Calling Cameron Brate
January 8th, 2022
Cameron Brate
Veteran tight end Cameron Brate, a Bucs postseason hero last year with 14 catches for 175 yards and a touchdown, has struggled to match that impact.
Consider how Brate has produced down the stretch in the last eight games.
The line reads 15 catches on 29 targets for 108 yards and four touchdowns.
The four touchdowns prove Brate’s value in the red zone, but the film shows a guy who lost the speed and separation skills he once had. And Brate has had plenty of action with Rob Gronkowski missing several games this season.
Joe’s pushing a spotlight on Brate because Joe believes the Bucs need him find whatever spark he delivered last postseason. To Joe’s knowledge, Brate is healthy other than being 30 years old and a little worn down.
Can the Bucs win it all with their depleted receiving corps? It would be easier to say yes if the Brate of the 2020 playoffs shows up soon.
January 8th, 2022 at 10:48 am
What a relief is to enter the site this morning and only read news about Bucs players. Thank you Joe. I believe in this Bucs team. LFG!
January 8th, 2022 at 10:51 am
We have had so many injuries this year yes, but Brady has still thrown for a league high 4.990 yards.
One ball and still a lot of WRs stepping in/up throughout the year.
Brate must feel like he has gotten lost in the shuffle.
Now he knows it is his time and I believe he will step up.
My question is where is OJ Howard?
What a waste he has been.
Brady still doesn’t trust him.
January 8th, 2022 at 10:53 am
Joe
No doubt. His separation is a hug
January 8th, 2022 at 10:56 am
I’m afraid Cam will be gone next year, along with a few others. We need draft a TE, else sign a good FA
January 8th, 2022 at 11:12 am
Looking for the Bucs to draft a TE in the 2nd or probably 3rd round. Howard will not be re-signed. Brate may be traded. He has a $4M cap hit if you release him.
January 8th, 2022 at 11:13 am
Totally new offense and BL is off Friday interviewing for a new job. GO BUCS!
January 8th, 2022 at 11:18 am
Next year’s draft:
Rd 1 – WR
Rd 2 – RB
Rd 3 – Interior D-line
Rd 4 – TE
Gronk and Brate will be back.
January 8th, 2022 at 11:22 am
I was also thinking that Cam will be gone next year Beej, but maybe not. Bucs restructured his contract & he’s due to make $7.3 mil with a Dead CAP of almost $2 mil. But I just can’t see us re-signing OJ, and who knows if Gronk will decide to play another year. If he retires, then Brate would be the only TE under contract (he’s currently signed through 2023, with options through 2025).
That’s one bizarre thing about next year’s roster: JL has the unenviable task of largely rebuilding several position groups (RB, TE, DL) and several others need a LOT of help.
January 8th, 2022 at 11:27 am
Cameron Brate is one of the best UDFAs in Bucs history…..others are
Donald Penn, LaGarette Blount, Demar Dotson, Shelton Quarles & Michael Bennett
The production and years we’ve gotten from him have been fantastic.
I still think he has something in the tank…..now is the time.
I’m sure he’d like to catch another trophy on the river.
January 8th, 2022 at 11:43 am
Too bad OJ has been a bust! Would have been nice to have him show up, especially now.
January 8th, 2022 at 12:06 pm
Unfortunately the tight end pool coming in this year‘s draft is kind of weak. Maybe they’ll find someone in the mid rounds.
I expect Gronk another year and possibly Brate at a discount. OJ is gone. They definitely need a young TE.
January 8th, 2022 at 12:20 pm
DR
What about the QB position group?
TB is launching new businesses all over IG. That and AB might be the very last straw.
January 8th, 2022 at 12:28 pm
Calling OJ. When is this guy going to step up?
January 8th, 2022 at 12:33 pm
@Marine. I like it but honestly I got WR down much further than you. That is only because I’m confident, though concerned, that we re-sign Godwin to a big fat contract. Especially after the AB saga, we might even pay top top dollar. Godwin is a team first dude and he’s a no doubt stud on the field. An anchor for our QB.
January 8th, 2022 at 12:40 pm
Brate used to do well because he was unknown by defenses. Now I think he needs to look unwanted. That can happen if Grayson and Perriman take the top off of the field.
Those two will pull the safeties away and leave a seam for Brate, or Gronk to exploit. It will be interesting to see if our OC can figure that out. So far the offense has looked really basic, and that won’t win with what we have left.
January 8th, 2022 at 12:42 pm
@Francisco It’s sad with OJ. I think what we see is what we get. I just don’t see magic happening with that dude all of a sudden. I definitely don’t fault Licht for the pick. The Jets were linked to him with the 6th overall pick. Crazy how fragile and meh he seems to have turned out.
@Jmark. AB would have nothing to do with it. The Bucs did everything right. AB is just mentally finished. Brady knows that. He also knows AB is a stud on the field and the hope was that he could keep him straight. It’s just not possible. Look at what AB is saying about Brady. There is no way that Brady is going to be sour on the Bucs especially after this dude is trying to throw the GOAT under the bus. Obviously Brady could retire although I think he goes one last year contrary to what most folks think on here. I get it though. The thought of Brady leaving is depressing.
@TBBF Good list there. All amazing UDFAs. I still want to punch the Rockstar for letting Bennett walk. It was a no-brainer signing. Hearing Bennett later say he would have even taken a little paycut to stay in Tampa.
January 8th, 2022 at 12:58 pm
@ cmurda
I do not believe Godwin is coming back. We only have @ $30 million to spend under the cap. It is possible that Godwin’s knee injury lowers his appeal enough for us to bring him back if he is willing to work out a very team friendly deal but I still have doubts. AB is gone forever.
If they want Brady back they better draft a WR in round one and a running back in round 2…
I believe Brady will be back. He just had one of his best seasons and if he walks the Bucs will still owe him @ $15 million which will be dead cap money for us.
Kyle Trask will be elevated to #2 (because you don’t spend a 2nd round pick on a third string QB) and Ryan Griffen will stay on as our #3.
My off season plan is to keep the defense in tact. Franchise tag CB C. Davis and say goodbye to JPP… Everyone else comes back on one year team friendly deals.
Offense will see some change.
Replace Jenson with Robert Hainsey. Re-sign Cappa.
Bring back R. Jones on a cheap deal. Draft a RB in round #2 and sign a cheap veteren (Bell, G. Bennard) to pair with K. Vaughn.
Replace Godwin with a first round pick. Bring back Perriman on a cheap deal.
OJ is gone but Gronk and Brate come back. Draft a TE in round 3 or 4.
It’s going to be a very interesting off season for our Bucs.
January 8th, 2022 at 1:01 pm
I agree with others that I would be surprised if him and OJ Howard are on the team next year too – we will make Gronk a priority as we should, and we are going to find some backups elsewhere.
I love the team we have, but the cap space on top of the age of some of these players is going to shake up this roster quite a bit.
Example – per OverTheCap.com, JPP had the biggest cap number at at 12.8 million this year and we all knew he was aging and might not have much left. Time and time again in the NFL, it’s been proven that you should let guys go a little too early rather than too late and get bagged with their contract.
We are very fortunate we have had a coaching staff who can actually develop young, cheap talent like Anthony Nelson and Joe Tryon. It’s the only way to consistently stay competitive in this league.
January 8th, 2022 at 1:04 pm
*intact not in tact…
January 8th, 2022 at 1:14 pm
i think cam is gonna become more of a factor without AB here…
he and brady are both smart…
they will figure out a way…
if we have a long playoff life this season, cam is gonna have to have some moments in these playoffs…
after all this is the man who didn’t let the trophy sink into the river
January 8th, 2022 at 1:16 pm
There is absolutely no way they let Godwin go.
Anyone who says otherwise is out of their mind. And Ronald Jones… You haven’t paid attention, he is gone. He doesn’t want to stick around here, he wants more opportunity and Lenny is staying and von is getting his opportunity to step up as the number two.
Oh I am mostly worried about D line. JPP & Suh are looking old and worn.
January 8th, 2022 at 1:16 pm
ok so last year i watched a lot of clip, snipits and portions of the superbowl boat parade…
yet i noticed AB was absolutely no where to be found…
did AB not participate in the parade?
was he a no show?
or did i somehow miss him with the team?
i didn’t see him with the group of receivers partying together at all
January 8th, 2022 at 1:38 pm
Just watched a third time. Jets
😂
Yah. Brady sucks. Blah blah
Dude won that gAme as most
January 8th, 2022 at 1:42 pm
Hope Brate shines. He has shown his worth to this team many times over. Brady will work something out to involve Brate. He trusts him. I’m not ready to start playing the draft game. Who is staying, who is going because at this point it is totally wild a w- guess. Let’s finish the season, see who is left standing and take it from there. GO BUCS!
January 8th, 2022 at 1:50 pm
@ david
Spend a little time studying our salary cap position. I recommend you take a look at over the cap dot com or sprotrac dot com. Then maybe you will fully understand the situation. This isn’t Madden Xbox.
Ronald Jones wants to go elsewhere? OK. Where? You act like he is a hot commodity or something… LOL!
January 8th, 2022 at 1:52 pm
@ david
I do agree the D-line is aging and both Suh and JPP could be done after this season.
January 8th, 2022 at 1:56 pm
If we bow out in the 1st round I can totally see Brady and Gronk retiring but if we win it all I fully believe they will go for the Immortal 3.
Also we need another LB to replace David.Just amazing to me how much better D White is with David on the field, but injuries take their toll at his age.
Just a different team without him more than anyone we have seen really even on offense.
One other point is that BL needs to do better with in game adjustments. Stuck with WR formations after AB and barely squeaked by. Against NO he had NO idea. Our screen game will suffer without Godwin and AB, so not being able to spread the field on the fly has hurt this team. No schemes just beat your man is getting old. Need more motion runs but when LBs run right by OJ why try.
January 8th, 2022 at 2:02 pm
@ Billy
We can’t move L. David – too much dead cap space… Next year might be his last though.
January 8th, 2022 at 2:05 pm
you can bet your bottom dollar godwin returns next season – unless he totally prices them out…
mike will be in his 9th year and is a big receiver, so he’s getting older and he too will lose speed and separation moving forward…
if AB turned out to be a trusted dream player and locker room unicorn, they’d let godwin go…
but AB flopped out big time – as expected…
and tyler is not proving to be the godwin clone as hoped…yet
also…if they do let godwin walk, chance are brady won’t be here…of his top 3 receivers, evans is his 3rd most preferred imho…
it’s never just going to be brady and evans here…tom didn’t sign up for that…
there has to be another big time receiver of tom’s choice…
i think godwin and AB are tom type choices at receiver, while evans just so happens to be here (don’t get me wrong evans is a great great receiver too – just not preferred over godwin and AB by brady)
January 8th, 2022 at 2:07 pm
and boy ohhh boy, remember the beast we thought we had in preseason in JTS ???
he’s had a coulpe of random moments – but that preseason hype has all but deflated to a donut
January 8th, 2022 at 2:10 pm
media and pundits all across the nation were raving about JTS too…
it was like we had the next great one…
turns out the next great one seems to be playing in dallas…
hopefully he develops…
but the hype was unreal at one point early on
January 8th, 2022 at 2:17 pm
@ adam
Like I said up top – perhaps Godwin’s injury will help us keep him. But only if he can sign a very team friendly deal which pushes some of his money into next year and beyond.
I believe teams like the Chargers and Jags will be on Godwin’s list. Both have young developing QBs, need help at WR and has over $70 million in cap space to spend.
January 8th, 2022 at 2:31 pm
Lots of fascinating comments above concerning what MIGHT happen next year. All the other decisions pale in comparison to what Tom Brady decides to do. IF he decides to finally retire (and personally I think he will) then that’ll probably influence what a LOT of other team UFAs decide to do. Like Gronk, Godwin, Fournette, Suh, maybe Jensen & Cappa among others. Heck it MIGHT even influence what BA decides to do.
Still, that’s NEXT YEAR’S PROBLEM. Right now I’m looking forward to THIS YEAR’S PLAYOFFS because, oh ya, we’re in. Chances of repeating aren’t all that sterling admittedly, but there’s always a CHANCE. ‘Hope springs eternal’ (although I’m not sure that Alexander Pope was thinking of the Bucs when he wrote that).
January 8th, 2022 at 2:34 pm
Cmurda
Agreed the Bucs handled A$$holio Brown correctly. I’m more saying TB would be completely justified in saying F this.. I got better things to do.
Just when you think Brown couldn’t do anything more stupid.. he runs down the GOAT?
January 8th, 2022 at 2:34 pm
@ DR
Absolutely correct. It all hinges on what TB12 decides to do.
If he leaves we owe him a ton of money still. He just had another great season.
I truly believe he will be back for one more season but it’s all just speculation at this time.
January 8th, 2022 at 2:37 pm
DR
I would think most every single one on your list would depart, either to cash in or retire. You know Gronk would be gone.
Hope JLicht has a plan. Lost decades suck.
January 8th, 2022 at 2:50 pm
yeah once brady is gone, this whole team bounces outta here and unravels…
brady has a lot of strength, and zip on the ball still…
seems like he has a couple more years left in him…
that’s if he still wants to train like a mofo…
and wifey says its okay 🙂
January 8th, 2022 at 2:54 pm
@ marine buc:
yeah we might get lucky and keep godwin…
the injury, the ab debacle…things could round out for a godwin return…
so far they’re falling into place on paper…
unless he wants to go back up north to the philly baltimore area…
only he knows that…
also he too has a wifey all in his ear too, feeding him info and life scenarios…
women plan and map sh!t out for their men lol 🙂
January 8th, 2022 at 3:23 pm
I wish these JB fans could keep to the topic instead of going off on other topics not relevant to what the original topic was. Maybe they have ADD and can’t help it. Whatever. It’s pretty annoying.
January 8th, 2022 at 3:23 pm
even IF we keep Godwin on a team friendly deal; he’s not going to be available untill mid ’22 season -if then .. And once he does take the field -it will take a “few” games for him to get back to the level he was this yr ..
So , I just don’t see Brady staying with Gronk & Evans, Grayson & maybe Perriman..Plus if we loose some of the O line-TB12 will likely call it a day..
All that could change if they can sign a few credible FA’s
Last , My sense is Brady wants to go out “on top”
January 8th, 2022 at 3:37 pm
@ adam
I hope we are able to bring everyone back like we did last year but it’s highly unlikely given our cap situation.
I hope everyone understands – I don’t want to get rid of Godwin. I’m a huge Godwin fan. I just don’t think it’s realistic unless he gives us a really good deal.
January 8th, 2022 at 3:56 pm
i dont see us resigning cd3 to a huge contract…i really don’t…
also this might be it for:
suh
jpp
other linemen as well…
somethings gotta give with cappa and stinnie
rojo’s gone
perriman probably won’t make the mistake and leave again…and will latch on as the #3 or 4…with grayson, tyler and scotty…
if brady stays you gotta sign big red…jensen the protector…
yeah it’s so complicated…
that’s why licht tossed his ron burgundy sports coat in the trash a couple years back and dug in and got to work…
this team was built for a 2 title run…
the saints and AB monkey wrenched it big time
January 8th, 2022 at 4:00 pm
Adam, I agree Brady still has the tools but maybe not the drive. If he leaves Gronk will retire, he already stated years ago Brady is his QB and there won’t be another. Now if a team offers him $15mil which they won’t maybe he would play, maybe not. He’s known to not of spent any of.the money he made from football, he lives of endorsements and appearances. I also think if Brady leaves and Bucs don’t replace him with a close equal Godwin will leave. That’s the only problem for getting Brady on the cheap.
January 8th, 2022 at 4:07 pm
Depends what you call “huge.” Top 10? That’s possible. Top-five? Dunno about that.
January 8th, 2022 at 4:22 pm
Next year is PROBably Brady’s last, and as such is OUR last chance at a Super Bowl for the next few years. If there’s a way to keep Godwin short term at a long-term cost, they have to do it
January 8th, 2022 at 4:51 pm
Guys, isn’t Godwin coming off a serious knee injury? Yeah, I know the doctor said surgery was “successful.” Have you ever heard surgery was “not successful” for an NFL player?
Godwin is not gonna get the guaranteed money he would have received if he didn’t have this injury. I bet we resign him, but only if Brady stays.
January 8th, 2022 at 5:01 pm
Brate’s best traits are his smarts, good hands and his awareness of finding open holes in zone defenses.
He struggles vs man defenses because he can’t separate. Much too slow to be targeted vs man coverage.
He is a fine safety blanket but not going to catch anything past 10 yards.
In red zone he’s a money player.
January 8th, 2022 at 5:01 pm
@tbbf- you nailed it.
Brate has far surpassed any expectations once could have had of him coming into the league. There was a 2 or possibly 3 year span where he had the most touchdowns by any tight end in the league. Just crazy considering he is not physically gifted the way many other guys are.
I’m sure it’s just age / career slowly catching up with him. I wouldn’t be so sure that he’s gone next year though. Outside of AB, we seem to have a team full of guys willing to take a little less cash in order to stay together. We’ll see if Brady stays another season or not, as obviously that drives every other player decision.
January 8th, 2022 at 6:44 pm
@ Joe/adam
CD3 will get the franchise tag. Another year to prove himself while giving him a nice payday.
That will insure we bring back all our DBs plus they will re-sign J. Whitehead.
January 8th, 2022 at 7:55 pm
He has good hands and can find openings in seams. Unfortunately there isn’t much else in Brate’s game.
January 8th, 2022 at 8:18 pm
I tell you what, I wanted to draft OJ so bad.
I thought about this years later.
1. He went to Alabama, well so did Ozzie Newsome
2. Ozzie is a HOF TE
3. Ozzie HOF Gm
The Ravens draft before us that year Red Flags everywhere.
It seems like he fights with the ball when trying to catch
Soft hands is needed.
Catch some eggs
January 8th, 2022 at 8:20 pm
They are hiding OJ until the playoffs.
January 8th, 2022 at 11:35 pm
@joe & marine:
i’m all about signing cd3…but not breaking the bank…and yes like lower top 10 type money…like literally around 10…lol
the thing is he didn’t have a great year, so now might actually be the time to sign him…he was banged up a lot…
you can get really get jammed up if he has a huge, healthy year next season with a bundle of picks…
but he sounds like a prime candidate for the franchise tag…that’s a good plan…a little risky if he has a career year – but still a nice plan…
it would be kinda scary to go into next season with dean and smb as corners 1 and 2…
but i do like the 3 of them as a trio – and still as a young developing trio…
and our safetys are a nice group too…all the way down to adams…
and now even sherm – but i don’t see sherm here next year – he could be, you never know – but seems like more of a fill in for all the wacky injuries in the secondary this year…maybe he’ll hang around as a coach like an a.q. shipley
January 9th, 2022 at 12:05 am
@dave:
it’ like he’s been stashed away in grandpa’s attic for 5 years now
January 9th, 2022 at 11:52 am
Cam has always been a very good player in thus team. His best years were before BA and his no use for TEs other than for their blocking. Winston loved him and it showed in his stats. Because he’s not a great blocker his stats now aren’t as good. BA’s biggest weakness is his steadfastness to his no riskit no biskit. Without Brady insisting on Gronk Brate wouldn’t be on this team. Brate is usually a good receiving TE, annuity weapon for Brady