Why Cameron Brate Is The No. 2 Tight End Behind Luke Stocker
March 24th, 2016
Dirk Koetter weighs in on Cameron Brate (Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com.)
Candid Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter was on his game yesterday, sharing insight only a coach/offensive coordinator can articulate.
Speaking at the NFC Coaches breakfast at the NFL Owners Meetings, Koetter explained plenty about 24-year-old Bucs tight end Cameron Brate, who enters his third Tampa Bay season as an undrafted free agent out of Harvard.
Joe’s written this plenty of times. Snap counts don’t lie, and Brate played more than Austin Seferian-Jenkins last year after ASJ returned healthy. Tight end Luke Stocker led the trio in snaps.
Film doesn’t lie either, and it was evident that Brate and America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, have something special going.
“We talk about chemistry. You never know how or why certain guys are going to connect at a certain rate, but Jameis and Cam connected,” Koetter said. “They had a good feel for each other in the red zone. They had a good feel on seam routes. Cam made the most of his opportunities. He comes from a non-traditional football school, not a powerhouse or anything.
“He is an ascending player. Our hope for Cam is he takes it and runs with it. That’s what you would want. It’ll be a great story, great for our team.”
Koetter added that he is confident Brate can continue improving his blocking and eventually be considered an all-around tight end.
Remember, general manager Jason Licht already pegged Brate as a breakout player in 2016.
March 24th, 2016 at 1:03 pm
Martellus Bennett would have been perfect here
March 24th, 2016 at 1:07 pm
Hopefully this lights a fire under ASJ and we can have 2 solid tight ends
March 24th, 2016 at 1:09 pm
True, but Martellus Bennett is an a$$hole…doesn’t fit in our locker room.
March 24th, 2016 at 1:24 pm
“Remember, general manager Jason Licht already pegged Brate as a breakout player in 2016.”
– Lichtstrodamus
March 24th, 2016 at 1:27 pm
The Real Malloy
The locker room full of nice guys and choir boys has FAILED miserably and easily accepts loses. A little attitude and a-hole or 2 that is passionate about winning is what bucs need. The world is not perfect nor should the bucs roster be required to be made up of angels.
March 24th, 2016 at 1:29 pm
I haven’t given up on ASJ yet….we will see…this will be the year….I am hopeful we have 3 really good TEs…..we need at least that many.
The way I look at it, we got ASJ & Brate for a 2nd round pick since Brate was an UDFA….not bad!!!
March 24th, 2016 at 1:29 pm
Would like to see quite a few sets with Brate and V. Jackson working the slot.
March 24th, 2016 at 1:35 pm
“Martellus Bennett would have been perfect here”
Or anywhere too.
TBBF….no way I’ve given up on ASJ yet.
March 24th, 2016 at 1:42 pm
make perfect sense…more reps with the starting qb= more pt …The best ability is availability….hope asj takes note….GO BUCS!!!!
March 24th, 2016 at 1:51 pm
DB55 Says:
December 2nd, 2014 at 3:51 pm
Joe man get out of my head!!! Just commented on this kid earlier today. He looked really good out there. Nice catch, good blocking but then he dissappeared of course.
March 24th, 2016 at 1:55 pm
Your headline is misleading Joe. You are implying that Stocker is the number one tight end, based on snaps last year. At best, Stocker ranks third on the depth chart for 2016.
Nothing misleading at all. It’s exactly what Joe meant to say. Stocker is the No. 1 tight end.–Joe
March 24th, 2016 at 2:23 pm
Man, if the Bucs could ever find a way to light a fire under ASJ. Guy has talent galore and has beastlike potential. To a lot of us, he appears lackadaisical. Of course, he’s been injured. But wants to play at 100%? Nobody plays at 100%.
Brate shows guts to me. He plays well when given the opportunity. Not so sure about Stocker though. Gotta see more of him. In a lot of bucs fans minds, Stocker is a big fact question mark.
March 24th, 2016 at 2:32 pm
ASJ, wonder if we could include him in the soon to be trade of Mike Glennon to land a 3rd rounder vs. a 4th round pick? ASJ looks the part, but he does not have the football acumen, or the hands, to ever be a reliable player.
March 24th, 2016 at 2:37 pm
They told ASJ coming in he was a can’t miss prospect, it went to his head.
March 24th, 2016 at 2:37 pm
Your best players need to be on the field. It’s a fact that Brate outplayed ASJ. Stocker has always been on the cusp but has never been healthy. He’s a good blocker, which is probably why he got so much playing time.
“Martellus Bennett would have been perfect here”-Maybe! Lets see what we have before we start pining for players we don’t have. Remember, 1st year OC, 1st year QB. There’s room for growth.
March 24th, 2016 at 2:45 pm
It’s not a big deal, while ASJ returned last year I don’t know that he was truly “healthy” – also ASJ is not a great blocker and the Bucs ran a ton. ASJ is an elite talent at TE if he can stay healthy. Also remember because of the number of games he’s missed due to injuries he’s behind schedule, but most TE’s are slow to develop. If ASJ can finally stay healthy and with now his 2nd year in the offense I’d expect to see a pretty good improvement from.
March 24th, 2016 at 2:58 pm
Good point Rod! That’s why you can’t give up on the guy just yet. Even if he’s a “bust”, he’s still a viable option for this offense somewhere.
March 24th, 2016 at 3:48 pm
I have been unimpressed with ASJ. If he does not improve this year it could spell B-U-S-T
March 24th, 2016 at 4:07 pm
ASJ is an elite physical talent…..but MAN, he is one primadonna,
He’s like the male version of Miko.
If I was ASJ I would take a page from Alstott and just quietly hand the ball to the referee after you score a spectacular touchdown to seal the win. Maybe wave to the fans.
His kindergarten histrionics last year won him the #3 TE spot.
Congratulations.
March 24th, 2016 at 4:35 pm
How many rookie TE’s make an impact? It usually takes TE’s a few years. This will be ASJ’s year to make it or brake it.
March 24th, 2016 at 4:49 pm
Lol, make it or brate it.
March 24th, 2016 at 5:28 pm
“Stocker is the No. 1 tight end.–Joe”
Perhaps on single TE set running plays Stocker is the #1 option.
ASJ will have a big year if he can stay healthy. Yea – I know – IF.
Its nice to have options though and very glad to see Stocker FINALLY be able to stay healthy and help justify those TWO 4th round picks that Dom spent on him.
Brate played really well last year for a rookie UDFA. The TE position looks pretty good to me top to bottom.
March 24th, 2016 at 5:46 pm
We need to just write ASJ off. Maybe we can get a lower round pick for him in a trade. Draft that FB Gronk and hopefully when bellicheat decides Gronk is getting too old, we’ll have a chance at him….his little brother could lure him here.
March 24th, 2016 at 6:05 pm
I’m content w Brate n ASJ. Stocker can block. That’s about it. But he has a role n he performs it very well. We must focus on WR, DE, RT( for the future), Sam LB, safety, and at least 1 stud CB( VH3). There is no particular order. But, WR, DE, and CB are the most important.
Once again…VH3, Boyd, and Nassib fill all 3 of those spots. Neon Dion would fill the LB hole as well. Sign Reggie Nelson to fix the safety hole.
March 24th, 2016 at 6:05 pm
Wait with Evans being crushed. ASJ being crushed and Doug Martin signed back. Was the first draft as big of bust as free agency was?
March 24th, 2016 at 6:24 pm
TMAX,
Kiss my ass. Since the Licht regime has begun, they have wanted the right “type” of guys. You can be a bad ass and not be a locker room cancer. They have said this frequently.
Keep walking social media hard ass…
March 24th, 2016 at 8:42 pm
I like the 3 together. A receiver in asj , a blocker in stocker, and brats is s little of both.
March 24th, 2016 at 8:46 pm
The Real Malloy
I see your another hypocrite character first guy, you must go the same church lovie does… You are worried about good character and locker room guys yet you respond like a 2nd grader on the playground. The bucs have let a lot of talented players with so called character concerns leave recently that have had success on other championship teams so your perfect little locker room argument carries no weight. given the fact the team of choirboys led by McCoy have done nothing but choke and lose the locker room clearly needs talent. teams that win consistently know how to manage talented players and character flaws. The world is not perfect nor will the bucs locker room.
March 24th, 2016 at 9:05 pm
The Bucs might be developing players? “give me good football players”?
Bat time, Bat channel?
March 24th, 2016 at 9:18 pm
TMax, consider the Bucs signed Sweezy. Some in the league are choking.
March 25th, 2016 at 5:56 pm
If it takes TE’s time to develop, why is Brate outplaying him? Does Brate play in some time warp that gives him the ability to gain experience at a faster rate, making him better sooner? OR is it, that Brate is actually the better player? Hmmm…