It’s no secret that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense sorely misses tight end Rob Gronkowksi, who retired after a two-year return to reunite with Tom Brady following his first decision to hang up his cleats.
The Bucs planned ahead as best they could to account for his departure this offseason, drafting a pair of tight ends, and signing another veteran to add alongside Cameron Brate.
One of those draft picks, fourth-round selection Cade Otton, enjoyed a breakout performance in Sunday’s 21-15 win over the Atlanta Falcons, catching six passes for 43 yards from quarterback Tom Brady.
“I think Cade played well – he blocked well, he caught the ball well, he understands the game,” Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said Monday. “He’s only going to get better for us. He’s a very big piece of what we’re trying to do, and his role has already expanded – I don’t know if it can get any bigger – but it’s already expanded…It depends on the game plan. You don’t just make [the game plan] for one guy. But he’ll play his normal amount of reps and when it’s time for him to make a play he’ll step up and make it.”
Comparing a rookie to Gronk isn’t fair, but it’s clear the Bucs see tons of potential in Otton’s well-rounded skill set, as they look to replace all of the ways the retired future Hall of Famer impacted the offense.
“He’s a full tight end,” Bowles said of Otton. “Obviously, he can get better at blocking in a lot of ways but he’s willing, he tries, he sticks his face in there, he’s not afraid of the competition and he catches the ball well. So, we’re happy with him.”
Otton’s contributions on special teams have also been valuable, earning him a spot on the active roster on game days, even ahead of two-time Pro Bowler Kyle Rudolph on most occasions so far this season.
Sunday’s performance proved that Otton is building trust and chemistry with Brady, and his production should continue to improve as a result.
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