Tampa Bay Buccaneers 75 to 53: WR Tiquan Underwood Surprisingly Released

Wide receiver Tiquan Underwood, who caught nine preseason passes for 158 yards and has had many "wow" moments in training camp, will be one of the players released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when the team submits its final 53-man roster to the NFL Friday night.

Stephen Holder, of the Tampa Bay Times, released the news via Twitter after he had spoken with Underwood’s agent.

Underwood has been locked in a battle for a spot on the back end of the depth chart with Sammie Stroughter and Jordan Shipley. As it is with a lot of position battles among reserves who aren’t close to starting, the ultimate decision on who gets the spot likely came down to special teams, not the player's position.

Stroughter and Shipley both returned punts during preseason games while Underwood returned a kickoff, but Underwood doesn’t seem to have the upside of the other two on special teams.

The Buccaneers haven’t announced all of their roster moves, but Underwood’s release could pave the way for both Stroughter and Shipley to make the roster—right behind Vincent Jackson, Mike Williams, Arrelious Benn and Preston Parker on the wide receiver depth chart.

In other Buccaneers’ news regarding the cut from 75 to 53:

Defensive tackle Amobi Okoye was released Friday according to a Tampa Tribune report by Roy Cummings. Okoye only signed with the Buccaneers in April as a backup on the defensive line.

Running back Mossis Madu, offensive linemen Jamarcus Hardrick and Moe Petrus, linebacker Rennie Curran, defensive tackle Frank Okam, defensive back Sean Baker and defensive end E.J. Wilson have also been released.