a lot of dropped passes, much to the displeasure of star quarterback Tom Brady, who threw a tablet during a win over the New Orleans Saints.
Behind Evans, who was ejected for his altercation with Saints corner Marshon Lattimore, wide receiver Scotty Miller had three catches for 34 yards on eight targets, while Jaelon Darden played sparingly and had zero catches with one penalty.
The Buccaneers hope to get Jones back on the field and get contributions from Russell Gage and Breshad Perriman.
“We’ll see how he recovers,” Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said of Jones. “Again, we’ve got a long week ahead of us and I can’t make that decision without seeing us.”
What Cole Beasley can do for Buccaneers
Beasley drew serious interest and contract offers from multiple NFL teams before joining the Buccaneers, per a source.
Beasley, 33, was one of the top available free agents. NFL teams, including head coaches, made efforts to recruit Beasley. Beasley caught 82 passes for 693 yards and one touchdown last season for the Buffalo Bills.
The former Dallas Cowboys undrafted free agent from SMU caught passes this summer in Austin with Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield while training with since-retired wide receiver Danny Amendola, another accomplished wide receiver who played with Brady in New England.
After being given permission to seek a trade from the Bills, he was released in March. Beasley is a proven commodity, having combined for 164 receptions and 1,640 yards and five touchdowns for the Bills over the last two seasons. He has 550 career catches for 5,709 yards and 34 touchdowns.
“I appreciate the fans who supported me,” Beasley wrote on social media in August regarding his time in Buffalo. “The most fun I’ve ever had playing football in Buffalo. My family and I will never forget the memories. Love all of my teammates there. I won’t regret leaving though. Things changed within the organization. It was time for me to move on.”
And now Beasley has with the Buccaneers. He was listed as a visit on the NFL personnel notice, per a source. His official signing is regarded as imminent to the practice squad as the Buccaneers prepare for their next game against the Green Bay Packers.