Bucs will try out WRs, but will they explore a trade for Cooper Kupp?

The Bucs will hold tryouts for wide receivers at One Buccaneer Place on Wednesday, as the team lost its two best weapons to the Ravens in a brutal 41-13 loss on Monday night. Mike Evans re-injured his hamstring during a touchdown catch attempt in the second quarter and will undergo an MRI on Tuesday to determine the severity of his injury. It is expected that he will miss a few weeks of action – probably due to the bye in Week 11.

But even more so Chris Godwin suffered a catastrophic injury. the team's leading receiver and one of the best receivers in the NFL. With 43 seconds remaining and trailing by 10 points without a timeout, Godwin suffered a sprained ankle and is out for the year. For the 28-year-old receiver, who still has one year left on his contract and is having his best season since 2019, this is the most unfortunate news of all.

Godwin will be placed on injured reserve at the end of the season, and Evans may be on short-term IR with a chance to potentially return after four weeks. Tampa Bay could get some help along the way Rakim Jarrett is working his way back from an IR stint to open the season, but he's an even more unknown commodity than rookie receiver Jalen McMillan, who has struggled mightily at times. In addition to McMillan and Jarrett, the Bucs also have veteran Sterling Shepard and second-year player Trey Palmer.

Certainly not an ideal group to work with Baker Mayfield with the NFC South-leading Atlanta Falcons coming to town on Sunday.

The Bucs need to add at least two more receivers to the roster, especially since undrafted free agent rookie Kameron Johnson was also placed on injured reserve before Monday's game with an ankle injury. Pewter Report has learned that one of the players set to try out is Tampa native Byron Pringle, who signed with Kansas City as an undrafted free agent out of Kansas State in 2018.

Former Chiefs WR Byron Pringle – Photo by: USA Today

The 1.90 meter tall, 90 kilogram Pringle won Super Bowl LIV with the Chiefs and played the entire 2021 season with KC before signing with Chicago in 2022. The remainder of that in November. Pringle played with Washington in 2023 and re-signed with the Commanders in 2024 before being released on September 6 as part of final roster cuts.

The 30-year-old Pringle has caught 91 passes for 1,194 yards (13.1 average) and nine touchdowns in his career. His best season came in 2021 when he caught a career-high 42 passes for 568 yards (13.5 average) and five touchdowns. Pringle has kick return ability and averaged 26.9 yards per return with a 102 yard touchdown during the 2020 season.

Whether it's Pringle or another receiver who signs with the Bucs after Wednesday's practice, this new addition could likely be added to the practice squad to bide time to get to know Liam Coen's offense. Ryan Miller, who was elevated from the practice squad to the active roster in Week 6 against New Orleans, would likely be promoted again in the meantime. Tampa Bay also has Marquez Callaway and Tanner Knue as practice squad options.

Will the Bucs trade Rams Cooper Kupp?

Rams WR Cooper Kupp – Photo by: USA Today

With Rams receiver Cooper Kupp reportedly in the trade, would Tampa Bay be interested in acquiring him? The reported price for the 31-year-old Kupp is a second-round pick. And he would come to the Bucs with a strong understanding of Liam Coen's offense, as Coen's offense is modeled after the Rams' offense from his time with the organization.

Kupp is ready to return from a hamstring injury that limited him to the first two weeks of the season. He has 18 catches for 147 yards and a touchdown this year, including 14 receptions for 110 yards and his TD in Week 1 against Detroit.

Kupp made the Pro Bowl and was All-Pro in 2021 when he led the NFL with 145 catches for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns and helped beat Tampa Bay in the NFC Divisional round of the playoffs en route to the Super Bowl championship . Kupp's performance has since declined as he has missed 18 games over the last three seasons, while Puka Nacua has become the Rams' top target.

Pewter Report has learned that the Bucs are currently unwilling to make a trade for any wide receiver, including Kupp. No receiver will come into the game on Wednesday and command the offense enough to help the team beat the Falcons on Sunday.

If Tampa Bay beats Atlanta and moves to 2-1 in the NFC South, the team may be more inclined to make a trade or two to increase its chances of winning a fourth straight division title. But if the Bucs lose and get swept by the Falcons, catching Atlanta might be too much of a challenge and the front office might just wait and see how the season turns out. General manager Jason Licht places a high value on the team's draft picks and doesn't part with them easily or often.