"Reunited with Baker Mayfield" - Buccaneers fans excited as Sterling Shepard joins former teammate

After almost three months on the market, Sterling Shepard finally has a new home. On Thursday, the erstwhile free-agent wide receiver signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for one year and the veteran's minimum of $1.2 million.

The move will reunite the former New York Giant with quarterback Baker Mayfield, who had been his teammate at the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2014 and 2015 collegiate seasons. Fans could not help but feel happy about the reunion:

More fans joined in, expressing support and wishing good luck to Shepard:

"Bout to see the entire giants fan base cheer our boy," one wrote.

"I thought he retired, good for him though," another said.

"Good luck brother," another fan wished.

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How Sterling Shepard's move to Buccaneers will help NFC South champs

Many could have easily foreseen Sterling Shepard leaving the New York Giants, as they had been looking to get younger at the position. Already possessing Darius Slayton, Wan'Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt, they only got younger by drafting dominant ex-LSU Tiger Malik Nabers sixth overall in April's draft.

This meant that there was assuredly no room for one of their longest-tenured players on a rebuilding squad that had already had to deal with losing star rusher Saquon Barkley to the divisional rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles. Speaking on James Wah and Jarvis Miller's "2nd Wind" podcast in January, Shepard said:

"It's too early to close the door right now. I'm content with what I've done with my career and where I'm at right now… It has to make sense for me and my family to go do that."

But more than four months after that interview, Shepard has found himself in an excellent new environment.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers surprisingly remained on track in the 2023-24 season even after Tom Brady's retirement. Baker Mayfield had his best full-season performance since 2020 and led them to a 9-8 record and the Divisional Round.

But even then, Pro Bowlers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and tight end Cade Otton could do only so much. So one of their priorities in the offseason was finding additional passing help.

Now the Buccaneers hope that Shepard will provide depth and competition to a rather anonymous WR3 room.