Boston Herald Reports Patriots Interest In Cade Otton
March 1st, 2026
The Joe typing here sees the value in Bucs pending free agent tight Cade Otton. It starts with consistent play, including 59 catches in each of the past two seasons.
Only four other NFL tight ends can claim that level of production.
On face value, that alone would mean there will be a market for Otton’s services when the free agency dinner bell rings on Monday, March 9.
Throw in that at 26 years old, Otton has proven to be durable, an OK blocker and is known as an ultimate team guy, and some teams surely will pay Otton a nice salary.
Joe is not overselling Otton. His hands have been shaky at times and he’ll never be confused with being a punishing blocker. If the Bucs move on, it shouldn’t be a crushing blow for a talented Bucs offense.
One team apparently keen on Otton is the AFC champion Patriots. A Boston Herald report behind a paywall said New England are not interested in free agent tight ends Isaiah Likely (Ravens) and Chigoziem Okonkwo (Titans).
“On offense, one league source believes the Patriots will sign a Y (blocking) tight end and draft an F (receiving) tight end, given the availability of both types of players in free agency,” they wrote. “Behind Hunter Henry, No. 2 option Austin Hooper will hit the open market again after a middling season.
“If Hooper leaves, don’t expect the Ravens’ Isaiah Likely or the Titans’ Chigoziem Okonkwo to replace him. Players like Cade Otton (Tampa Bay) and Charlie Kolar (Baltimore) are viewed as better fits, according to a team source.”
Joe wonders if Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel got a thumbs-up on Otton from his old friend Tom Brady, Otton’s 2022 quarterback.
March 1st, 2026 at 9:06 am
The only reason we should get rid of him is to replace HIS salary with a rookie salary
March 1st, 2026 at 9:10 am
I believe it will be a mistake to let Otton go. I think he is plenty capable of being a n impactful Blocking and receiving tight-end
March 1st, 2026 at 9:18 am
I saw a clip of Mark Schlereth( kind of a good but he knows ball )calling Otton the best under the radar pending free agent. I’m thinking many of us ( me included ) have let the two times he was stripped/handed off the ball to the opponent skew our view of him. They were a bad watch but one or both could have been whistled down.
He’s probably a goner…some team(s) will pay him handsomely. Hopefully Ko Kieft has developed sticky hands and speedy wheels while on IR.
March 1st, 2026 at 9:24 am
This team needs to focus on Defense through the draft and free agency
If the kid from Oregon is on the board you take him. If not go all defense and a og
March 1st, 2026 at 9:24 am
Deep TE class we need to collect as many picks we can get this is the class where our needs lineup with strength of class edge ILB dt TE we need to get 1 extra top 3 round pick and 2 4-5 rounds picks
March 1st, 2026 at 9:31 am
Griz and Bake needed to target Otton more last year. I think Dev Culp got 1 target all year and Payne Durham got around 5 targets. The Bucs knew that Otton could leave this year, but we don’t really know how Durham and Culp will play over a season. Criminal.
March 1st, 2026 at 9:31 am
Some players get paid and then disappear. Otton seems like the kind of guy that will try hard to live up to getting paid. I think they should do all they can to sign him.
March 1st, 2026 at 10:28 am
It would be a big mistake for the Bucs not to keep him. He has good chemistry with Mayfield and is hard to take down after catches. Resign him and Mayfield and focus on defensive shortcomings. If they can’t stop anybody it cancels out a good offense.
March 1st, 2026 at 11:31 am
bye
March 1st, 2026 at 12:17 pm
Cade cannot block. Idk where this “he’s a good blocker” chatter started last week i remember three straight seasons of him getting blown backwards and needed Payne or Godwin to help him set the edge for outside runs. Call me crazy but I dont see his blocking as a strength, in the least
March 1st, 2026 at 12:56 pm
teams clearly see this was a “non tight end centric” offense…everything ran thru the receivers and backs…
and otton still put up good numbers…teams recognize that…
otton will not be forgotton when teams start cutting checks…
on those rare occasions, when he became a more important piece in the offense, he generally did pretty darn well…
he’s def a bit underrated imho…and he’s about to hit his prime
March 1st, 2026 at 1:05 pm
otton and rachaad were severely under-used in the short passing game last season by grizz…
both…not just white…both
March 1st, 2026 at 1:12 pm
also, isiah likely is like a big receiver sort of…he’s not much bigger than big mike…
and his numbers dropped off big time last year without lamar…
also he might very well be kind of like a lamar-centric tight end…
meaning, he thrives in that particular offense with lamar, because defenses are so concerned about lamar taking off on a big scramble, that they get a little lax when it comes to honing in on a back up tight end…
just a thought