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4 Buccaneers on the roster bubble ahead of training camp

A few Buccaneers players are firmly on the roster bubble as we head toward training camp later in July.

By Brad Smith

Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp opens up later this month, and a few players are firmly on the roster bubble.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp opens up later this month, and a few players are firmly on the roster bubble. / Todd Rosenberg/GettyImages
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Ko Kieft, TE
Payne Durham, TE

Since the retirement of Rob Gronkowski in 2022, the Bucs have searched long and hard for a true replacement and safety blanket at TE. In that year's draft, Tampa Bay took Kieft with the No. 218 pick in the sixth round, and later took Durham at No. 171 in the fifth round of next year's draft.

Fast forward to 2024, and neither Durham nor Kieft have impressed in Tampa Bay. Starting in two of 13 games played, Durham caught just five passes for 58 receiving yards as a rookie. Meanwhile, Kieft has totaled just eight catches for 82 yards and 2 touchdowns in 33 career games.

The lack of production between Durham and Kieft can be partially attributed to the rise of 2022 fourth-round pick Cade Otton, who just caught 47 passes for a career-high 455 receiving yards and four touchdowns in his second season as a Buc. In addition, Durham and Kieft have been used much more as blocking tight ends than receiving threats, but the demand for two average blocking tight ends is simply lower than a vertical threat at the position.

In the 2024 draft, Tampa Bay also selected Washington tight end Devin Culp with their seventh-round pick, who was one of the top jump-ball prospects in the draft. With four years of team control, along with his proven production as a receiver, Culp may move past Durham and Kieft in the depth chart to work alongside Otton in two tight-end packages, something Liam Coen used often during his time as the Rams' offensive coordinator.

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