Drought Conditions
November 21st, 2025
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BY IRA KAUFMAN
It’s happened before in Buccaneer history — but you really have to dig through the rubble to find a comparison.
With seven games remaining in this up-and-down regular season, no Tampa Bay tight end has reached the end zone.
Zero. Bupkis. Nada.
Although Cade Otton ranks second on the team with 37 catches and 53 targets, he has yet to record a touchdown reception. In fact, Otton has scored only 10 times in 57 overall games, averaging 32 receiving yards per game for his career.
In his 10 games this year, Payne Durham has been targeted only twice, with zero receptions. Devin Culp, who averaged 17.6 yards on his five catches last season, has not been targeted at all during his seven games this year. Ko Kieft, a key special teams contributor, was placed on injured reserve in September with a leg injury.
How unusual is this complete lack of end zone production from the tight end position? Glad you asked.
The Bucs are currently the ONLY team in the league without a tight end who has reached paydirt at least once this season.
The only one. And as Three Dog Night once told us, one is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do.
There’s still time to change this depressing narrative … and it needs to change. There have been only two seasons in Buc history that ended without a TD catch from the tight end position.
The first time probably shouldn’t count because the 1977 Bucs remain the lowest-scoring club in NFL history, averaging 7.4 points per game in their second season as a franchise. John McKay’s club threw only three TD passes in 14 games.
That’s a travesty, not a typo.
Cade Otton
The second time came in 1988, Year 2 for Ray Perkins as Tampa Bay’s head coach. Vinny Testaverde threw 35 interceptions for a 5-11 club that averaged a mere 16.3 points. Tight end Ron.Hall caught 39 passes for 555 yards, but never crossed the goal line.
That’s a long time ago. In 1988, Todd Bowles was the starting safety for the defending Super Bowl champion Washington Redskins.
Yes, it’s been awhile.
This lack of tight end production is a major factor in explaining Tampa Bay’s red-zone issues in 2025. The Bucs rank 25th in the league, scoring touchdowns on only 51.7 percent of their trips inside the 20.
In that regard, they’re looking up at the Browns and Jets for heaven’s sake.
What does this mean going forward? It probably means Jason Licht will target the tight end position as a priority heading into the 2026 draft, even if the Bucs re-sign Otton instead of allowing him to test the free-agent market.
Otton has been a decent player, but he’s not a downfield threat and no opposing defensive coordinator mentions him prominently while forging a scheme to stymie Baker Mayfield.
Things could change, starting with Sunday night’s challenging road matchup against the 8-2 Rams. But in a league featuring dynamic young tight ends like Trey McBride, Brock Bowers, Jake Ferguson and Tyler Warren, the Bucs may be treading water at the position.
Tight ends who are effective in the red zone are a pesky problem for defenses. Look no further than Sunday night’s opponent. Tyler Higbee, Terrance Ferguson, Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen have combined to secure eight of Matt Stafford’s 27 TD passes.
Counting the playoff loss to Washington, Otton has now gone 16 consecutive games without reaching the end zone. Sunday evening seems like the right time to end that drought.
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November 21st, 2025 at 10:53 pm
That statistic is a sure sign of OC incompetence and lack of imagination.
November 21st, 2025 at 11:00 pm
So, ok what do we make of this crap? TE’s suck? System sucks for not targeting them? Grizzz is lost in La La Land? Any one would be probably accurate. Throw the F****ing ball and see what they can do, what are you waiting for? All your guys are down, flood the damn field with TE’s what could go wrong that hasn’t already? At least they are big guy’s that maybe can block at this point?
November 21st, 2025 at 11:03 pm
Are you saying that fade/jump balls to Sterling Shepard is a bad idea when you have a 6’7” tight end??? Since Evans has gone down the Bucs inside the 20 look completely lost. They’ve tried some horrible passes inside the 20, but haven’t tried the giant TE Durham. Throwing to Durham in the endzone can’t be any worse than those passes to Shepard
November 21st, 2025 at 11:11 pm
They’re doomed. West coast game at night…all the intangibles.
November 21st, 2025 at 11:12 pm
Simply put- this is a damning indictment of Grizzard
November 21st, 2025 at 11:35 pm
For many games Otton had to stay to block because they had USFL-ready players at tackle.
November 21st, 2025 at 11:37 pm
Which begs the question, whose wife did Culp wink at? Why is he buried on the depth chart when we can’t be explosive from the WR/TE position?
November 21st, 2025 at 11:49 pm
Fair to say we miss liam Coen. He had culp looking like the future. I recall several key receptions he made last year for decent yardage. One wonders why he and Payne get little action. If this offense continues to stagnate, would baker refrain from entertaining an extension? He’s already locked his 30 mil guaranteed for next year. I’d still like to see Lincoln Riley come and reunite with baker as a pro coach.
November 22nd, 2025 at 4:31 am
Hoping to see Grizz improving in the next couple of games. It’s been a wake-up call without Mike, Chris, Bucky, and other injuries. Love these guys and want to see them well. Not just for football, for their future too.
Don’t miss Coen. He had the entire team most games last season and really used Bucky maybe way too much. Bucky got hurt last season under Coen. He hurt his toe, back, and hip. Coen was not perfect and the way he left leaves a lot to be desired.
Otton’s been the guy in the past that has come out of nowhere to make big plays. He’s got it, just needs consistency.
November 22nd, 2025 at 6:04 am
Why are they not using Culp as a WR in Evan’s absence is a mystery.
November 22nd, 2025 at 6:22 am
yeah a lot has been thrown at grizz that maybe he’s not really the culprit for……..but culp, yeah he should be in the mix…even a little bit…
(see what i did there before morning coffee :))
one would think with wr’s 1-3 all gone, we might go heavier with TE plays and 2 TE sets…
so i too am baffled some, and this is probably a direct indictment on mr. grizzle
also…durham has shown to have some pretty darn good hands in the past
November 22nd, 2025 at 6:56 am
Grizzard is the problem. Let’s see if he can fix this
November 22nd, 2025 at 7:02 am
Seems like I remember Otten rambling towards the goal line and ending up just short a couple off times this year. He’s dropped a couple of passes, not many although he’s one of many that have dropped third down balls. Always room to get better. But saying he’s not feared by the opponents OC game planning our passing game is not right. Cade Otten is not our problem. Not even a little bit. He’s a guy that’ll be part of the solution. Good call, Ira, maybe he scores Sunday night. Understandable why we want to see more of Culp. We’ve all seen him and of course we want to see more. He looks like a beast. A fast beast. But we don’t know the whole story and we have to be patient. Hoping our tight ends show out this 7 game stretch and hoping Otten signs and stays a Buc. Letting him get away would be a huge mistake.
November 22nd, 2025 at 8:05 am
West Coast….check
Night Game….check
Rams ….. check
Bowleszone….check
November 22nd, 2025 at 8:14 am
Bodes poorly, doesn’t it?
November 22nd, 2025 at 8:56 am
Rams 55 Bucs 23…..check
Defensive embarrassment…..check
Special teams follies….check
Mid-season losing streak…..check
Gotta coach better- gotta play better…..check
November 22nd, 2025 at 9:05 am
Another failure by GM rockstar Jason Licht.
November 22nd, 2025 at 11:32 am
I have been saying for years we need a TE with talent. I’m spoiled after Gronk! I saw were a mock draft had Oregon Saqit (SIC?). We should be so lucky.
November 22nd, 2025 at 2:37 pm
@BucsinOre:
We were ALL spoiled by Gronk.
None of our TE’s are close to Gronk, but geez, OC, at least get them the ball a few times a game in a meaningful way.
November 22nd, 2025 at 3:31 pm
Let’s not forget the beginning of the season when the o-line was injured and blocking T.E. Ko Kieft was lost, the remaining T.E.’s were relegated to blocking so……….mulligan for that position group.
November 22nd, 2025 at 3:32 pm
For those who would like more context, in 2023 Baker threw five TDs to Tight Ends and in 2024 he threw six. Cade Otton caught four TDs in each year.
Keep in mind, though, that without Mike Evans, the only big target Mayfield has is Otton in the end zone and I know I’d be fading coverage to him if I was the D.C. of another team.
Has Otton been targeted in the end zone this year? Has he ever actually even been open?
November 22nd, 2025 at 5:35 pm
Poor coaching, terrible team construction, both solid results of Todd and Jason at the helm.
November 22nd, 2025 at 6:37 pm
“This lack of tight end production is a major factor in explaining Tampa Bay’s red-zone issues in 2025. The Bucs rank 25th in the league, scoring touchdowns on only 51.7 percent of their trips inside the 20.”
Our offense, well at least our passing game was built to feature Evans-Godwin-Egbuka-JMac. Not saying it’s an excuse, but TE isn’t meant to be a highly targeted position in this offense with what we should have in the WR room.
Can we still throw to them? Sure, in fact Cade is literally our second highest targeted player out of all the skill positions. Can we thrive using him? We’ve tried, he’s made some play, but my biggest gripe is who we are not using.
Payne Durham or Otton in the redzone should be a no-brainer, but it hasn’t been.
Let Culp get a share of Tez Johnsons’ slot reps. Use the guys you have on hand, ALL OF THEM to propel this offense forward literally and figuratively
November 22nd, 2025 at 6:40 pm
Blaming Grizzard, what a bunch of regtards. You commenters hold our players in such high regard like they’re all hall of famers. Our Tight End room is as average as it gets, at best. Assign accountability where it belongs. Otton is reliable ok, he finds spots. That’s what he is, which is fine, but some of you act like he’s Antonio Gates
November 22nd, 2025 at 9:24 pm
Because Todd Blowes is a LOSER.
November 22nd, 2025 at 11:15 pm
What team comes out of their bye week and loses theee in a row?
Tood’s team that’s who!!!!!
November 23rd, 2025 at 1:29 am
Respectfully Ira
I don’t see Otton as the problem. We let Brate go who at one time was a threat in the red zone. We have Durham now as well as Otton who are being ignored and or misused. Durham has a huge wingspan and can go after contested catches. I don’t see why we are not using the dudes we have. Drafting a tight end we won’t throw to? Nah
Go Bucs!
November 23rd, 2025 at 4:02 am
garro – Otton reminds me a lot of Brate.
Let’s see how Otton does in the next few games.