It might be early in the planning period for the Buccaneers and their offseason, but it looks like it is finally time to move on from Cameron Brate.
It’s never fun to talk about moving on from one of your longest-tenured players, but that is exactly what the Buccaneers may have to do as they try to find a way to keep the franchise under the salary cap in 2023.
Tampa isn’t as far off as it would initially seem from a money standpoint, but with the need to bring at least a few of their vital free agents back, the Bucs may have to move on from some familiar faces.
Cameron Brate is a very likely cap casualty for the Bucs this offseason. In fact, the Bucs should make this move based on what they saw from their rookies and Brate in 2022.
Brate is far from a bad tight end and almost assuredly still has some football still left in him, but failure to take over a starting job in a room that generally featured two rookies is unacceptable for a guy that has played at the vet’s level in the past.
Twenty receptions on 38 targets for a guy that was basically a backup for most of the season is not impossible to replace on the open market, and it stands to reason that the Bucs need a guy with a different skillset in Brate’s position if they want to keep embracing an offensive change.
The Bucs saving a few million dollars to push Cade Otton into more of a starting role is far from a bad decision for the team from a play standpoint and from a financial outlook.
Cameron Brate has been a great contributor for the Buccaneers for the better part of a decade and has been a part of some unforgettable franchise moments, but there always comes a time where teams and players need a good break. This time is that moment for the break.
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