Boomer Sooner: Baker Mayfield’s former Oklahoma teammate joins QB in Tampa

Hello, old friend.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed veteran wide receiver Sterling Shepard, a former college teammate of franchise quarterback Baker Mayfield with the Oklahoma Sooners.

On Thursday morning, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo broke the news, pointing out the Oklahoma reunion. Shepard and the Bucs agreed to a one-year deal for an unspecified amount.

After a near-decade hiatus, the ties to their days as Sooners appear as strong as ever. Only this time, they will compete alongside one another in the NFL.

Former Oklahoma teammates Sterling Shepard, Baker Mayfield reunite with Buccaneers

Shepard and Mayfield overlapped for one year at Oklahoma in 2015 before the former declared for the draft, and they proved to be a dynamic duo.

Before they took their talents to the pros, Mayfield and Shepard dominated the Big 12. The tandem ranked at or near the top of every statistical passing/receiving category season together en route to a conference championship title.

Since then, both have enjoyed respectable, albeit turbulent, careers since entering the league.

The Cleveland Browns spent the first overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft on Mayfield to be their savior. Unfortunately for him and the organization, he failed to live up to the hype, only to be exiled after a tumultuous tenure. Since then, he has found his footing in Tampa Bay. Hopefully, the same can happen for Shepard.

Shepard's problem has never been a lack of talent -- his inability to stay healthy causes concern. Since being selected by the New York Giants in the second round in 2016, he has suffered a torn Achilles and ACL among several nicks and bruises. But when available, he is productive. And even when he isn't, he has embraced a leadership role and is an integral voice in the locker room.

2023 was Shepard's most durable campaign since 2018. Yet still, he began getting phased out of New York's offensive game plan. The former long-tenured Giants player caught 10 of his 22 targets for a lowly 57 yards and a touchdown.

Perhaps a change of scenery with a signal-caller he is comfortable playing with could revive Shepard as he enters the back nine of his career. Nonetheless, competing with Tampa's star receiver duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin for opportunities presents a daunting task for the 31-year-old.