The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have plenty to sort out when training camp opens, but one spot stands above the rest: tight end.
That’s the group ESPN pointed to as the weakest on the roster, and it’s not hard to see why. Outside of Cade Otton, the Buccaneers don’t have an obvious answer at the position, and that leaves Baker Mayfield without a clear, dependable outlet in the middle of the field.
The numbers from last season don’t do the room any favors. In 2025, Tampa Bay’s tight ends were among the league’s worst in yardage per catch, and the outlook for this year doesn’t look much different. The Buccaneers brought back essentially the same group and passed on adding a quality tight end in free agency.
Otton is the familiar name, but his production didn’t exactly force the issue. He finished 2025 with one touchdown, and that score came in Week 18. With the receiving corps expected to be better on paper this season, even without Mike Evans, there are likely to be fewer opportunities for the tight ends to matter.
ESPN’s Mike Clay laid out the problem bluntly: "Backups, Payne Durham, Devin Culp, and Ko Kieft combined to run seven routes per game last season, and sixth-round pick Bauer Sharp was the only offseason addition." That’s the kind of depth chart that explains why the position is drawing so much attention.
The free-agent market doesn’t offer a clean fix, either. Jonnu Smith is probably the best pass-catching tight end still available, but he hasn’t matched his 2024 form with the Miami Dolphins. His lone season with the Steelers last year ended with his release in March, even after he signed an extension following a trade last offseason.
So while the answer may not be sitting in free agency today, August 30th could bring a different picture. That’s when NFL teams must trim to 53-man rosters, and the Buccaneers may find a better option among the cuts than what they currently have in-house. Training camp will give Jason Licht the clearest read yet on whether that search needs to continue.
In Other News...
Buccaneers Line Just Got The Kind Of Praise Fans Didn't Expect
For a unit that spent much of 2025 dealing with moving parts, the Buccaneers offensive line is suddenly getting a lot more respect than many expected. Sharp Football Analysis slotted Tampa Bays front among the leagues best, a nod that says as much about the talent up front as it does about how well the group held together through all the disruption. Tristan Wirfs remains the anchor, and the rest of the projected core with Luke Goedeke, Graham Barton, Cody Mauch and Ben Bredeson gives the Bucs a foundation they can build around.
The bigger question now is whether that praise holds up once the season starts and the line is asked to stay healthy long enough to settle in. Tampa Bays offense has been at its best when the protection is clean and the run game has some balance, so the health of this group looms as one of the most important storylines on the roster. If the Buccaneers can keep their front intact, this could be one of the reasons the offense takes another step. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Fans Should File Away This Quarterback For Future Draft Talk
A quarterback to keep on the radar for later draft chatter is Drew Mestemaker, the Oklahoma State passer who is drawing attention as he heads into the 2026 season. For Buccaneers fans already thinking ahead to future quarterback discussions, he checks a lot of the early boxes that tend to get scouts interested, from arm talent to the kind of quick decision-making that can help a young passer settle in fast.
Mestemaker also brings mobility and the ability to work all levels of the field, which is part of why his stock could keep moving if the progress continues. The next step is the one that matters most for any rising quarterback: cleaner accuracy, more reps, and the kind of experience that turns promise into something NFL teams can trust by the end of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Tight End Enters Camp With His Future Suddenly At Stake
Payne Durham is heading into his fourth training camp with the Buccaneers in a very different spot than when he arrived. The tight end room is thin, which gives him a real chance to stay in the mix, but his role has been shrinking and the team has not gotten much offensive return from his presence as a blocker.
Durham will get his chance to answer those concerns in camp and preseason, where every rep matters for a player trying to hold onto a job. With Cade Otton, Ko Kieft and two rookies also in the picture, Tampa Bay has options at the position, and Durhams path forward depends on whether he can do enough in the coming weeks to keep himself relevant. [Read more 🡒]