Buccaneers: Five best tight ends in team history

After this offseason, it certainly looks like the Buccaneers will have a formidable offense for years to come. The franchise hasn’t always had a lot of firepower on that side of the ball, but there have been some talented players. Here, we look at the five best tight ends in team history.

Whenever anyone mentions Buccaneers of the past, it always seems to be in relation to the defense. Tampa Bay has definitely had its share of defensive stars throughout the years. But despite the overall reputation of poor offensive play, the franchise’s history is still full of some big offensive playmakers. After looking through the top five quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers in team history, we now dive into the five best tight ends the Bucs have ever seen.

With the emergence of Cameron Brate in 2016 and the selection of O.J. Howard in the 2017 draft, Tampa Bay looks to have a bright future at the tight end position. By the time those two young talents develop and play out their careers with the Bucs, they may end up in the top five list that we’re constructing here. Brate will only be 26 years old when the season starts, while Howard will be just 22. There is a lot of potential for the Bucs at the position, especially with the sets that can be run with both guys on the field at the same time.

But for now, we’re turning back the clock and looking at the top five Tampa Bay tight ends since the franchise’s inception in 1976.