Buccaneers: Expendable players after the draft

2. Tight end Luke Stocker

Having been with the Bucs since being drafted in 2011, mainly playing on the line as the “sixth offensive lineman”, Stocker has only 49 receptions for 382 yards and two touchdowns in his career. When tight end O.J. Howard shockingly slid all the way down to the Bucs at nineteen in the draft, they finally got the prototypical “Y” tight end (great blocker/pass catcher) that they hoped Austin Seferian-Jenkins would turn out to be. Then, after the draft, they were able to sign UDFA tight end Antony Auclair from Canada (yes, Canada) who is also a prototypical Y tight end, although obviously not  nearly as good as Howard.

The Bucs also have Cameron Brate, who tied for the most touchdowns in the NFL by a tight end at eight, but he is purely a pass catching tight end and does not provide much help in the blocking game. With Howard and Brate as the clear one and two tight ends, that leaves Auclair, Stocker, and career practice squader Tevin Westbrook fighting for the third tight end spot. I think they would rather have tight ends who can be major players in the offense and still be blockers so that leaves Stocker – with his zero dead money – on the chopping block.