Tom Brady needs that TE1 to come back and help the offense on the Buccaneers.
With the start of a new season comes new players and roles for them to fill. This was no more true than for the Buccaneers offense in Week 1, which returned some familiar faces, but it also has added some pieces that will be expected to produce right away.
New Bucs players like wide receivers Russell Gage and Julio Jones are expected to step up and make an impact immediately given their talent and experience in the league. Team veterans like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin will also need to continue producing at the high level they always do.
However, there is one pass-catcher that will truly be the most important part of the offense and whose ability to perform will either greatly inhibit or improve the team’s performance, and that is tight-end Cameron Brate.
And, while Brate is obviously not a traditional wide receiver, he will play a vital role in the offensive capabilities of the Bucs nonetheless.
It’s no secret that Brady loves throwing to his tight-ends, especially when in a jam on third down. And this fact rings true throughout the league. Almost every successful QB has a talented tight-end they can rely on when things get tough.
That being the case, the Bucs need to do their best to get the ball to Brate more after only being targeted three times last game.
Brate will almost always have favorable coverage too given that teams will usually prioritize covering the Bucs’ other options like Jones, Evans, and Godwin.
Brate has proven he has great hands throughout the past few seasons with the Bucs, and Brady has looked to him on numerous occasions both in the red zone and when throwing the Lombardi Trophy from one boat to another during their Super Bowl boat parade in Tampa.
The two players definitely have chemistry, and the Bucs should capitalize on that fact. While they can’t replace the absence of Rob Gronkowski completely this season, Brate can serve as a solid replacement in terms of pass-catching and the Bucs must get him the ball more.
Cameron Brate may not be the best pass-catcher on the roster for the Buccaneers, but he could prove to have the biggest impact based on his role and the need, and that could make him the most important.
Tom Brady is undeniably at his best with a quality tight end on the roster. Week 1 wasn’t all that great and Gronk wasn’t there. Could there be a connection?
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