Cade Otton On Pace For Career Highs In Routes Run, Catches
November 11th, 2025
“Just keep doing what you’re doing, Cade.”
No NFL tight end runs more routes per game this season than Cade Otton, the only Tampa Bay tight end to catch a pass this season.
Otton has the league lead at a whopping 35 per game, a sniff ahead of workhorse Trey McBride in Arizona, per reputable Sumer Sports. Official NFL Pro data has a slightly different number, but regardless, Otton is on pace for career highs in routes run, per the NFL and Sumer Sports. He’s also on track for 66 receptions. That total would be a career high.
Folks at One Buc Palace were pushing the notion that Otton was staying in to pass block so much early this season that he couldn’t catch a pass. OK. Got it.
Otton is marching toward a fat contract when his runs out in a few months. The guy has been such a durable and versatile performer that Joe’s not sure how the Bucs could make sense of throwing Otton to the curb. He’s a solid starter, and the Bucs don’t have one behind him.
Otton also has a career high catch rate of 72.9 percent to date.
Back-to-back Bucs picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, Rachaad White (third round) and Otton (fourth round) are angling for offseason contracts. Joe would say Otton is winning that battle through nine games.
November 11th, 2025 at 4:10 pm
I hope he gets a great contract. That catch Shepard messed up for us was really nice.
November 11th, 2025 at 4:43 pm
OTTON’S PACE FOR THE SEASON… 66 CATCHES FOR 666 YARDS — AND ZERO TOUCHDOWNS!!!
THE DEVIL IS AT WORK HERE!!!
November 11th, 2025 at 4:47 pm
Back-to-back Bucs picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, Rachaad White (third round) and Otton (fourth round) are angling for offseason contracts. Joe would say Otton is winning that battle through nine games.
——–
I’m not sure I agree with that. While I like Otton, he’s been given a ton of chances and has pretty middling production. A pace of 666 yards over 17 games isn’t very good for a guy who has had that many routes – in addition to the fact he’s not a very good blocker still. If he’s going to get big money from someone, I’m not sure it will be the Bucs.
As for White, he’s still one of the best blockers on the team, and does a lot with bad blocking and playcalling. But the big thing is that outside of the tippy top of RBs, they’re pretty cheap, and he might only get like $3-4M a year. Maybe someone comes in with a big offer, but RBs rarely get those nowadays. Out of the two, I’d think White comes back – but it wouldn’t shock me if both come back.
November 11th, 2025 at 4:55 pm
He’s dependable but you see that he isn’t a difference maker. He doesn’t get downfield and most of his catches are check downs. Not saying he isn’t a reliable target but he doesn’t have the quickness that most starting tight ends have. I also think he doesn’t have the catch radius of other tight ends. When we play Buffalo you’ll see the difference between an elite TE like Kincaid vs a good TE like Otton. Those guys get open quicker. Goedard on the Eagles is another TE that is just more open than Cade is. Bucs need a tight end that can get separation in the end zone, Otton doesn’t help Mayfield when the Bucs are in that red zone area. He isn’t a big body guy that can box out like Kelse and other larger tight ends.
Again he is a good football player excelling beyond his talent but it’s tough to overcome the limits of a guy’s height, catch radius and quickness playing that position. I would let some other team sign him and pick up a vet that is a proven TE that can beat man coverage and make catches in jump ball situations and end zone.
November 11th, 2025 at 5:08 pm
Let both walk. They won’t be missed.
November 11th, 2025 at 5:19 pm
Got a middling TE? Better have him lead the league in routes run! And to hear the Bucs tell it, this guy is a Gronk level blocker. I haven’t seen that.
Too bad Grizz can’t figure out how to THROW the ball to White, since that & pass blocking are the only things he excels at. Let’s just run him up the gut on first down again though, I’m sure he’ll break one soon.
November 11th, 2025 at 5:24 pm
Uh oh… rod used the term “middling” again. Certain now that otton is on his way to the pro bowl😎
November 11th, 2025 at 5:24 pm
Shepard can pretty much be depended on for one horrible stupid penalty per game.
I like Rashaad, but I am really tired of watching him running into the back of one of his lineman instead if going 1 step to the right or left and picking up a few yards. Drives me crazy.
November 11th, 2025 at 5:40 pm
dbbuc711 Says:
November 11th, 2025 at 5:24 pm
Shepard can pretty much be depended on for one horrible stupid penalty per game.
I like Rashaad, but I am really tired of watching him running into the back of one of his lineman instead if going 1 step to the right or left and picking up a few yards. Drives me crazy.\
———
LOL! That’s literally what Tucker does, not White.
WOW.
November 11th, 2025 at 6:02 pm
He’ll get $14M/season next year. Can the team afford to pay him, and can the team afford not to pay him?
November 11th, 2025 at 6:16 pm
not sure if otton stays but he should. white on the other hand cant leave fast enough. it will take him awhile to make the HOF at 30 yards a game but good luck to him….
November 11th, 2025 at 7:03 pm
Otton DID start the season blocking, without any catches through the 1st several games. His catches and yards projections are based on averages over games played. If he stays on his current pace, he will exceed those numbers. Last I checked our top 2 WRs are out, so it’s quite possible he gets into the 800+ yards zone. He had the dropsies for a couple years, but nowhere to be found now. Baker looks for his safety valve. He is a top 10 TE, when evaluating both blocking and pass catching. He definitely beating Rachaad right now. We better sign him, but I also suspect he is gonna want to stay and give a slight discount ; )
November 11th, 2025 at 7:34 pm
Cade Otton 6’5″ 247lbs. Travis Kelsey 6’5″ 250 virtual tie Ed? Otton also younger
November 11th, 2025 at 7:40 pm
Id like to Otton. You can’t have 11 pro bowlers on offense. He’s above average in a position where being above average is Ok.
November 11th, 2025 at 7:56 pm
Otton is a nice player who helps out in many ways. It is obvious when the young and inexperienced WR’s other than EE get lost, Baker depends on Otton in underneath routes. The TD’s will come just like the receptions have come when Otton hasn’t been kept inside to help out Charlie Heck.
November 11th, 2025 at 8:13 pm
I’d prefer not trying to force passes to Cade because he’s easy to see beyond the second level, especially not into double coverage.
That said, I’ll think Otton will be brought back and he’ll be cheap-ish simply because our TEs are 3rd in the pecking order behind our RBs and WRs. So they’re not high priority targets with the way the team is put together. Outside of that, he can get the job done as a 6th OLmen, and provides us with a developed enough route try to apply him as a moving target.
We should be looking for Otton more in the redzone. That’s a part of his game that’s lacking to no fault of his own in my opinion, that’s not the OC & perhaps the QB as well.
November 11th, 2025 at 8:24 pm
Pass. Say we sign Andrew’s in the offseason. Love rachaad too but he can walk as well. He seems to only excel when he’s second to Bucky. His ypa is like awful and he hasn’t had one explosive play his year if I’m correct? Stop regarding average play otherwise all we’re ever gonna be is a “hat and t shirt” team.
November 11th, 2025 at 8:29 pm
We would be crazy to let Cade go at the end of the season.
He stepped up in a big way last year when Mike and Chris were both out.
This year, we needed him to block on the O-line, and he did what he was asked to do.
He’s a solid TE.
I’d love to see him break some records, but I’d also like to see Payne and Devin get some snaps. Give Cade a break every now and then.
November 11th, 2025 at 8:40 pm
Keep then both —- but don’t over pay.
Otton is a solid player. You know what you get.
For all the talk about signing a “great” veteran TE, I doubt the team has enough money. But if they do, signing Case would give the Bucs two pass catching TEs.
Everyone hates on White because of his first year with Leftnut trying to run him into an offense line that didn’t exis.
November 11th, 2025 at 9:02 pm
The coaches have seen Payne Durham and Dev Culp in practice but they aren’t getting targets. To me, practice reps aren’t enough. I’d like to see both get more targets to see what they can do before the Bucs decide on Otton’s future with the team.
November 11th, 2025 at 9:15 pm
Erickson Cobb Carrier Says:
November 11th, 2025 at 7:40 pm
Id like to Otton. You can’t have 11 pro bowlers on offense. He’s above average in a position where being above average is Ok.
———
I thought last year, and coming into this year, that Otton was a still developing above average TE, but he really seemed to level off, and might be slightly regressing. I’m not at all against bringing him back – just not on a big deal – his production just isn’t there, and he’s not a good blocker (not awful, just not good).
I know it sounds like I’m down on Otton, but it’s more about where I thought he was going if he got more chances, and what he’s done with those chances. I just can’t see him getting a bunch of money unless he has a huge second half of the year.
November 11th, 2025 at 9:26 pm
Since I have access to them, looking at PFF stats, and I did not realize this at all, according to them Durham has had exactly 1 target this year. Culp has had 0. Ko also had 0 before he got hurt. WOW. So it’s Otton or nothing when it comes to TE production, I did not realize it was that skewed.
Here’s the snap counts according to them…
Otton, 557
Durham, 187
Kieft, 29
Culp, 18
According to their numbers, Otton actually is good as a pass blocker, but stinks as a run blocker. Meanwhile Durham is OK as a pass blocker, but a good run blocker. Ko, meanwhile, was the teams best run blocker before he got hurt. Personally I’ve never watched Otton and thought he was a good pass blocker – but that’s what they say.
November 11th, 2025 at 10:26 pm
I’d rather have Isaiah Likely. I think Cade is average maybe a bit more. He has zero speed and not much yac. Where are the TDs? I think this position can be filled FA or the draft. However, JL can’t wait to over pay his guy, like ZM.
November 12th, 2025 at 12:37 am
Our TE room does t need an “upgrade “. They are never going to be the focal point of this offense as long as we have Baker, Grizz and the WRs we have ( when healthy). Nor should they be. Be a check down outlet and a run blocker. That’s all we need. Too many superstars on one team can sometimes mess up the chemistry. Re-sign Cade at a reasonable amount, and develop Payne and Devin who are still 25 year olds. Spend the money on ILBs, OLBs, and OLineman
November 12th, 2025 at 7:57 am
i think otton is a little underrated…i wonder what dave moore would say about cade
November 12th, 2025 at 8:18 am
I like Cade. He comes through time and time again when we aren’t even looking. Keep him.
November 12th, 2025 at 11:43 am
White will walk, someone will overpay. Cade gets 3 years $21M, $7M a year, from TB, declines richer contract elsewhere.
November 12th, 2025 at 12:45 pm
NFL teams wouldn’t think to hire Rod Munch as a RB coach on Madden. His understanding of the game is 3rd rate.
November 12th, 2025 at 1:38 pm
Blake Says:
Cade gets 3 years $21M, $7M a year, from TB, declines richer contract elsewhere.
————
TE’s make a ton of money now, and if his deal is that cheap, then I’d certainly bring him back without batting an eye. But even a low end deal is likely more like $9-10M, and it wouldn’t shock me if someone offers $12M.
November 12th, 2025 at 7:24 pm
17181940
November 13th, 2025 at 5:21 am
when do the buccs ever really use the tight ends except for blocking-Durham never ever gets thrown to and since the buccs line cant block for Mayfield why dont they use 2 tight ends to block then release and get the ball in there hands for some yardage-tired of seeing Otten out where the receivers are at.