The Buccaneers may still hold out hope that Rob Gronkowski is coming back later in the offseason, but they will need help at the tight end position regardless.
Even on a team like the Buccaneers that wants their wide receivers to be the leading pass-catchers, having a quality group of tight ends is very helpful for NFL success.
Few positions have as much versatility as tight end, and having one or two contributors in this area is a staple on most teams that want to win a Super Bowl.
A guy that can block well and force defenses to plan for them can be a game-changer. Unfortunately, the Bucs don’t currently have one such player on their roster.
The Buccaneers would love to have Rob Gronkowski back by the start of the regular season, but that is still up in the air. It feels like a decision would be made before the draft, especially if Gronk wants to give the team the best chance to win. Still, it doesn’t seem like we will get much in terms of a concrete answer just yet.
Regardless, the Bucs only have one legitimate tight end on the team right now, and it isn’t like Cameron Brate is a world beater. He can catch well, but there aren’t any defenses planning to stop Brate like they have to do with Gronk or the other top options.
While Brate and Gronk were the prime duo for the Buccaneers last season, Tampa needs at least one new tight end in the fold.
Whether they look to the draft or the free agency market, the Buccaneers simply don’t have close to enough firepower at the tight end position as it stands.
If the Bucs really want to give Tom Brady the best chance to win, they need to address this position immediately.
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