Tag: Cade Otton

Bucs rookie TE Cade Otton (ankle) cleared for training camp

Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie tight end Cade Otton has been cleared for training camp after recovering from ankle surgery

Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie tight end Cade Otton has been medically cleared for the start of training camp next week, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

Otton, a fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft out of Washington, missed OTAs and mandatory minicamp earlier this offseason while recovering from ankle surgery.

The Bucs are signing veteran Kyle Rudolph to a one-year deal to help alleviate the departure of Rob Gronkowski via retirement, and longtime stalwart Cameron Brate should have an increased role this season, as well. Otton’s impact as a rookie remains to be seen, but he should quickly develop into the team’s best long-term solution at the position.

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With Rob Gronkowski retiring (again), it’s time to embrace replacement Cade Otton

Touchdown Wire’s Laurie Fitzpatrick dives into Cade Otton’s All-22 to see how the Buccaneers’ rookie tight end can replace Rob Gronkowski.

With Rob Gronkowski announcing his retirement once again, and before Gronk has a chance to change his mind once again, I think it’s time for the fans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to get to know their tight end of the future, Cade Otton.

Otton was a fourth-round pick from the University of Washington. He earned first-team All-Pac 12 honors in 2020, as he led the Huskies with 18 receptions, 258 receiving yards (14.3 YPR) and three touchdowns. During the 2020 season, according to PFF, he was considered the third best tight end (89.0) in college football, behind Kyle Pitts and Josh Whyle.

“In college I was trusted to do pretty much everything you can do at the tight end position. said Otton. “I think this could be a really good think for the offense and the team as a whole.”

During Otton’s foot injury in 2021, the hype around him got quiet and this led to teams passing over him until the Buccaneers selected him in the fourth round — although he caught 28 passes for 250 yards and a touchdown in his final collegiate season.

“That’s probably where we would see him starting, being that Y tight end, but he’s athletic enough to do some of the move stuff we do with our tight ends,” Bucs Vice President of Player Personnel John Spytek said after Otton was selected . “He’s just a good football player…I keep saying that about our picks like I’m a broken record, but he’s just a good football player. He loves football, competes his ass off on every play.”

Let’s dive into the film to see how Otton can be productive as Gronkowski’s replacement and earn the number-one tight end spot!

Fantasy football reaction: Rob Gronkowski retires again

Gronk has retired once more, so where can fantasy owners turn for production?

For the second time in three offseasons, star tight end Rob Gronkowski has opted for stress-free pool parties rather than grueling two-a-days under the summer sun.

While during Gronk’s time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had not resembled the height of his fantasy football production, the departure of Tom Brady‘s BFF opens the door for someone to step up. This is especially true over the first couple of months of the season as standout receiver Chris Godwin recovers from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered late in the 2021 season.

Where will the vacated targets be directed, and is there any fantasy value to be found?

Cade Otton excited about his fit in Bucs offense

Tampa Bay Buccaneers fourth-round pick Cade Otton believes his skill set will be a perfect fit in his new offensive scheme

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are still waiting to see if Rob Gronkowski will be returning for another season, but in the meantime, they spent a fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft on his successor.

Washington’s Cade Otton has a well-rounded skill set that should make him a perfect fit for Tampa Bay’s offense, and he’s excited about how Byron Leftwich’s scheme puts the tight ends in position to make a big impact.

“I think it’s a great fit,” Otton said during the Bucs’ recent rookie minicamp. “It’s super cool to see the way this offense treats their tight ends. We can basically line up in any spot on the field and run all of the same routes as wide receivers do. It’s a great opportunity to be a big part of the team and contribute to the offense in a big way.”

Otton is currently recovering from ankle surgery, so he spent rookie minicamp taking mental reps and digesting the playbook.

“Right now, we’re just taking it day by day,” Otton said. “I’m feeling better every day. I’m hoping it goes quickly, but I’m getting to work with a great training staff. Right now, I’m just taking a lot of mental reps, but I’m excited to be ready to go.”

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Bucs TE Cade Otton brings do-it-all skill set to Tampa Bay offense

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers landed a well-rounded tight end prospect in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft

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Regardless of Rob Gronkowski’s plans for the 2022 season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers went into the 2022 NFL draft with a plan to rebuild their depth at tight end.

They started those efforts by selecting Washington’s Cade Otton with the first pick of the fourth round, giving them a well-rounded prospect who is well-versed in handling any task thrown at him.

“I’d say my versatility,” Otton told the media just after he was drafted, when asked about his best attribute. “In college, I was trusted to do pretty much everything you can do at the tight end position. Whether that was in-line blocking, running routes outside, blocking in space, blocking from the fullback position – all sorts of routes. I think I can offer all of those things to the team and bring a lot of versatility from the tight end position. I know they have other guys like that. So, I think this could be a really good thing for the offense and the team as a whole.”

Those traits will be put to good use in Tampa Bay, where Gronkowski has set the gold standard for both receiving and blocking at a high level. If Otton gets the chance to learn from Gronkowski should he return for another season, it could help him develop those skills even further at the next level.

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WATCH: Cade Otton gets ‘the call’ from Bucs on draft day

Watch fourth-round pick Cade Otton get a phone call he’ll never forget from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2022 NFL draft

Every college football player dreams of getting a phone call from an NFL team on draft weekend, and that dream became a reality for 262 prospects this past weekend.

One of them was Washington tight end Cade Otton, who was selected with the first pick of the fourth round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Watch the video above to see the reaction from Otton and his family as the Bucs made him the newest member of their roster.

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2022 NFL draft: Predicting positions the Seahawks will target on Day 3

This team loves to run the rock and they’re going to be doing more of it than ever now that the pesky future Hall of Fame quarterback is out of the way.

In a surprise twist, the Seahawks have mostly kept to a script of taking plus athletes at premium positions in the 2022 NFL draft. Of course they also used a second-round choice on a running back, but if you were shocked by that then you should take what coach Pete Carroll says more literally. This team loves to run the rock and they’re going to be doing more of it than ever now that the pesky future Hall of Fame quarterback is out of the way.

The good news is they have also hit left and right tackle plus the edge, which were their top-three positional needs heading into the draft if we’re not counting quarterbacks. On that front, it appears that coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider are not into any of these 2022 signal callers. They passed on multiple chances to draft both Malik Willis and Desmond Ridder, who wound up being taken by the Titans and the Falcons, respectively. Matt Corral has also been picked by the Panthers.

There’s always an outside chance they could roll the dice on Sam Howell or Carson Strong, but we’re going into Day 3 assuming quarterback is not on the menu this year. With that in mind, here are a few other positions fans should probably expect to see Seattle target today.

9 TEs the Colts should target in the NFL draft

Here are 9 TEs the Colts should target in the 2022 NFL draft.

When it comes to adding depth in the 2022 NFL draft, the tight end position will be one the Indianapolis Colts are likely to have an eye on throughout the biggest weekend of the offseason.

While there is no Kyle Pitts type of a prospect in this year’s class, there appears to be some solid depth with plenty of potential throughout. This class seems to offer a nice mix of traditional Y tight ends along with more athletic, F/Flex options in the passing game.

The Colts seem pretty bullish on their current room but they also know some depth needs to be added. Mo Alie-Cox was signed to a three-year extension taking over as the starter for Jack Doyle, and Kylen Granson enters his second season working in the “move” role as a pass catcher.

The Colts may prioritize other positions ahead of tight end considering the depth in this class and how they may feel about that starting duo, but there is plenty of talent to consider on Days 2 and 3 of the draft.

Here are nine tight ends the Colts should consider in the 2022 NFL draft:

Be sure to check out our articles on other positions ahead of the draft:

  • 10 wide receivers to consider on Day 2 (link)
  • 4 offensive tackles to consider on Day 2 (link)

2022 NFL draft: Cade Otton scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Washington tight end Cade Otton

A four-year starter who was productive as both a blocker and pass-catcher, Washington’s Cade Otton will look to bring his experience and consistency to the next level as he enters the 2022 NFL draft.

Here is everything you need to know about the Huskies’ talented tight end prospect:

NFL draft: Tight end prospect fully cleared after ankle surgery

While the Browns have bigger needs, a top tight-end prospect just got cleared after surgery. Could he be a day two option for Andrew Berry?

With the NFL draft slowly coming around the corner, the Cleveland Browns still have questions to be answered. With limited options on their defensive line and concerns still at wide receiver, Andrew Berry and company could be pigeoned holed into adding to those positions early in the draft.

Due to the Deshaun Watson trade, “early” for the Browns isn’t that early. Following in the footsteps of the Los Angeles Rams, and other teams, Cleveland is without a first-round pick in the next three drafts.

The dreams of a top-end wide receiver to pair with Amari Cooper have gone out the door, it seems. It also could be difficult to find a top-flight edge rusher to pair with Myles Garrett in the second round.

While Berry may still address those positions with his top picks, the tight end spot also may need attention. With Austin Hooper released and David Njoku currently waiting for a long-term deal while franchise tagged, only Harrison Bryant is set to make an impact beyond 2022. The Browns have, reportedly, already brought in one tight end for a visit before the draft.

Another potential target just got cleared from his ankle surgery:

As noted in the tweet, Cade Otton may be one of the only true traditional inline tight ends in this draft. As the college and NFL games trend toward the “F” tight ends who split out more like big receivers, Otton fills the role as a versatile blocker and receiver.

If four seasons in Washington, Otton combined for over 1,000 yards receiving and nine touchdowns.

Kevin Stefanski may move toward having fewer tight ends on the field but long-term team building will still require more players at the position. Otton is expected to be a late day two or early day three selection depending on his health.

With limited picks and a win-now plan, it may be tough for Berry to invest a pick into a tight end with one of their first three. Otton’s versatility would be a welcomed addition but, perhaps, not at the expense of drafting another position.