Tag: Cameron Brate

Ranking the top 5 tight ends in the NFC South: A new champion emerges

The tight end spot hasn’t been a bright one for the Carolina Panthers since the glory days of Greg Olsen.

Once upon a time, this division was stacked with the best of the best at the tight end position. It was when Greg Olsen of the Carolina Panthers, Tony Gonzalez of the Atlanta Falcons and Jimmy Graham of the New Orleans Saints roamed the NFC South like dinosaurs, leaving destruction in their path as they pleased.

Well, there must’ve been a meteor, because tight end talent has just about gone extinct in this division.

Not to say the teams of the NFC South are throwing out any old bums onto the field, but you won’t find a Travis Kelce, a George Kittle or a Darren Waller anywhere around these parts. So, even with the Panthers having seen the league’s worst production from the position of late, can any of their tight ends crack this installment of our rankings?

Hold on to your butts . . .

Mics picked up wobbly Tom Brady after Bucs parade addressing his Lombardi Trophy toss

“If that hit your face, it would’ve been a disaster.”

You’ve seen so much from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl parade on the water earlier this week, including the Tom Brady toss of the Lombardi Trophy (!!!) to Cameron Brate, who made the catch of a lifetime. There was a wobbly Brady exiting the celebration, too.

Now, we’re getting to hear exactly what Brady said about that extremely risky throw of the trophy as he was walking out from his very expensive boat, thanks to footage shared by WTSP’s Grace Remington.

He told Brate, “If that hit your face, it would’ve been a disaster.” And while he was correct, it also would have been a disaster if it hadn’t been caught at all.

WARNING: there’s some NSFW language in here:

Here’s some other footage from that day:

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Bucs’ TE called snagging the Lombardi Trophy thrown by Tom Brady ‘the best catch of my life’

He is right!

We know for a fact that Cameron Brate’s hands are as sure as they come — he’s caught 29 touchdowns in a seven-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

But his most important catch came on Wednesday.

Brate was on the receiving end of the Lombardi Trophy tossed by Tom Brady to the boat that had Brate and Rob Gronkowski on it. Gronk appeared to have an assist, but it was the other tight end who grabbed it and held it up.

Brate had a great quote about the whole thing, calling it “the best catch of my life,” and then wondering what would have happened if it had been dropped.

Here’s the moment, one more time.

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Super Bowl LV: Chiefs vs. Buccaneers, final injury report

What players are listed on the final injury report before Sunday’s Super Bowl between the Chiefs and Buccaneers?

The final injury report of the season is here and that can only mean no more practices before Super Bowl LV between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.

Per Chiefs Wire:

On the KC side, one player to watch is Sammy Watkins, listed as questionable despite a full practice. Eric Fisher and Willie Gay Jr. have been ruled out.

Chiefs

Player Injury Participation* Designation
LT Eric Fisher Achilles DNP OUT
LB Willie Gay Jr. Ankle DNP OUT
RB Le’Veon Bell Knee FP –
WR Sammy Watkins Calf FP Questionable
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire Ankle/Hip FP –
CB L’Jarius Sneed Concussion FP –
CB Rashad Fenton Foot FP –
OL Andrew Wylie Ankle FP –
OL Mike Remmers Groin FP –
QB Patrick Mahomes Toe FP –
RB Darwin Thompson Illness DNP –

* DNP = Did not participate | LP = Limited participation | FP = Full participation | NIR = Not injury related

For the Bucs, Antonio Brown is listed as questionable despite a full practice on Friday. He has a knee injury that kept him out of the NFC Championship.

More intriguing is the questionable designation for TE Cameron Brate, who did not practice with a back injury. Tom Brady has been targeting Brate more than Rob Gronkowski. If Brate is anything but good, that is going to change things big time for the Bucs.

Bucs

Player Injury Participation* Designation
OLB Jason Pierre-Paul Knee DNP –
WR Antonio Brown Knee FP Questionable
ILB Lavonte David Hamstring FP –
S Jordan Whitehead Shoulder/Knee FP –
S Antoine Winfield Ankle FP –
WR Mike Evans Knee FP –
WR Chris Godwin Hip/Quad FP –
TE Cameron Brate Back DNP Questionable
DT Steve McLendon NIR FP –
DT Ndamukong Suh NIR DNP –

* DNP = Did not participate | LP = Limited participation | FP = Full participation | NIR = Not injury related

Super Bowl LV props: Five best bets to score the game’s first touchdown

Looking at the best bets to score the first touchdown in Super Bowl LV

There’s nothing like getting your Super Bowl wagering Sunday off to profitable start, and a surefire way to do just that is hitting on the game’s first touchdown scorer.

Among the myriad of proposition bets, it remains one of the most popular. So with a winning beginning in mind, here are five candidates to tally the first TD Sunday in Tampa.

We start with two worthwhile favorites, throw in two midrange value plays and finish with a longer shot worth taking.

Best bets for the first Super Bowl touchdown

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Tyreek Hill (+600)

This next-level speed demon tied for third in the league with 17 total touchdowns during the regular season, including a career-high-matching three in the Kansas City Chiefs’ 27-24 Week 12 win in Tampa.

In 50 regular and postseason games since the start of the 2018 season (i.e. the Patrick Mahomes starting era), Hill has found his way into the end zone a whopping 41 times. This includes four rushing scores and a punt-return TD, on 305 total touches, for an average of a TD every 7.4 touches.

Somehow, Hill hasn’t scored on 20 total offensive touches so far this postseason, but expect that to end Sunday. And it could come early – first-TD-of-the-game early.

Leonard Fournette (+1200)

This ballyhooed late-preseason addition only scored three times in his first 10 games with the Bucs but has tallied six TDs in his last six contests, including a score (two rushing, one receiving) in each of the team’s three playoff games so far.

With Ronald Jones’ late-season injury issues, Fournette has assumed the lead role in the Bucs’ backfield and has totaled a team-leading 62 touches this postseason (for 313 total yards) with at least 17 in each game.

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Darrel Williams (+1600)

With rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire and veteran Le’Veon Bell each playing in one playoff game so far due to injuries, Williams has stepped in productively as the Chiefs’ lead running back with 155 total yards and a TD on 31 touches this postseason.

Williams could see a lead workload once again on Super Sunday as CEH was ineffective (7 yards on seven touches) in the AFC title game coming off a high-ankle sprain. Bell is no sure bet to even be active Sunday as he deals with a knee issue.

So, in other words, we could have a second-straight Super Bowl with an unheralded K.C. back with the last name of Williams productively sliding under the radar while the opposing defense focuses its attention on the Chiefs’ top offensive weapons.

Cameron Brate (+3000)

Fellow Bucs tight end Rob Gronkowski has much better odds (+1800) to score the first TD, but it’s been Brate who has had the far-more-productive postseason so far as the team’s third-leading pass-catcher with 11 receptions for 149 yards and a TD to Gronk’s 2-43-0 stat line on seven targets.

Brate owns the 11th-best odds (+250) to score a TD Sunday, making his +3000 odds to score the first touchdown (tied for 16th lowest) a bona fide value.

Tom Brady (+3300)

Of Brady’s 32 career rushing TDs, including four this season and seven in the postseason, surprisingly none have come in his nine previous Super Bowls.

So why not shoot for a lucrative long shot payout by banking on the GOAT to kick off his 10th Big Game by checking off one of the last few things he has yet to accomplish?

Special Tom Brady Betting Promotion: BET $1 on Buccaneers money line, WIN $100 (in free bets) if Tom Brady throws a TD pass against the Chiefs. Offer available in CO, IA, IN, MI, NJ, PA, TN, VA and WV. Place all of your legal, online sports bets at BetMGM! Terms and conditions apply. Bet on the Bucs now!

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Tampa Bay capitalizes on an Aaron Jones fumble to extend their lead

Following an Aaron Jones fumble the Tampa Bay Buccaneers immediately capitalized on a throw from Tom Brady to Cameron Brate for a touchdown.

If you were building a dream scenario for the Tampa bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship game, it would be hard to top the sequence of events leading into the halftime break, and then out of halftime. It all culminated with Tampa Bay capitalizing on an Aaron Jones fumble to extend their lead in the third quarter to 28-10.

First there was the stunning defensive breakdown prior to the halftime break that led to Brady connecting with wide receiver Scotty Miller. As we broke down here – with an assist from legendary head coach and defensive mind Tony Dungy – the Packers approached the scenario with a completely warped mindset, and Tampa Bay was able to take advantage.

But still, the Packers were in good shape right? They would be receiving the second-half kickoff, and while they trailed 21-10 a touchdown drive would make this a one-score game again. With Rodgers and this offense, that seemed like a big possibility.

Then, the Buccaneers defense makes a huge play:

Green Bay tries to free Aaron Jones on a crossing route working from right-to-left, creating traffic for him with three receivers working from left-to-right. That has the impact of springing the running back free on his crossing route, but after the catch safety Jordan Whitehead flies downhill and puts his helmet on the football, popping the ball lose. Linebacker Devin White pounces for the recovery, and Tampa Bay is immediately in business.

They would capitalize instantly:

That gave Tampa Bay an 18-point lead. Could this game come down to Rodgers versus the Buccaneers defense, or does Rodgers have another trick or two up his sleeves?

Scotty Miller wishes buddy Cameron Brate a happy birthday

Bucs WR Scotty Miller took to Instagram today to wish buddy and fellow teammate Cameron Brate a happy birthday.

Second-year receiver Scotty Miller is looking to make a big jump in 2020, but the former sixth-round pick will have his work cut out for him in what is shaping up to be a crowded, yet talented, receiving corps.

The Bucs already have two Pro Bowlers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, and used a fifth-round pick in April’s draft on Minnesota receiver Tyler Johnson. Plus, the Bucs have plenty of talent in their tight end group with Rob Gronkowski, O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate.

Still, Miller has been working hard this offseason (in addition to getting married) but took some time today to wish buddy and teammate Brate a happy birthday on Instagram.

Take a look.

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Cameron Brate’s dog is the true star in this engagement photo

Bucs TE Cameron Brate recently got engaged and took to Instagram to announce it.

Bucs tight end Cameron Brate seems poised for a big season in 2020 now that Tom Brady is his quarterback. While Brady will have his former Patriots teammate Rob Gronkowski to throw to, Brate and fellow tight end O.J. Howard will certainly play an integral part in this Bucs offense.

The former Harvard man caught 36 passes for 311 yards and four touchdowns last season, but could definitely see his numbers rise given how much Brady likes to target tight ends.

While Brate will have to wait a few more months for the regular season to officially kick off, his offseason has already been a memorable one given that he just got engaged.

Take a look at Brate’s recent Instagram post announcing the engagement to his fiance Brooke. As you’ll see, neither Brate nor Brooke are the true star of the photo.

And take a look at who commented on the photo.

Congratulations to the (future) Brates!

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Cameron Brate explains what was ‘a little weird’ about workout with Tom Brady

It’s a whole new world for Tom Brady as he adjusts to life with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

After a couple of decades with the New England Patriots, newly minted Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady certainly has challenges ahead of him as he adjusts to a new offense. Just ask tight end Cameron Brate. Brady is apparently finding out that things are quite different from New England.

As photos of Brady practicing with his new team surfaced this week, there is little doubt that there is going to have to be an adjustment period. One thing is for sure, Brady is going to have quite the work ahead of him in what is a talented NFC South. At the very least, it should make for interesting viewing.

With Tampa Bay opening against New Orleans to begin the season, it should be exciting television. It will be fun to see Brady and Drew Brees go head-to-head.

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