Cade Otton is about to be millions of dollars richer thanks to underrated NFL policy

Cade Otton is enjoying a career year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and it's helped him put an official stamp on a huge raise for the 2025 season.

Otton has played a lot of snaps since he first arrived in Tampa Bay and the NFL's Proven Performance Escalator policy will reward him next year. Otton qualifies for a Level Two PPE, which is a raise equivalent to that of an Original Round tender, plus $250,000. The Original Round tender was set at $3.116 million in 2024. It's more than the Right of First Refusal tender, which is currently projected at $3.185 million for 2025, so it'll definitely be a higher number than that, plus the $250k. We are looking at a $2,335,000 raise, at minimum.

The Level Two PPE threshold is defined as such: A player has to play at least 55% of offensive or defensive snaps in each of their first three seasons. The raise will bring Otton's 2025 cap hit up to at least $3,643,485, as well, when factoring in the prorated $208,485 he received as part of a signing bonus back in 2022. The Bucs currently have more than $25.6 million in projected cap space under a projected $272.5 million salary cap in 2025.

Three other Bucs will receive PPE raises in 2025, but they will be of the Level One variety. In order to qualify for a Level One raise, a former second round pick has to play at least 60% of snaps in two of their first three seasons or average 60% across the board in all three seasons. For former 3rd-7th rounders, it's a 35% threshold. Former first round picks don't qualify for PPE raises since they receive bigger, guaranteed contracts.

Right tackle Luke Goedeke, cornerback Zyon McCollum, and running back Rachaad White all qualify for the Level One raise, which will bring their salaries up nicely, as well. Level One qualifiers receive a raise equivalent to the Original Round tender, but they don't receive the extra $250k. Their raises will eat up at least $5,502,865 in 2025 cap space.

There's one more PPE level and that's Level Three. If a player makes the Pro Bowl on the original ballot and not as an alternate, then they receive a raise equivalent to the tag on a Second Round tender, which is projected at $5,217,000 in 2025. 

Otton current has 59 receptions for 600-yards and four touchdowns on the year. The receptions and yardage are both career-bests, while the touchdowns tie his career mark set in 2023. His average of 10.2 yards per reception are also a career-high and the receptions/yardage are both good for second-most on the Bucs offense.