Bucs’ TE Coach: Cade Otton Keeps Showing Up
May 20th, 2025
Tight end Cade Otton.
One has to be a bit of a film junkie to be an NFL assistant coach.
So this offseason, which is normal, Bucs tight ends coach Justin Peelle was poring over film to find ways to help his tight ends improve.
One thing consistently jumped out: Cade Otton. The starting tight end was hard not to notice, Peelle said. And it wasn’t just catching the ball.
Peelle said everything you want to see a tight end do, Otton was popped it on film. Blocking, getting open, catching the ball, you name it.
That is obviously a good thing. But then there is the bad thing: Otton missed the Bucs’ final three regular-season games with a knee injury.
Prior to the injury, Otton was having his best season in the NFL. He virtually carried the Bucs’ passing game after Mike Evans and Chris Godwin each missed four games with injuries; Evans nursed a bad hamstring and Godwin was lost for the season with a dislocated ankle.
Peelle also noted that so far this offseason Otton has picked up his quickness. Asked to elaborate, Peele said it is Otton’s game speed (practice speed?) that has improved.
Otton is entering a contract year after being the Bucs’ fourth-round pick in 2022.
Is Otton a top-shelf tight end? No, Joe wouldn’t go there. Middle of the road, sure. Maybe top-12. The Bucs could do a whole lot worse.
Joe is intrigued to see what Otton can do again, so long as he doesn’t take a nagging injury like he did last year.
May 20th, 2025 at 1:32 pm
I think we Bucs fans are spoiled by having Gronk and seeing one of the very best to ever play the position.
Obviously Cade is not another Gronk but who is Gronk right now? Kelce and Kittle are obvious leaders of the pack but Travis is getting long of tooth and will soon join his brother in retirement.
Maybe top 12? I think he’s already reached that stage. One thing that will definitely keep Otton from getting a ton of notoriety will be his lack of targets.
Simply too many mouths to feed!!! A half dozen WR’s, 3 of whom are Pro Bowl material, 2 running backs who are great catching out of the backfield..and then there is the competition at TE from Durham and Culp.
Cade is “sneaky” good! Doesn’t stand out but gets er done.
May 20th, 2025 at 1:35 pm
Hopefully the injury devil will bye pass the Bucs in 2025 season
Things can’t be as bad as last year.
GIDWIN will need time to acclimate after a very bad injury. Time for Ebuca be Godwin
May 20th, 2025 at 1:41 pm
The TE position is a spot that I don’t think anyone should worry about.
May 20th, 2025 at 1:54 pm
For 2025, I’d put Otton in the same range is Kelce…
But behind Kittle.
Tier 1
Kittle
Bowers
McBride
LaPorta
Hockenson
Tier 2
Kelce
Andrews
Otton
Njoku
Kraft
Smith
May 20th, 2025 at 2:05 pm
Stop trying to jump over tacklers
May 20th, 2025 at 2:08 pm
Geno711, I don’t like the Falcons either but I think Kyle Pitts is finally starting to produce and should probably be on that list. I’d really like to see LaVonte and our rookie Parrish meet Pitts and the ball at the same time on opening day and knock him off the list. Of course not hurt him but just leave him badly shaken up. For a couple of months or so.
May 20th, 2025 at 2:54 pm
Love Otton. He has improved every year and is going great for a 4th rd pick. Hes a team guy his blocking has improved his catching has improved. Joe you said it. He carried the team while ME13 and CG14 were out with injuring. That right there is why he is borderline elite. Hes in between above average and elite. Idk what you call it but if you can carry your offense while 1 future hall of famer is out and a pro bowler out also then your up there at your position. Not trying to puff him up but he’s better than most give him credit for.
May 20th, 2025 at 2:59 pm
Although Otton made many clutch catches last year, I seem to recall he dropped more passes than you’d like. His percentage catch rate in 2024 was ~68%. I’m not sure where that stands with other TEs, but hopefully, he can elevate that a bit this year. I want him to go from being good to being great, cause I love the guy as a person and a player!
May 20th, 2025 at 3:07 pm
Geno
That looks about right to me.
May 20th, 2025 at 3:26 pm
He’s a very good pass catching TE, but I don’t know if I’d agree about his blocking. Last year, when I focused on Otton, he was OK at times, but other times he’d get beat pretty badly. Said it during the season when rewatching the games with ALL22, Rachaad White stood out as a great pass blocker – while Otton got beat too many times, and would often be seen falling down on blocks for some reason. Now, with that said, I didn’t focus on Otton in every game, and the ones I remember were earlier in the year, so maybe it was just growing pains learning the new offense. But as a pass catcher, he’s a very good option and will get a huge contract from someone.
May 20th, 2025 at 3:32 pm
Ill Take Cade Otton over any nfl TE!
May 20th, 2025 at 3:59 pm
Interesting article, Joe. Now let’s talk about the back-up, TE.s In addition to Cade Otton, you have Payne Durham, Ko Keift, Devin Culp, and Tanner Taula on the Bucs roster.
With the logjam at WR this year, IMHO, the Bucs will keep only 3 total TEs on the 53-man roster plus 1 on the practice squad. Otton is the starter, and Durham is listed as the backup TE on the depth chart.
So, barring injuries, between Ko Kieft, Devin Culp, and Tanner Taula, who is the odd man out?
Kieft can be a blocking FB or H-back. Culp is fast enough to backup at WR, Taula is a decent blocker, but the Bucs may use a backup Guard as a blocking TE. Does anyone know about the special times prowess of these guys? It’s sure to be an interesting battle in camp. The odd man out is sure to be snapped up by another NFL team.
Opinions? Joe, let us know what you know and what you are seeing when practice starts.
May 20th, 2025 at 4:19 pm
The development of Otton as a pass receiver makes the pick of Egbuka all the more curious. Not sure how Bucs are going to keep all the receivers happy. Payne Durham looked like he was coming along as was Culp. Baker not afraid to spread the ball around but that is the problem. Only one ball for multiple, talented receivers.
May 20th, 2025 at 4:41 pm
TE is a position of strength.
May 20th, 2025 at 4:46 pm
Tight ends are the X factor in a team’s offense I feel. Average are a dime a dozen. See how Otten (4th round) gets all this love. Truly great TEs take their team to the SB. No defense is able to game plan for them. Otten is OK- -but.
May 20th, 2025 at 4:53 pm
Love the new mind set Griz is bringing and trying to get these guys to buy in on. he may be a rookie play caller but he’s been around League and learn from some of the best for a while
May 20th, 2025 at 6:40 pm
how many sacks has he given up? gronk never did that if i recall.
May 20th, 2025 at 7:33 pm
WATCH ALERT: DEVIN CULP
It took the Bucs WAY-WAY-WAY TOO LONG to get Culp involved. When they finally did, he delivered. Most LB can’t cover that guy. He caught everything thrown his way and averaged +17 yards per catch.
May 20th, 2025 at 7:46 pm
I love tightends that just quietly get the job done. Otton does everything well except yards after catch. Honestly I’m a happy camper if the tightend just catches the ball. Cade Otton is a good player at the highest level in the game. He deserves all the accolades possible. He’s very important to Baker Mayfield.
May 20th, 2025 at 7:51 pm
SlyPirate, Otton is bigger than Culp, so you’d think Otton might be a better blocker. Perhaps the coaches need to focus more on blocking technique. Regardless, I think the TE room is pretty strong. Not elite (yet) but strong! Evans, Godwin, McMillan, Egbuka, Irving, White, Otton, Culp. Id’ say Baker’s got a few weapons to work with.
May 20th, 2025 at 7:52 pm
Oh, I forgot, BEAT ATLANTA!
May 20th, 2025 at 8:13 pm
Culp should be more active as a pass catcher. That is evident. If someone says Otton sucks, they don’t know the difference between a football and a tennis racket.
May 20th, 2025 at 9:06 pm
I remember seeing Otton running over people for YAC’s fairly regularly unless someone cut him at the knees, he’d lower the shoulder and run over people
May 20th, 2025 at 9:31 pm
otton’s a player…
when asked to shoulder the load as receivers were down, cade was looking like a top tier tight end…
hopefully he wants to stick around, because the offense is so running back and receiver centric…
a team like kc might throw him a bag to replace a kelce, in a TE focused offense
May 20th, 2025 at 9:41 pm
Durham and Otten are basically the exact same player. Only difference is amount of playing time so far. Culp is faster, but shorter and doesnt catch contested balls or block as well. But will have more YAC potential. Kieft is a blocker only, and a special teams guy that should be on all special teams. I’d like to think we keep all 4 on the 53.
May 20th, 2025 at 10:58 pm
Hey Joe, have you seen the “net rest advantage” by Sharp Football Analysis, yet? The Bucs got the shorter side of the stick on weeks 5 and 6… Not the best time, right?
And good thing that Scott Smith from Buccaneers.com is writing about it, maybe they are trying to make it better for seasons to come?
Go Bucs! Beat Atlanta
May 20th, 2025 at 11:44 pm
Jayson Lite – Bucs normally keep 4 TEs.
May 21st, 2025 at 2:40 am
Most impressive to me is Ottens improved blocking. He showed me alot more desire to hit his man instead of just trying to get in a dudes way. Bravo Cade. As for speed he has never really been the fastest TE but he does get open.
Go Bucs!
May 21st, 2025 at 3:22 am
One place the Bucs in general, and Otton in particular, could have done better last year was bailing Baker out on blitzes with a killer instinct!
If the other team is sending LBs and or DBs to rush Baker, there is a hole or mismatch somewhere! Make them pay!
That was a great part of what made Gronk so totally Gronk!
Gronk listened to the play called in the huddle. Then, he considered what he was seeing before the snap and in that first step off the line. The other team better not try to get cute and blitz from his side of the field or he would immediately exploit the opening behind the blitzing ILB or DB. And, if the defense shifted to fill those voids, that meant that someone got to go on a ride on the Gronk train one on one right up the seam – woo-hoo!
Killer instinct!
If Otton can find that, then top ten no doubt.
Otton usually looks very calm to me. But, on those kinds of plays, he needs to find a bit of well channeled righteous indignation! Gronk would come back to the huddle after a play like that grinning and chirping about what the chumps thought that they were going to get away with. Attack those opportunities with some attitude!
May 21st, 2025 at 6:25 am
Sign Gronk!
He wants to play!
He’s the missing link!
May 22nd, 2025 at 8:05 am
Gets better every year.