Cameron Brate has been a viable trade option for the Buccaneers for almost a full year. Brate has a decent upside as a player and would have a small market, and the Bucs have little need for the ever-more-expensive veteran tight end.
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The Bucs are leaning heavily on O.J. Howard, who is starting to show signs of improvement and is with the team for the next two seasons. Rob Gronkowski hasn’t been great in the passing game, but his presence as a blocker is far greater than Brates’, and the latter has played a minimal role during the season.
Brate is on the books for the Bucs until 2023, and moving on from him now could maximize his trade value. The Bucs will most likely keep Gronk and Brady as their primary tandem, and Brate will continue to be a waste of resources with the team’s current setup.
Tampa Bay should start trying to shop Brate around now to a tight end-needy team in the hopes of receiving a third or fourth-round pick. Teams like the Jaguars, Patriots, and the Bengals could make quick use of a player like Brate, and the Bucs could use the incoming pick to replace Brate if they don’t keep Gronk, or provide cheaper depth at a different position.
Either way, Brate is not currently worth the contract, and Tampa Bay needs to do everything possible to make the most of the cap space and their other resources.