Bucs’ TE Room Needs A Playmaker From 2024 NFL Draft

After recording 47 receptions on 67 targets for 455 yards (9.7 yards per reception) and four touchdowns last season, Otton will still be a valuable part of the offense next season. New Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen has said as much, but it may serve him best to fill the Cam Brate role of being someone who can start when needed and have big moments in spots rather than being a primary focal point within an NFL offense.

Behind him resides two other young tight ends in Payne Durham and Ko Kieft. Durham was a fifth-round pick last season, but he was unable to carve out much of a role with just five receptions for 58 yards.

At 6-foot-6 and roughly 250 pounds, he does have the potential to become more of a threat in red zone situations, but he still has room to grow in terms of route-running and blocking to make a bigger impact. For Kieft, his only catch last season was a 2-yard touchdown and he serves as more of a blocker and special teamer than as a true receiving threat.

With these three players being the only tight ends on the roster, it should come as little surprise that Tampa Bay has had its eye on quite a few tight ends heading into the 2024 NFL Draft.

Bucs Have Already Shown An Interest In These Tight Ends

At the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, Pewter Report confirmed that the Bucs met with nine tight end prospects and Tampa Bay already has two Top 30 visits scheduled for the position. While the tight end position is not the biggest fish to fry in terms of team needs, adding one on Day 2 or 3 of the NFL Draft could still be quite the catch.

It makes sense to add more pieces to the offense to help Baker Mayfield replicate his success last season. Most of the attention has been on getting an offensive lineman or two along the interior and adding another wide receiver from a deep class, but don’t overlook the team eying one of the tight ends listed below.

Intriguing Names on Day 2

After Georgia tight end Brock Bowers comes off the board, presumably early in the first round, there are question marks as to when the next tight end domino falls. As it stands, each of these players realistically could be on the board and serve as potential options with either of the Bucs’ third-round picks at No. 89 and No. 92 (via Detroit):

Kansas State TE Ben Sinnott – Sinnott has been mentioned by Pewter Report heavily during this draft cycle but for reasons extending beyond the allegiance K-State alum Scott Reynolds has to the Wildcats.

He met with Tampa Bay at the Senior Bowl in addition to an informal meeting at the NFL Scouting Combine. Sinnott also has a Top 30 visit scheduled with the team.

During his time at K-State, Sinnott emerged as a do-it-all tight end. From hauling in 49 passes for 676 yards and six touchdowns to showing off his above-average blocking skills lining up as a fullback last season, there is a lot to like about his game.

He has a quick release off the line and can catch defenders off guard with a solid route tree. Even when defenders attempt to tackle him, Sinnott can put up a fight to stay on his feet and pick up additional yards.

He has the ceiling of being a plus starter and he has impressive athletic traits for the position.

Ohio State TE Cade Stover – Stover was one of three tight ends that formally met with Tampa Bay at the NFL Scouting Combine, and there is a possibility that he goes from being a Buckeye to a Buccaneer. A one-time linebacker, he brings physicality to the tight end position and offers a much-needed vertical element thanks to his 4.65 speed.

Last season Stover had 41 catches for 576 yards, averaging 14 yards a reception. He has shown that he can run crisp routes and is not afraid of fighting through would-be tacklers.

Being new to the tight end position, there is some upside to like about Stover’s game, although aspects of it could use some further refinement, particularly in blocking technique. Still, he would be a nice complement to Cade Otton and has the potential to usurp him on the depth chart in short order.

Penn State TE Theo Johnson – Johnson does not have the collegiate production of Sinnott and Stover, but what he does have is elite athleticism and the potential to be a dynamic weapon.

One look at his Relative Athletic Score (RAS) confirms as much.

You will not find many players doing the things Johnson does at 6-foot-6 and 259 pounds. For the Nittany Lions, he flashed some of his tools, hauling in seven touchdowns last season. Looking at his profile, he is similar in stature to Payne Durham but would be able to create more mismatches if he turns traits into production.

That makes him more of a project as he is not the most polished route-runner or blocker, but if placed within the right scheme to mature, he could quickly become a matchup nightmare with a No. 1 tight end ceiling. In terms of interest Tampa Bay has shown, they informally met with him in Indianapolis at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Promising Day 3 Options

Should the Bucs look to address other positions early in the NFL Draft, there are other options to consider when Day 3 rolls around. Any of these names would be under consideration when the team picks in the sixth (No. 220) or seventh round (No. 246).

Florida State TE Jaheim Bell – Bell is a unique talent at the position. After playing his first few seasons at South Carolina, he joined the Seminoles last season as a transfer and was a dynamic player in their offense. He got involved in unconventional methods, such as designed end-arounds and screen passes.

That allowed Bell to show off his elusiveness and run-after-the-catch ability, and he showed a knack for turning dump-offs into big gains. When the ball is in his hands, Bell looks more like a running back than a prototypical tight end.

While he is able to stretch the field, there are questions about his role at the next level. A big knock on Bell is his blocking, and his lean frame does not help him in holding blocks. He has a gadget player feel about him, but Bell also has the kind of big-play ability that most tight ends simply don’t have. The Bucs formally met with him at the NFL Scouting Combine, and he could provide a spark to the room and the offense as a whole.

Illinois TE Tip Reiman – Reiman is another intriguing player who has gotten some buzz after having some impressive testing numbers. This pre-draft attention landed him a Top 30 visit with Tampa Bay. At 6-foot-5 and 271 pounds, he pairs his stocky frame with a strong blend of strength (28 bench press reps) and speed (4.64). He also brings some much-needed tenacity in run blocking, and there is some untapped potential in him as a receiver.

Reiman was not able to showcase it much for the Fighting Illini, with just 19 receptions for 203 yards and three touchdowns last season, although that is more a product of their offense that has relied heavily on the run game in recent years. He could be worth a late-round flier based on his overall traits, although it may take time for Reiman to fully develop into a starting-caliber tight end.

Washington TE Devin Culp – Culp was the third formal tight end that met with the organization, and bringing him in would also mean reuniting him with Cade Otton, who he was teammates with at Washington for two seasons. Despite being lost in the shuffle behind receivers Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk and Jalen McMillan, and fellow tight end Jack Westover on the Huskies’ offense, Culp still had some big moments, such as this catch in the end zone against USC.

Any guy in seventh-round consideration will have their warts, and for him, it’s about being consistent in hauling in passes while running routes with more precision. He is not the most physically imposing player at his position (6-3, 231), but with more opportunity, he could become a sneaky weapon in the passing game with elite 4.47 speed.