November 4 Updates
The Buccaneers drafted LSU tight end Bauer Sharp in the sixth round in April, believing he could develop into a productive pass-catcher with decent blocking skills. That process wasn't necessarily going to happen quickly, as the team paid Cade Otton handsomely in the offseason to continue to be the starting tight end a player who generally is on the field for about 95% of the offensive snaps. The team also already had Payne Durham, who proved to be a strong blocker in two-TE sets in 2025, and Ko Kieft, who plays limited offensive snaps but is a tone-setter when he's on the field.
So it wasn't much of a surprise when Sharp only played 22 offensive snaps through the first six games of the season, instead contributing very heavily on special teams. Similarly the Bucs' two fifth-round picks, defensive lineman DeMonte Capehart and guard Billy Schrauth, have yet to take a snap this season. Sharp nabbed his first NFL reception, a 21-yarder, against Pittsburgh in Week Six but to date that is still his only catch.
But something unexpected has developed as the Buccaneers have started directing all their offensive attention to running the ball. Remarkably, the Bucs ran for a combined 584 yards in consecutive wins over Carolina and Atlanta, and Bauer had a hand in that production. He played 15 offensive snaps at Carolina and then 19 against the Falcons this past Sunday as the Bucs utilized two and three-TE formations to great effect. Along the way, Sharp has drawn praise from multiple team sources for his blocking, which seems destined to earn him more playing time going forward. And that added playing time will eventually lead to more production for Sharp in the passing game as the Bucs are able to put multiple tight ends on the field without giving away their run/pass intentions.
"It's kind of been just adjusting and adapting," said quarterback Baker Mayfield. "We thought Bauer was kind of going to be more of a receiving tight end. He's proven that he's a physical player for us and can do the execution on the run plays and do some of the dirty work for us. Obviously, the last couple weeks we're riding the hot hand of the run game, and it's been great with the '12,' '13' personnel, to have your sets. Just being able to be versatile is great for us. Just got to continue to grow it."
Bauer was already in a developmental process when he arrived in Tampa, as he is relatively new to the tight end position. He initially went to Southeastern Louisiana to play quarterback but after a redshirt season switched to tight end while still also being used a Wildcat quarterback. He would later transfer to Oklahoma and then LSU to play tight end for one season each. Learning to block at his new position was surely a challenging transition but it appears he can excel in that area in the NFL.
"Bauer came in and did a great job," said head Coach Todd Bowles. "I think all of them – Cade, Ko, Payne – all of them are doing a great job. Bauer came in and played a lot of snaps the last game and did an excellent job of fitting up in there and understanding that. Knowing he's more than just an athlete and a pass receiver and he can do those types of things really helps us."
CLICK HERE to hear more of Coach Bowles' thoughts on Wednesday after practice.
