Cade Otton leads the NFL’s youngest TE group
Not only are the Bucs counting on Cade Otton to step up and become the team’s full-time starter this year, they also …
Not only are the Bucs counting on Cade Otton to step up and become the team’s full-time starter this year, they also expect him to act as an experienced leader.
It’s an odd request for a player who just turned 24 and has had a slightly above-average rookie season. But with the team parting ways with longtime veteran Cam Brate and not re-signing veteran Kyle Rudolph, Otton will have the most experience of all of Tampa Bay’s tight ends in 2023.
In fact, the Bucs will play the youngest group of tight ends in the NFL this year. Tampa Bay has six tight points on its roster with newcomer David Wells entering his third year, the oldest at 28 years old. But Wells has yet to catch his first pass in the NFL.
He is one of three tight ends battling for fourth spot in the depth map behind Otton, Ko Kieft (25) and Payne Durham (22), the team’s fifth-round pick. Wells battles Dominique Dafney (25) and undrafted free agent Tanner Taula (25) for the final roster.
“It feels really weird, you know — these rookies coming in,” Otton said. “I feel like I’m exactly like them. But last year I was extremely lucky that guys like Kyle and Cam showed me the ropes, how things are done and how to be a pro. Just great guys and great players. So I just want to do what I can to emulate them and build on last year and be the best. I don’t know if I’m a mentor, it’s only my second year, but just be the best example I can be of what I’ve learned.
Bucs Hope Cade Otton and Payne Durham form a 1–2 punch at the tight end
Purdue TE Payne Durham Photo by: USA Today
Last year’s fourth-round pick Cade Otton led the Bucs tight ends in catches (42), yards (391), and touchdowns (two). A sixth-round pick in last year’s draft, Kieft contributed seven catches for 80 yards and one touchdown as a blocking specialist and core special teamer.
The Bucs rank high on Durham, who had a career-high 21 touchdowns at Purdue, including eight last season, while hauling in 56 passes for 560 yards (10 avg). The hope is that Otton and Durham can provide Tampa Bay with a powerful one-two punch as they get tight ends in Dave Canales’ new offense.
“[It’s] definitely a young group and they did a great job last year,” said Bucs tight ends coach John Van Dam. “I was really proud of how they played and prepared. It’s hard to play an NFL season, with a playoff game… that’s what I tell all these rookies — you go from the draft and they prepare for the draft, they’ve been doing this job since their season . Then they get into rookie camp as they are next week, rocking and rolling in rookie camp with installation. In the summer they stick around to learn the script and train with our boys.
“Then you get a whole season. It’s like from year to year. After this season, Cade was like, “Phew.” He was finally able to take a deep breath and hang out with his wife and get to know Tampa a little bit. But I’m excited about Payne. Payne is a really talented player and I think his best football awaits him. Payne is a man with an eye for detail. I am very happy that he is part of our room. We have a great group of guys and I think he will add a lot of value for us as well.”
Cade Otton seems to get plenty of opportunities in Dave Canales’ passing game
Bucs TE Cade Otton — Photo by: USA Today
Cade Otton, who will learn his second attack plan in as many years, is excited about the chances of catching the ball in Canales’ new system, which hails from Seattle and features plenty of QB rollouts, bootlegs, and tight end waddles. get quite a number of targets.
“I think it’s a really good chance for us to get the ball in our hands,” said Otton. “I think easy completions are a big thing on this offense — making it easy for the quarterback. Then for us tight ends, getting the ball in the down early and trying to make plays on the pitch. So that’s a really exciting opportunity for us. You know they’re going to give us opportunities to do it, and then it’s up to us to make the game and gain the trust of the quarterbacks and the coaches.”
The Seahawks’ tight ends were led by Noah Fant’s 50 catches for 486 yards and four touchdowns last season. Backups Will Dissly (34–349–3), Colby Parkinson (25–322–2) and Tyler Mabry (1–7–1) helped Seattle’s tight ends last season for 10 touchdowns. By comparison, Tampa Bay’s tight ends combined for just four scores in 2022, but one of them was the game winner by Otton against the Rams.
“Ultimately I want to be an all-down tight end, but never get off the field,” said Otton. “Be a big contributor in the run game and in the pass game. And let the coaches can trust me on the front of run plays to take care of our defensive goals, as well as win one-on-one versus collateral.
“You’ve seen some of the greats do that, like Gronk (Rob Gronkowski) and Travis [Kelce] and George [Kittle]. I just want to look at the greats in the game and try to emulate [my game] after them.”
Otton wants to not only lead the Bucs tight ends in catches, yards and touchdowns again, but also become the leader of a very young tight end room.
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