The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are signing veteran WR Cole Beasley, according to Mike Garofolo of NFL Network. When the wideout is elevated to the active roster, he’ll enter his 11th season.
Through 149 career games, Beasley has made 550 receptions, averaged 10.4 receiving yards per return, and has caught 34 touchdown passes.
In 2012, the 5’8″ slot receiver went undrafted. This was mainly because of size. Scouts labeled him underweight and injury prone. Though, the SMU wideout was offered the chance to play with the Dallas Cowboys.
News from @gmfb: The #Buccaneers are signing veteran WR Cole Beasley to their practice squad with the expectation he’ll be elevated to the active roster soon, source says.
Tom Brady pushed to bring in another veteran pass catcher and has had Beasley on his radar for a while. pic.twitter.com/dTBH64cgyR
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) September 20, 2022
He spent his first seven NFL seasons catching passes from Tony Romo and Dak Prescott. Will his football career be revived with Tom Brady and the Buccaneers? It’s definitely possible.
On March 13, 2019, Beasley signed a four-year, $29 million deal with the Buffalo Bills. In his first year with the Bills during the 2019 season, he finished with a career-high six touchdown receptions.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to sign veteran WR Cole Beasley
In 2019, the Texan also averaged 11.6 yards per return and 51.9 receiving yards per game. While he’s out of his prime nowadays, Tampa Bay needs another healthy receiver option.
Last season, Bills quarterback Josh Allen targeted Beasley 112 times during the league’s new 17-game schedule. In 16 appearances, he made 82 receptions for 693 yards and scored one touchdown.
Of course, Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady advocated for Beasley’s signing. The seven-time super bowl champion wants a speedy slot receiver, especially now that WR Mike Evans has to serve a one-game suspension for fighting with Saints CB Marshon Lattimore on Sunday.
Beautiful play by Allen to navigate the pocket, draw the defense and hit a wide open Cole Beasley. That’s a big league play. #Bills pic.twitter.com/dcwY3rV7lt
— Bradley Gelber (@BradleyGelber) October 27, 2019
Due to a hamstring injury, WR Chris Godwin was ruled out for the Buccaneers against the New Orleans Saints. Let’s just say Brady missed him. In Tampa Bay’s 20-10 road win over the Saints, the 45-year-old passed for 190 yards and one touchdown.
But he completed only 52.9% of his passes against New Orleans. So, Brady wants more receiver separation. It was one of the biggest problems that irked him the most while with the Patriots in the 2019 season. His receivers just couldn’t get open.
To add to the problem, TE Rob Gronkowski is retired. Brady no longer has that touchdown juggernaut, dominant threat on the Buccaneers anymore.
Additionally, WR Julio Jones missed the Saints game as well. When Jones is healthy, he catches almost every pass thrown his way. But similar to Beasley, Jones is on the downside of his career. Though, unlike the former Titans wideout, at least Beasley is usually on the field.
Fans might mock Cole Beasley and call him a “poor man’s Julian Edelman,” but Tom must know something that other teams don’t. With a top-five defense, all the Bucs are missing is greater offensive efficiency.
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