In 2026, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will have their fifth offensive play caller in as many years, with Zac Robinson taking over after the team moved on from Josh Grizzard after just one season.
With rookie minicamp underway, this is the first real glimpse into how Robinson plans to shape Tampa Bay’s offense.
Last season with the Falcons, Robinson used 12 personnel at the second-highest rate in the NFL. Tight ends are a major part of his system, which made one detail from his recent comments stand out.
Devin Culp could already be facing an uphill battle for a roster spot with Buccaneers
Robinson was asked after rookie minicamp about the Buccaneers’ tight end room and how the group fits into his scheme.
“Cade [Otton] and Payne [Durham], they’ve had some great careers up to this point and they’ll just continue to progress. And then Bauer [Sharp] is a guy that brings a unique skill set with some versatility. He lined up everywhere at LSU. He lined up in the backfield. He was at tight end. He’s out wide. They asked him to do a ton of different things. So, it was easy to see kind of a vision for how he could fit into that room,” said Robinson.
“It’s an exciting group. You add in Ko Kieft too, who’s a really good blocker. So there’s some good versatility within that room and just looking forward to the progress with Bauer and the rest of those guys.”
Robinson specifically mentioned Cade Otton, Payne Durham, Ko Kieft, and rookie Bauer Sharp. The notable omission was Devin Culp.
It was likely unintentional, but it still sends quite a message.
Through two seasons, Culp has totaled just six catches for 94 yards and one touchdown. He has struggled to carve out a consistent role, largely because of concerns about his blocking ability.
If Culp fails to impress Robinson this offseason, it would mean a third offensive coordinator in three years who never fully bought into his potential.
The Buccaneers are unlikely to keep five tight ends on the roster, which puts a ton of pressure on Culp. Cade Otton is locked in as the starter, and the organization is very high on rookie Bauer Sharp.
It would also be difficult for Culp to surpass Ko Kieft, who offers more value as both a blocker and special teams contributor.
That could leave the final spot coming down to Payne Durham and Culp. Right now, though, Culp looks like one of the players most firmly on the roster bubble heading into camp, and his apparent failure to make an impression on Robinson isn’t ideal.
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