The Bucs & DJ Rogers
February 26th, 2026
Joe has been told that the Bucs are interested in retaining starting tight end Cade Otton for a fifth season but are not being aggressive about re-signing him. At least not yet.
Joe is 50-50 on Otton. He’s a decent player (59 receptions last year) and was a strong fourth-round pick, but the Bucs can do better.
So it’s fair to say the Bucs are looking at tight ends in the draft. And, man, the Bucs sure need upgrades on special teams, and backup tight ends need to be core special teams players.
Joe has written about big-name tight ends, but how about a small name? DJ Rogers out of Texas Christian University is a guy Joe talked to today. Rogers met with the Bucs at the NFL Scouting Combine this week and it was a formal meeting. He said he met with the Bucs’ tight ends coach (Justin Peelle) and two scouts.
“We just watched a little bit of film, some installs,” Rogers said. “I got up on the [white] board, you know, drew a couple of pass plays, my favorite pass plays, my favorite run plays, stuff like that.”
Rogers also talked to the Bucs at the Senior Bowl, where reports say he had a solid week.
Rogers hopes to prove to be one of the fastest tight ends at the Combine when it’s time for the 40-yard dash. The NFL lists Rogers as 6-3, 242 pounds. So he’s not the strongest looking tight end prospect, especially for a guy who spent five years in college. Joe has seen Rogers projected as potential sixth-round pick.
Joe suspects Rogers will check the good-teammate box for the Bucs front office, given that he spent his entire college career at TCU, despite not catching a pass in his first two seasons.
No, Joe is not lobbying for Rogers, only showcasing some of the invisible things happening behind the scenes here at the Combine.
DJ Rogers using his body to get separation and score during @seniorbowl Day 3! https://t.co/AjiHZFJzxv pic.twitter.com/1iC5Sef2jh
— TCU Football (@TCUFootball) January 29, 2026
February 26th, 2026 at 12:51 pm
I think Otton will price himself away from us….
Keep an eye on Jack Endries and Trigg tomorrow. Trigg will probably go 2nd, Endries 4th (which im good with a 4th for this year, need O line and D the first 3)
February 26th, 2026 at 1:11 pm
The only TE in the 2026 draft who has shown he can run a full route tree is Max Klare from Ohio St. He is the only TE I have interest in but its mild because like all the other TEs available via the draft his blocking needs a lot of refinement. He’ll rise too high once testing has been completed. He may test as one of the most athletically gifted TEs in draft history and if you look at every great TE over the last 10 NFL seasons, regardless of round selected- almost every one of them is at the tippy top of that list.
That said, resign Brate or get a cheap vet in FA. The Bucs don’t have enough targets to feed their supreme corp or WRs as it is. Red zone? Covered. There is no need to reach for a TE.
February 26th, 2026 at 1:21 pm
Pass on Roger’s. Looks like a slower version of Devan Culp. His Senior bowl clip he looks short and squatty
@HopeInHand ⬆️, Klare will need tons of blocking work. He came off the field at OSU and they brought a blocking TE in. Also, combine scores incredibly misleading sometimes. To prove the point check out Zach Kuntz in the 2023 draft. Scored the best in the history of TE combine scores. Ever. And was a bust. 7th rounder who never made it past the Jets practice squad. Now in XFL and Jets May bring him back on PS again. Combine is like underwear football.
February 26th, 2026 at 2:14 pm
We need to keep a solid player like Otten. Then we need to get him some help. I don’t want to see Cade on another team. He is too reliable to let go.
February 26th, 2026 at 2:32 pm
Devin Culp. As soon as he masters his cross training as an outside linebacker in pass coverage, Mr. Uncomplicated will let him play in games.
February 26th, 2026 at 2:57 pm
For what it’s worth, Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com wrote an article about the top 101 free agents. Among tight ends, Otton is number one on the list, ahead of Likely, Pitts, Waller, Dallas Goeddert, Kelcey and Njoku and is number 16 overall on the list. Although I’m not a fan of Rosenthal, I do agree that Otton is a good player and all things considered , he is the best of that bunch.
February 26th, 2026 at 3:10 pm
I’m Still of the opinion our TE room is fine.
Resign Cade to a nice raise. He’s solid. That’s all we need at this position with our RB and WR rooms so strong. Durham as TE2 and a blocking piece. Also 3rd downs and red zones. Coen used him perfectly. Grizz didn’t. Culp as TE2/3. Mismatch nightmare. Use him accordingly. Coen did. Grizz didn’t. Resign Kieft for a 1 year deal at a number identical to his rookie contract. So you have Cade at $8M and the other 3 on rookie deals of 1 million. That’s a full TE room, that’s capable, for $11M next year. No need to spend more. If you do, draft a late round TE to compete with the other 3 and cut one of the 4 of them after camp. SPEND ALL THE MONEY ON DEFENSE! ( and a OL and backup QB)
February 26th, 2026 at 3:19 pm
Ott is expendable
February 26th, 2026 at 3:34 pm
I saw a list of top FAs that had Mike Evans at #16. Guess who was #15 ahead of Evans- wait for it- KIRK COUSINS- I’m not kidding. The national media sure do love their boy Kirk. I don’t want to blame CBS but I’m almost certain it was their rankings.