Cecil Shorts Reportedly Agrees to Contract with Buccaneers

After the Houston Texans released him prior to the start of the 2016 regular season, wide receiver Cecil Shorts has reached a contract agreement with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to ESPN's Adam Caplan.

Mark Berman of Fox 26 first reported Shorts was finalizing his contract with Tampa Bay.

Shorts struggled to the tune of 42 receptions for 484 yards and two touchdowns in 11 games with the Texans last season, which was his first and only campaign with the organization.

The Bucs boast one of the NFL's best wide receiver tandems in the form of Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson, but there was little behind them in terms of depth and experience.

Tampa was seemingly set to bank on Adam Humphries, Russell Shepard or Evan Spencer emerging as a tertiary threat at wide receiver, but Shorts is a far better option.

Durability has always been an issue for Shorts, who has never played in more than 14 games in a single season during his five-year NFL career.

He has enjoyed some productive campaigns despite that, though, particularly in 2012 with the Jacksonville Jaguars, when he made 55 catches for 979 yards and seven touchdowns.

Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter was the Jags offensive coordinator from 2007 through 2011, and he overlapped with Shorts during his rookie season.

While Shorts wasn't a big part of the Jacksonville offense as a rookie, making just two receptions, there is familiarity between him and Koetter. He could be a quick study, capable of integrating himself into the offense on short notice.

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