Bauer Sharp Is Flashing His Athleticism
June 2nd, 2026
Rookie Bucs TE Bauer Sharp is turning heads.
It seems like tight end Bauer Sharp’s impressive numbers at the NFL Scouting Combine are showing up on the Buccaneers practice field.
The Bucs traded up for to select Sharp in Round 6 of this year’s draft. Expectations at One Buc Palace are high when it comes to Bauer’s ability to develop steadily as a complete tight end, and perhaps make an instant impact on special teams.
Watching the underwear football/no-pads practice today at One Buc Palace, Joe could see Sharp flashing, including a deep catch down the right sideline. He’s got body control and raw ability.
Still, it’s underwear football, which is often an illusion.
Todd Bowles is approaching being impressed by Sharp.
“He’s a good athlete,” Bowles said. “We’re trying to see how he learns and what he picks up. Again, that’ll come in pads — all the blocking and all the route running and how much he takes in as the installs go in, but he’s a good athlete.”
“I’m still waiting to see a little bit more. He’s a good athlete right now, so I want to see how much of a deep threat, how much of an intermediate [threat], how much of a short-route guy.”
Joe suspected Sharp getting drafted out of Louisiana State University spelled doom for 2024 seventh-round pick tight end Devin Culp. The Bucs re-signed Ko Kieft and No. 1 tight end Cade Otton, and Payne Durham seems to have a secure role as a growing blocking tight end.
Somewhat ironically, Culp walked off the practice field today with what appeared to be a team trainer, not long before Sharp made his long grab.
June 2nd, 2026 at 5:21 pm
Gotta encourage those rookies to excel without giving them too much to boost egos.
June 2nd, 2026 at 5:24 pm
I expect to see some trickery
June 2nd, 2026 at 5:25 pm
The thing about underwear football is that while shining in UFB is no guarantee of future success, sucking at underwear football is a sure ticket home.
June 2nd, 2026 at 5:30 pm
Never enough athlete’s on the team. If he can play special teams with some grit, he can grab a spot.
Lord knows we need all the help we can get.
With the Bowles Swiss cheese defense dragging the anchor on the sea floor.
Todd needs to walk the plank.
June 2nd, 2026 at 5:55 pm
“He’s a good deep threat.”
-Todd Bowles, HC Bucs
The question is, who isn’t against your defense?
3-24, 4-14 are automatic for any WR with a pulse.
June 2nd, 2026 at 5:57 pm
I’m still waiting to see if Bowles can have our guys actually cover the deep routes, intermediate routes, and short routes this year.
Because last year, they were all open on every level of the defense.
June 2nd, 2026 at 6:00 pm
Why do all of these haters constantly tell US that the HC & GM need to be fired?
What the hell can WE do?!?
Shut the hell up!
Y’all sound like children having a tantrum. Stop complaining and making demands of your fellow Bucs fan. We’re just like you… we’re powerless.
June 2nd, 2026 at 6:00 pm
Why do all of these haters constantly tell US that the HC & GM need to be fired?
What the hell can WE do?!?
Shut the hell up!
Y’all sound like children having a tantrum. Stop complaining and making demands of your fellow Bucs fan. We’re just like you… we’re powerless.
June 2nd, 2026 at 6:05 pm
Sly you quoted your own agenda there.
That’s called false advertising.
Todd didn’t say that.
June 2nd, 2026 at 6:24 pm
Lol..Erection! They’re grumpy cause erection isnt in their vocabulary..Just ask their wives!
June 2nd, 2026 at 6:31 pm
For those wondering, here’s his combine numbers…
6′ 4 5/8″, 249lbs, 4.63 40.
Also, 31 3/4″ arms, 9 3/4″ hands, 35″ vertical, 10′ 0″ broad jump, and 20 reps.
Overall the NFL site says his TE athleticism score of 77 had him ranked 9th out of all TEs. BTW, looking it up, and Culp had a 76 score – he ran a 4.47 but also nearly 2 inches shorter and 20 pounds lighter.
As a former QB, I wonder if the Bucs might use him as a short yardage QB – maybe just for sneaks but perhaps more in a Taysom Hill role. But he still needs to make the team before we get too far ahead of ourselves.
As for Culp, the fans have always been way higher on him than the team has been. Still, he was always a lottery ticket developmental guy, but obviously the team needs to see something from him or he’ll likely be gone (although they could still put him on the practice squad if they wanted to).
June 2nd, 2026 at 6:32 pm
IF IF Bauer does well through camp, AND he shows up in special teams, I’d like the Bucs to keep all 5 TE’s. Culp has caught the ball well and he has unique speed, he just needs some targets.
Sean McVay used 3 TEs in some sets. Could Zach use that for the Bucs?
June 2nd, 2026 at 6:35 pm
Agreed… Quit complaining about Bowles still being the coach and move on to something relevant.
He is the coach in 2026, deal with it.
You’re a giant turd if you’re wishing that he do terribly for the sake to prove you right. That’s not a true bucs fan. I hope Bowles surprises us with a 14 win season and a trip to the super bowl. Do I see that happening, not really. But I’m rooting for the best outcome. If you recall just a couple years ago, everybody on this site and all over the national media had the bucs with a mediocre record and the falcons winning the division and being amazing. The opposite kind of happened. Last season everyone jumped on the bucs bandwagon and….we had a lot of injuries, players got old, some hopefuls didn’t pan out and special teams was a train wreck. So I like all the people ranking us in the bottom third, just means we’ll do really well in 2026.
Keep the underestimation coming.
June 2nd, 2026 at 7:06 pm
So did Tanner Hudson
June 2nd, 2026 at 7:11 pm
@JimBobBuc
They could’ve done that even without drafting him.with Otton Durham & Culp.
Would be nice if he turns into a steal.
June 2nd, 2026 at 7:18 pm
Rod. You might wonder if we could use him as a short yardage QB. It’d be funny looking at Baker running off the field in a clutch short yardage situation. I’m not saying it’s a bad idea. Might do Baker some good. But I bet his face would be burning. Baker Mayfield doesn’t play that shlt. But it’d be funny.
June 2nd, 2026 at 8:00 pm
Hey Jim Bob,
One of the Biggest differences is this is the first time in years that they’ve brought in an OC who loves (like me), Tight Ends. Were likely to see something new around here for a change of pace. We haven’t truly used TE sets in many years and honestly, the OC’s that have been brought in (ALL still teething and were still in diapers), had no true concepts as how you can use TE’s in magical ways. Robinson on the other hand, HAS BEEN around long enough and has just enough experience to embrace what “CAN BE” …
However, are selection of TE’s isn’t exactly awesome….
June 2nd, 2026 at 8:46 pm
Make culp work on his catching and work as a back X receiver
June 2nd, 2026 at 9:19 pm
When the pads come on let’s see how well he practices
June 2nd, 2026 at 9:33 pm
Culp’s sub 4.5 – 40 is what everyone is enamored with…
Means NOTHING if you aren’t a real football player.
Bauer Sharp has all the earmarks of being a real football player…
June 2nd, 2026 at 10:13 pm
Kenton Smith Says:
June 2nd, 2026 at 7:18 pm
Rod. You might wonder if we could use him as a short yardage QB. It’d be funny looking at Baker running off the field in a clutch short yardage situation. I’m not saying it’s a bad idea. Might do Baker some good. But I bet his face would be burning. Baker Mayfield doesn’t play that shlt. But it’d be funny.
——————————————
Kenton: No, he’d be throwing to Mayfield!
June 2nd, 2026 at 10:47 pm
Culp is expendable….he really adds very little…
June 2nd, 2026 at 11:04 pm
He is interesting. I’ve seen teams use kickers and punters occasionally used as emergency QBs. The Saints use Taysom Hill as a gimmick on occasion. Hill is listed at 6’2 220 so Baur is noticably bigger. Hill was closer to Culp in speed, but he is 35 and I don’t know if he plays again.
June 2nd, 2026 at 11:17 pm
Kenton Smith Says:
June 2nd, 2026 at 7:18 pm
Rod. You might wonder if we could use him as a short yardage QB. It’d be funny looking at Baker running off the field in a clutch short yardage situation. I’m not saying it’s a bad idea. Might do Baker some good. But I bet his face would be burning. Baker Mayfield doesn’t play that shlt. But it’d be funny.
———–
I obviously have no idea if they plan on doing it or not – but it’s always interesting when you get a former QB at a different position, how they might be used. And I assume the Bucs are going to be overprotective in trying to keep Baker healthy, so perhaps they view it from that regard. In any case, they should at least run some stuff in preseason just to have it on tape so other teams need to waste time practicing against it.
June 3rd, 2026 at 3:02 am
Wow!! We have the best receiver room 1-5 in the league and now with the addition of Gainwell and this new TE, we might be freaking explosive!!
June 3rd, 2026 at 6:55 am
“”you’re a giant turd if you’re wishing that he do terribly for the sake to prove you right. That’s not a true bucs fan.””
We don’t want wish Todd to do terribly. He’s done that all by himself.
June 3rd, 2026 at 9:07 am
Munch played 1 Snap as QB in Pee Wee Football at 8 Years Old to satisfy his Pappy who was a loud Mouth ignorant Goof just like his Son!
June 3rd, 2026 at 11:59 am
I’m hoping to start thinking more highly of Otton. Maybe this rookie and him develop a friendly competition and they both lead the TE room and it becomes a strength.
Of course, the OC matters in terms of emphasis of TE. I think the UF fellow on the Falcons made a career against the Bucs.
June 3rd, 2026 at 12:22 pm
Culp had his chance. Sorry he wasn’t good enough. It least it wasn’t a first round bet