Strong Appreciation For Cade Otton

June 21st, 2022

Rookie tight end Cade Otton picks up a strong and intriguing endorsement.

A former Tom Brady teammate and Patriots Super Bowl hero has spent the past four years calling Pac-12 games and is super-high on a Bucs rookie.

And it might not be the draft pick you think it is.

Shane Vereen spent four years with Brady at running back before bolting to the Giants and retiring to a media gig. Co-hosting for SiriusXM NFL Radio this week, Vereen gushed over rookie tight end Cade Otton, Tampa Bay’s selection when they held the first pick of Round 4.

“He is going to be one of the top rookie pass catchers, in my opinion, this season. He is that good of a tight end,” Vereen said.

Vereen said he’s literally studied Otton for four seasons and sees a guy pro-ready and Brady-ready. Per Vereen, COVID issues, injuries and other problems at the University of Washington last year held Otton back from realizing his senior-year potential.

“Cade Otton is a great, great tight end. He was a great college tight end. And I think he has the wherewithal and the smarts to get on the same page in a Tom Brady offense, and I think he’s going to surprise a lot of people,” Vereen said.

Unfortunately, Otton hasn’t practiced yet as a Buccaneer because of offseason ankle surgery. Whether he can contribute as a rookie is unclear, but Joe is welcoming the Vereen endorsement with open arms.

Imagine how wild it would be if Vereen is correct, and Otton is one of the top rookie pass catchers this season.

23 Responses to “Strong Appreciation For Cade Otton”

  1. SC Bucs Fan Says:

    He won’t be. With Gronk and Brate his opportunities will be limited.

  2. GOB Says:

    Bucs fans had better pray they don’t get to find out. It either means Gronk is hurt, or Brate completely sucks.

  3. Woodenman Says:

    Every day that goes by less like gronk plays. We shall see

  4. Mike Says:

    Brate is getting slow, so this is good insurance to have.

  5. Beeej Says:

    Otton, Gage, how many other new players come with injuries?

  6. A Bucs Fan Says:

    @Beeej – Bucs invested in a lot players with serious injury history this offseason. In addition to the two you’ve listed Logan Hall (elbow surgery), Andre Anthony (ACL), & Luke Goedeke (Knee & Hamstring) have all rehabbed or dealt with serious injury in the past year.

    Hopefully those concerns are behind them and full healthy careers are ahead of them all.

  7. WVBuc Says:

    If Otton performs, Gronk signs and Brate remains steady, we’ll have the three headed monster I hoped for with Howard. Neither Gronk or Brate are technically young players and having a competent to good third option can mean the ability to run 12 or heavy personnel without hesitation.

  8. miguel Says:

    Just heard Gronk is retiring. Ugh.

  9. Pickgrin Says:

    Both our rookie Tight Ends getting love….

    Yet a Joe just early today wrote that “Without Gronk, the Bucs are paper-thin at tight end.”

    I get that they are rookies and haven’t proven anything on gamedays yet – but there’s a reason Licht drafted both these players and spent 2 of our 8 draft picks this year on the Tight End position.

    Gronk will be back for 1 more year – but the GM is wisely planning for life after Gronk (and Brate). Hopefully 1 year with a pro like Brate and the best TE of all time mentoring will have these rooks ready to contribute in 2022 and “take over” in 2023….

  10. Richard Dickson Says:

    Except it looks like Gronk is retiring….

  11. GOB Says:

    Breaking News, Gronk is retiring.

  12. Pickgrin Says:

    I hope that “report” about Gronk is wrong….. we’ll see….

    If its true – then Otton and Kieft will need to play well as rookies and Licht needs to bring in another solid vet TE…..

  13. GOB Says:

    Pickgrin, me too, but it makes sense. That rib/lung injury made a big impact on him. Had that not happened, I think he would’ve played one more year

  14. Crickett Baker Says:

    @a bucs fan, I noticed that too and it concerned me as well, at the time of the draft. We may have gotten a bunch of injury-prone players. Sigh. Time will tell. Gronk is out for sure.

  15. PassingThru Says:

    Rookie TEs rarely produce much in the way of yards or TDs.

    The Bucs need to trade for a vet TE.

  16. Austin Says:

    We lookin at our TE2 right here, gunna kill it

  17. Trophybuc Says:

    If Gronk comes back, it will be after the first 4 games.
    Those are hard hitting over the middle teams.
    The slimy saints are rib hitters!

  18. geno711 Says:

    Guy may be great in college. But they all have to prove it in the Pro’s.

  19. SOEbuc Says:

    That’s a sweet number 88 jersey. Have to scoop one if it’s worth it. We’ll see.

  20. SOEbuc Says:

    He’s a beast. 6’5” 250 lbs and 32 3/4’ length. Gronk come back to be a TE coach at least.

  21. Dooley Says:

    Curious to see how Otton takes to playing in an offense that’ll push him to be more of an all-around TE than what the program at UW demanded of him. Personally, I want to see how he holds up as a blocker. I think that’s what gets him up the ladder to more playing time, escpecially if McElory blows his opportunity. We’ll see, but with Gronk gone, we’ll another roster battle going on in the TE room.

  22. PassingThru Says:

    Be serious. Otton is a rookie playing in a league where most rookie TEs require two years to mature. He’s a raw fourth-rounder that might have some traits. But then he missed OTAs due to injury. Sure, he could be better than Gronk. Or Spiderman. Or Batman. Or Superman. Then again, we could keep this real.

  23. Big Red Says:

    we need an athletic TE with size and speed asap. Should start looking into potential trade scenarios. Gronk was slow at TE, Brate is slower, and Otton is an injured rookie.