Arrelious Benn

The former second-round pick has bounced around since entering the league in 2010, and he’ll compete with the likes of Bryan Walters, Shaq Evans, and Neal Sterling, among others, for the fifth receiver spot. Benn has not caught an NFL pass since 2012, when he was a member of the Buccaneers.

The former Illinois standout, and 2010 second-round pick, has not caught an NFL pass since 2012.

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Out for the season with a torn ACL.

It was a down year for the Buccaneers passing game in general, but Benn still fared decently on his 51 targets, averaging 8.6 YPT and 14.7 YPC. He missed a couple games with a concussion and a neck injury, but otherwise seemed to recover well from ACL surgery at the end of his rookie year. With Vincent Jackson now in the fold opposite Mike Williams, Benn will very likely open as the team’s third receiver. But at 6-2, 220 and with good long speed, he’ll generate some down field plays and could progress into a bigger role now that he’s further removed from his ACL tear and in Year 3 of his career, especially if Williams continues to struggle.

While fellow rookie Mike Williams eclipsed him last year, Benn showed signs that he, too, could be a significant part of the Bucs’ future passing game. At 6-1, 220 and with good speed, Benn managed an excellent 10.4 YPT and 15.8 YPC on 38 targets last year, three of which went for 40 yards or more. Benn also had a 122-yard receiving game against the Redskins in Week 14, a good indicator that he and Josh Freeman were improving their rapport as the year went on. Unfortunately, Benn tore his ACL in December and had it repaired in January. While he expects to be ready for the start of training camp, it’s likely it’ll take some time for him to get his explosiveness back.

With Antonio Bryant now in Cincinnati, Benn has a good chance to be the Bucs’ top receiver right out of the gate. At 6-1, 219, and with good downfield speed, the Bucs second-round pick is a well-rounded prospect, able to gain separation on intermediate and deep routes and capable of breaking tackles and gaining yards after the catch. The Tampa Bay passing attack with second-year quarterback Josh Freeman is still a work in progress, but there’s upside here.