Tight Ends: C+
Going into the 2016 season, the Tampa Bay Bucs’ tight end group seemed to be quite solid. Its 2015 cast all returned and were focused on building onto what was created last season. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Cameron Brate, Luke Stocker, and Brandon Myers were your tight end group going into week one. Against the Atlanta Falcons, this position group was able to excel. Three of the group had catches (ASJ, Brate, Myers), two of them had touchdowns (ASJ, Myers), and one of them (Stocker) proved to us all that without him, there is no run game.
Unfortunately, this group was unable to carry their momentum over. Against the Arizona Cardinals they four combined for a measly 30 yards through the air. After that game, it all began to unravel. Seferian-Jenkins was released from the team due to a DUI and Stocker was diagnosed with a sprained ankle. Neither have played in a game since.
With the promotion of rookie Alan Cross, the Bucs strived to recreate the impact that they had week one. Brate decided to take the bull by the horns, and has now become arguably the Bucs’ number two receiver. Since week two Brate has put together a total of 10 catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Due to the fact that right now, he is the only tight end making any sort of waves… my grade for the Bucs’ tight end group for the first quarter of the season would have to be a C+.