Tribune staff TAMPA — Louis Murphy went into the Buccaneers preseason opener against the Vikings as something of an invisible man in the race for the third wide receiver job.
It was on odd role for Murphy.
After all, he owned that job last year, playing it so well the Bucs signed him to a three-year contract extension before the season was even over. But in his quest to keep that job this summer, Murphy was quickly eclipsed by the stellar play early in training camp of rookie challengers Kenny Bell and Rannell Hall.
Suffice to say, Murphy is no longer playing in anyone’s shadow.