Buccaneers Promoting WR Sterling Shepard To Active Roster

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are promoting veteran WR Sterling Shepard from the practice squad to the active roster, per Mike Garafolo.

Shepard has been a game-day callup for a couple weeks but gets the more permanent nod now that the Bucs have been hit with some injuries at receiver. 

Shepard, 31, is a former second-round pick of the Giants back in 2016. He was entering the final year of his four-year, $5.944 million rookie contract when he agreed to a four-year, $41 million extension that includes $21.3 million guaranteed. 

Shepard was set to make base salaries of $8.475 and $9.475 million in the final two years of his deal, however, the two sides agreed to a reworked deal that made him a free agent in 2023.

The Giants opted to bring him back on a one-year deal in 2023. After playing out that deal, he signed on with the Buccaneers this past summer. He was among the final roster cuts coming out of training camp before re-signing to the practice squad.

In 2024, Shepard has appeared in two games for the Buccaneers and caught three passes on five targets for 51 yards.