The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were counting on receiver Russell Gage to be healthy and play a critical role in new offensive coordinator Dave Canales’ scheme.
After Gage went down with a non-contact injury during joint practice with the New York Jets, however, the Buccaneers are going to need to find a new No. 3 receiver.
Certainly there are options outside the organization, but rookie receiver Trey Palmer has been stating his case to get a crack at taking the job during training camp, including a big play Wednesday against the Jets over top young cornerback Sauce Gardner.
“It was a really big play for us…on one of the better corners in the league,” Godwin said of the play. “Trey, he’s a fast guy, and I don’t know if people notice it or not but he’s flying out there and Kyle [Trask] gave him a great ball. I feel like it was kind of tough on Sauce because they went Cover 0 so it’s one-on-one and Trey, like I said, he’s a blazer…that’s the kind of plays we’re going to need from him.”
To Godwin’s point, Palmer ran a 4.33 40-yard dash at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine with a 1.51 10-yard split.
After originally committing to LSU as a five-star prospect out of high school, Palmer was a track star who decided to leave Baton Rouge for the Nebraska Cornhuskers after his junior season.
With Nebraska, Palmer set a single-season school record after producing 1,043 receiving yards on 71 receptions while finding the end zone nine times in 11 starts.
Tampa Bay is hoping they found a gem in the 6th Round of the NFL Draft in Palmer who had his best day of practice against the Jets according to star receiver Mike Evans.
After a solid debut against the Pittsburgh Steelers and a great practice against the Jets, Week 3 of the NFL Preseason could be Palmer’s coming out party, as his team looks for an answer behind Evans and Godwin.
Find David Harrison on Twitter @DHarrison82
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