A Record-Books Move For Cameron Brate
March 18th, 2022
Cameron Brate’s Gronk spike.
Who would have guessed that the fourth-string, undrafted tight end out of Harvard would enter his ninth season in a Tampa Bay uniform?
Yes, Cameron Brate has a major place in general manager Jason Licht’s win column of signings throughout out his tenure.
This month, Brate quietly took another pay cut to stay with the Bucs — his third in three offseasons.
It was a major move for Brate. Why? Because he’s on the cusp of various franchise-record marks.
First, with two more touchdown catches, Brate will have the most TDs in franchise history by a tight end (in regular-season play). And with 27 receptions this season, Brate would have the most receptions by a Bucs tight end, passing Ring of Honor member Jimmie Giles.
Brate is a hardcore NFL fan, perhaps the biggest on the team. Joe has no doubt you could walk up to Brate and ask him about the Dolphins’ offensive line and he could talk intelligently talk about them, or the Vikings secondary, etc.
So Joe feels great that a guy like Brate is on the cusp of two major franchise records. He’ll treasure them if he gets them, and Joe has no doubt that Tom Brady will hear about what Brate needs to get those marks.
Joe will be watching to see if there’s a preseason over/under wager available somewhere on Brate’s 2022 numbers.
March 18th, 2022 at 12:58 pm
Brate is a class act. Great teammate, player and person. It’s awesome to have him around into the future. Hoorah for Cam Brate the Great!!!
March 18th, 2022 at 12:58 pm
There’s a reason he’s still here and OJ, a 1st round pick, is not.
But what about Gronk??
March 18th, 2022 at 12:58 pm
What?
March 18th, 2022 at 1:01 pm
Love Brate….one of the great Buc UDFA……glad we didn’t cut him and he took a paycut…..no ego there…..I know Brady likes having him as a target.
Don’t know where the 4th string comes from…..certainly not for us…..maybe 3rd if you consider OJ 2nd……
March 18th, 2022 at 1:02 pm
Brate is the consummate team player. So glad to have him.
March 18th, 2022 at 1:07 pm
Right now Brate is first string.
March 18th, 2022 at 1:08 pm
We are fortunate to have a lot of class-act players
March 18th, 2022 at 1:11 pm
Glad everybody loves this guy……CLASS ACT!!!
March 18th, 2022 at 1:11 pm
Cobra- Or ONLY string!
Love the no-ego guys. Glad he’s returning.
March 18th, 2022 at 1:12 pm
Smart guy, reliable, team player, parade legend
March 18th, 2022 at 1:13 pm
Bfn: there are a couple more TE’s on the roster with Brate on the top.
March 18th, 2022 at 1:20 pm
I like Brate, but it was obvious that he needed to take a pay cut in order to remain a Buc. His production has dropped, and he looks noticeably slower. He’s a smart player despite graduating from a remedial studies program.
March 18th, 2022 at 1:28 pm
Cordarelle Patterson would be a great fit in Tampa.
March 18th, 2022 at 1:34 pm
There is a chance every record he breaks will be broke by Gronk. And to think Payton the genius let Brate go from N.O. And Jmarkbuc is correct, go sign Peeterson. You now have a RB/WR and KR. What a great utility weapon to have. I’m sure his is looking for a payday, which he won’t get in Tampa.
March 18th, 2022 at 1:35 pm
Is Brate RoH if he passes Giles??
March 18th, 2022 at 1:40 pm
Brate’s always been clutch for us. You need a first down, he gets it. Glad he’s staying with the team.
March 18th, 2022 at 1:42 pm
Cordarelle Patterson is a better option than Fournette. Cheaper, a better pass catcher, more versitile, and we’d steal another player from a division rival. Lenny is great, but he wants to get paid. Let him go and get CP.
March 18th, 2022 at 1:54 pm
How many Ivy League UDFAs have had 9+ year NFL careers and earned $25M+ playing football?
I’m thinking there’s only 1.
March 18th, 2022 at 1:56 pm
Love this. Keep showering the love on Brate. Undrafted worked his way into the starting line up takes pay cut after pay cut to help the team. Yea he’s not as fast as he used to be but those hands are reliable. I hope he breaks those records. Keep your head down and work hard. Brate is the perfect pro let’s go Bucs
March 18th, 2022 at 1:57 pm
Here’s a fun fact that I bet no one else knows… Brate went to Harvard. That’s right, THE HAVARD. Can you believe no one ever brings that up? LOL!XOXOX!!LOLO!!!
March 18th, 2022 at 2:05 pm
Yeah he is still good too
March 18th, 2022 at 2:15 pm
Brate, Evans, and Lavonte are Bucs for life.
March 18th, 2022 at 2:36 pm
Brate was not very good last year, in particular early and the mid parts of the season he looked terrible – very slow, was dropping a ton of passes, couldn’t get open. He did look better at the end of the year, and so we can hope he can build on that, but hopefully those early season and mid season struggles were just struggles, and not proof that he’s lost a step, because Brate doesn’t have a step to lose.
March 18th, 2022 at 2:36 pm
Best UDFA signing ever? Maybe 2nd best after Shaq?
March 18th, 2022 at 2:38 pm
Im a Cam Brate fan. Hated to see Licht waste a 1st round pick on another TE when we had a good one. I even hate to see him take a pay cut, but he is smart enough to know his value and the value of being on a contender. I believe Rod mentioned that he went to Harvard.
March 18th, 2022 at 3:20 pm
So many of his catches keep drives alive. Still a good ‘go to receiver’ to keep the chains moving!
March 18th, 2022 at 3:25 pm
Best wishes to Cam, if he retires as a life long buc, in Tampa, l believe he will have long term opportunities in the booth, as well as guest speaking engagements.
Best wishes for a successful 2022!
March 18th, 2022 at 3:54 pm
Selfless.
March 18th, 2022 at 3:56 pm
Best hands on the team. Glad we are keeping him.
March 18th, 2022 at 4:01 pm
A great tight end- and fantastic target for Brady.
Intelligence and desire > ability and potential
Right OJ Howard.
March 18th, 2022 at 4:01 pm
Cam makes me proud to be a buc fan. He could have gone elsewhere for more money and more opportunity, but for him, money isn’t the most important thing. Pretty remarkable in a pro player these days. Kudos to Cam.
March 18th, 2022 at 4:27 pm
Yeah I liked when Fitz was here cuz he went to Harvard too.
March 18th, 2022 at 4:37 pm
Hope he retires a Buc. Didn’t realize he was with us for so long! Wish we could draft a good qb be who would stay at least that long. Good player good dude
March 18th, 2022 at 7:49 pm
Brate is great!!!
March 18th, 2022 at 9:09 pm
Not a first rounder, not even drafted, how can he be any good?
March 18th, 2022 at 9:09 pm
I got his route running up to 99 in Madden. Where it should be.
He definitely helped Winston get into the record books along with Mike Evans…
March 18th, 2022 at 9:42 pm
It would be great if Cam took a major step into Pro Bowl.top caliber.
I am concerned that Gronkosaurus is not signed. Will he do the betrayal?
March 18th, 2022 at 10:11 pm
SKBucsFan – can you believe that fun fact?!? No one else mentioned it because apparently it’s not well known he went to Harvard, I’m shocked people don’t constantly bring that up.
In fact, he’s not the only Havard player in the NFL. Remember that guy from a few years ago that played with the Bucs as a quarterback, the leapercron looking guy? He too played for Harvard. You’d think a Harvard to Harvard would be a big connection that would be brought up on every single radio broadcast and be put in every single news story, but nope, it was ignored. Just proof everyone in the media is a Yale graduate. LOL! Just some harmless Ivy League humor for you.
March 18th, 2022 at 10:11 pm
steele – Unless the Bucs insult him with some insanely bad deal, Gronk will be here. If he wasn’t going to be here he’d have signed somewhere else already before teams run out of money in free agency.
March 18th, 2022 at 11:29 pm
“Hands” Brate….knows how to get open and how to catch….AND he’s a team player? And front office player? GTFO….and undrafted! Remember that ish.
March 19th, 2022 at 2:07 am
@Pick Grin
How many Ivy League UDFAs have had 9+ year NFL careers and earned $25M+ playing football?
I’m thinking there’s only 1.
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Well, not UDFA but Ryan Fitzpatrick was #250 out of 255 in the the draft and has made $80million.
March 19th, 2022 at 2:06 pm
Mr dependable. Thank goodness. With OJ gone, Brate will be needed.
March 19th, 2022 at 4:26 pm
Thanks Cameron, your one of the kind to take cut,Team player!
March 19th, 2022 at 6:56 pm
Glad to keep Brate. It’s hard to imagine imagine this team without him.
March 20th, 2022 at 11:51 am
Brate has always been one of my favorites he is solid and loyal and a great re zone player, superstars come and go but as they say slow and steady wins the race, he is not slow that’s just part of the saying, he and Brady make a great winning combo. Congrats Cameron.