Bucs Strengths And Weaknesses: TE

It’s crazy to think that second-year tight ends Cade Otton and Ko Kieft could be the leaders of Tampa Bay’s tight ends room, but that’s what will happen in 2023. Like the running back and safety positions, the Bucs decided to go with a youth movement at tight end. The most experienced tight end is David Wells, who has three years in the league, but he’s not a lock to make the roster or even the practice squad.

Otton, who caught 42 passes for 391 yards and two touchdowns during his rookie season, is expected to be the featured tight end in the passing game. The former fourth-round pick had clutch touchdowns in come-from-behind wins against the Rams and the Saints. His first NFL TD came against Los Angeles and proved to be the game-winner with just seconds left. Otton, who is just 24, has worked hard to improve his strength this season and should be a better blocker in 2023. The Bucs hope he can improve his yards per catch average from last year, which was a pedestrian 9.3 yards.

Kieft returns as a jack-of-all trades tight end. He can line up in the backfield as a fullback, be set in motion like an H-back and also line up on the line of scrimmage as a regular tight end. Kieft is also a core special teamer, and will be no worse than No. 3 on the depth chart. Like Otton, he has plenty of room to grow and improve in his second season.

The Bucs spent a fifth-round draft pick on Purdue’s Payne Durham, who hauled in 21 touchdowns in four seasons for the Boilermakers, including eight as a senior. Durham isn’t fast, but he has great size at 6-foot-5, 255 pounds, and knows how to box out defenders and make contested catches. He was a big red zone weapon in college and figures to be utilized that way by new offensive coordinator Dave Canales. Durham could rise up to No. 2 on the depth chart with a great camp and preseason.

Undrafted free agent Tanner Taula has created some buzz in the offseason. The big 6-foot-6, 251-pound rookie did a great job getting open and catching the ball in OTAs and the mini-camp. The Bucs are anxious to see how he blocks when the pads come on in camp. Taula is battling Wells and Dominque Dafney for the fourth and final spot on the depth chart. Special teams will play a big factor in deciding which tight end makes the 53-man roster.

Best-Case Scenario at TE

Tampa Bay’s tight end room is full of potential. If Otton and Durham provide a 1-2 punch in the receiving game, and Kieft continues to be an anvil in the running game, this position could go from being a big question mark to a big exclamation point in the Bucs offense.

The Weaknesses of Bucs TEs: Inexperience

There are so many questions about the Bucs tight end room, starting with the two returners from a year ago. Where is Cade Otton’s ceiling as a weapon in the passing game? And can Ko Kieft be anything more than just an extra blocker?

Throw in the fact that the Bucs have four other tight ends, including two rookies, who they haven’t even seen in pads yet and Tampa Bay truly doesn’t know what it has in the position. Is there enough “grown man strength” in the trenches with such a young group of tight ends? That question simply can’t be answered until they don the pads in training camp.

Is there enough speed at the tight end position for anyone in the group to be considered a real threat in the passing game? The Bucs realize that they don’t have a Travis Kelce or George Kittle on the roster. But can Otton generate more big plays? And does Payne Durham, who only clocks a 4.87 in the 40-yard dash, have enough strength to create some run-after-catch opportunities by breaking tackles?

Worst-Case Scenario at TE

The worst-case scenario is that the Bucs have just a bunch of Day 3 talent at tight end with Otton’s production just matching what it was a year ago, and Durham just being an average target in the passing game due to his lack of separation. If this happens, look for Dave Canales to play less 12 personnel and rely more on 11 personnel.