In the thick of the voluntary offseason workout program, Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton has taken strides. Entering Year Four - the final year of his rookie contract - Otton is thriving in the Bucs' familiar system under new Offensive Coordinator Josh Grizzard. With an accelerated understanding of the scheme and his responsibilities this season, Otton is poised for another breakout campaign.
"He plays a lot of snaps, but he continues to get better," noted Tight End Coach Justin Peelle. "He has looked the best that I have seen him, and he looks a lot better right now than he did last year just because he is more confident in what we are doing, and he is playing faster…The ball just finds him."
Last year, Otton emerged as a security blanket for Baker Mayfield and the signal-caller's go-to target amidst injuries to cornerstone players. During a three-week midseason span, including the game in which both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin got injured, Otton was targeted 31 times and turned those passes into 25 catches for 258 yards and three touchdowns. Otton took on an expanded role in the absence of those top receivers and began running an expanded route tree, including a multitude of Godwin-esque routes, featuring options and corners. In addition, he also saw action on several seam routes that Evans would traditionally run and executed at a high level. The Bucs' offense was predicated on the run-after-catch ability of Godwin and deep threat Evans, but Otton showcased his multi-faceted skillset on the gridiron. Otton proved his route-running prowess and gained confidence in the process.
A lot of eyes are on the return of Godwin and the addition of first-round pick Emeka Egbuka, but Otton has been one of the most consistent players on the offensive roster in Tampa Bay and will undoubtedly play a critical role in the team's success in 2025. There are few tight ends in the NFL that can stay on the field for all three downs without providing a tell to opposing defenses. Most are either a pass-catching threat or serve as a physical inline blocker. Not many tight ends are adept at both, but Cade falls into that rare category.
Otton played an astounding 97% of the Bucs' offensive snaps in 2023 (1,194), easily the highest percentage for any tight end in the league. In 2024, outside of Mayfield and the Bucs' offensive line that are on the field for every offensive play, Otton had the most snaps (856) by a large margin. The next highest mark by a Buc was Evans at 671. With his blocking ability, proficiency on chip-and-releases, feel for adjusting speed inside routes and separation from coverage at the break point, Otton will help merge the run and pass in 2025. Otton can threaten defenders at all three levels of the field and 'Mr. Reliable' will serve as a key piece in helping the Bucs' offense reach their ceiling in the NFC hunt.
