Cameron Brate > Kyle Rudolph
July 31st, 2022
Cameron Brate’s Gronk spike.
Don’t get pissed at Joe for the headline. It comes from a true Buccaneers insider with first-hand knowledge of the situation.
Joe always stands and applauds players who are candid when talking to media. Clichés are the enemy of the people. They’re boring AF and nobody wants to hear them.
Sure, a cliché can be wonderfully appropriate, but a string of them makes Joe vomit and it’s why official team websites can sometimes make a fan want to run head first into a padded wall. (Yes, the walls at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters are padded, a remnant of the Commander Schiano years.)
Yesterday, Buccaneers savior linebacker Devin White was asked to name standout tight ends from the first four days of training camp. More specifically, who looks problematic to handle from a linebacker’s perspective. White didn’t toss out a bunch of politically correct babble.
“Man, Cam Brate, everybody know what he can do. You know, he’s the best tight end on the team right now as far as route running and catching the ball,” White said. “But I think Kyle Rudolph, once he gets back in football shape — you know, he didn’t go through an offseason with a team; I’m not assuming because he’s still getting his legs under him — I think he’s going to be pretty good as well because he’s a big target. So man, those two guys. I think those are going to be the two lead guys, as for what I’m seeing going against them.”
Joe really enjoyed that answer.
What a dream scenario for Brate, the nine-year veteran. He’s sitting atop the tight end depth chart on a juggernaut offense and, as he says, “it’s the first offseason I’ve been healthy in like six years.”
All kinds of great stuff in the weekend edition of the Ira Kaufman Podcast following 4 days of camp.
July 31st, 2022 at 12:35 pm
DW is a box of rocks
Sadly that will never change
July 31st, 2022 at 12:46 pm
It’s the best case scenario that we’ve been dealt with. No Gronk means team effort…GO BUCS
July 31st, 2022 at 12:56 pm
Hey, I’d love Brate to be great, but in the past two seasons he hasn’t done anything great, so… not really expecting any miracles this year. But we can always hope.
July 31st, 2022 at 1:02 pm
Of course you always want what you don’t have, we have good TE’s that can perform their roles in the offense.
Look around the league and we are no where near the 2022 type of TE that can break the back of a defense.
Basically WR’s skills and speed but in the body of a typical TE
July 31st, 2022 at 1:21 pm
Brate is at best, a backup TE. Who cares what he does in camp. I’m sure he’s had great camps before. They didn’t draft two TEs, simply because of Gronks uncertainty. If either one pans out, Brates days as a buc are numbered.
July 31st, 2022 at 1:22 pm
“Man, Cam Brate, everybody know what he can do.
____________
SB~LV
It ain’t be his fault.
He be going to LSU, which mean:
Language Studies Unnecessary.
He skrong though…..
July 31st, 2022 at 1:28 pm
Ummm, read that last sentence again.
Pretty scary stuff for your supposed #1 guy.
I will cross my fingers one of the rookies makes a large impact this year.
July 31st, 2022 at 1:29 pm
@ Dooosh
Can you lay off DW please?
He dindo nuffin!
July 31st, 2022 at 1:37 pm
Why does this site have so much negativity about the Bucs players that we are supposed to love if we are here? Keep telling someone how awful they are and they will many times become that. Brate did fine last year in his role. DW spent the off-season dedicated to working on his craft. He should be his old fantastic self this year(barring injury) or even better.
July 31st, 2022 at 1:46 pm
Brate wasn’t his best last year but he did make some clutch catches, one example was the TD against the Jets on 4th down. Very cool DW is giving him some love. Like ME13 gave love to TJ. Teammates supporting teammates. Kumbaya.
July 31st, 2022 at 2:04 pm
What’s wrong with the headline? Cameron Brate > Kyle Rudolf…….
July 31st, 2022 at 2:34 pm
People are so ridiculous about Brate. Dude is clutch and is two TD’s away from overtaking Jimmie Giles for second all time receiving TDs. He’s a bona fide Bucs legend.
July 31st, 2022 at 2:35 pm
“Padded walls at JBF world HQ remnant of Commander Schiano years”
Sure could’ve used some at my house back then.
Love the analysis, Joe, but that’s the first time this site has made me LOL.
July 31st, 2022 at 3:48 pm
Crickett, never fall in love with the product. That’s what Red Auerbach always said. Teams should always look to improve, at every position possible. Fans that champion all players, without critique, bring nothing to the discussion. If every move is unimpeachable, and all the players are great, then what’s left to discuss?
Brate is what he is. A serviceable backup TE. Nothing wrong with that. Just don’t elevate him to pro bowl status. All fans should keep a critical eye. Joe’s site is built on that premise.
July 31st, 2022 at 3:49 pm
Cade > Kyle > Ko > Brate
That’s how I see the season playing out.
July 31st, 2022 at 3:53 pm
Can brate is a beast if your an actually BUCS fan and not a pretender then you will know this he has been Mr consistent year in and year out when his number has been called he got sure hands agile and can move the chains u can always count on him for a tough first down if needed. He just got barrier on the depth chart behind Gronk and had to split time with injury prone oj Howard but my dude is gna show out this year mark my words and he saying this the first time he been fully healthy in training camp for like 6 years
Watch out Mr reliable is gna do numbers this year Brady’s gna make him break records seeing the field most the time with Kyle Rudolph as well you know the BUCS run a two tight end set a majority of the play calls so both tight ends will benefit greatly with fornette strong brushing running game and for get what a match up nightmare it be for defense to try double teams evens (won’t be able to now) match up against both brate and Rudolf tight ends fornette in the back field Godwin in the slot Julio Jones on weak side and gauge how can you stop that topped off with Tom Brady’s fastest release in football dink dunk then bomb down field paired with elite offensive line andwith all those options NFL watch out easily put up 30-40 points a game get ready to fire those cannons this year y’all I like Brady(that says he got a chip on his shoulder unfinished business from the goats mouth) I like TB12 to put up record numbers having the single best statistical season for any QB in a single season ever records will be falling yall
July 31st, 2022 at 4:13 pm
More Brate hate from the supposed fans. Brate should have made the pro bowl in 2016 and 2017. He led TEs in Tuddies and had close to 60 catches in each of those seasons. I think DW should know what he’s talking about. I’m hoping he has a standout year. Go bucs.
July 31st, 2022 at 4:18 pm
How in the world can there be hate for Cam Brate…..he was a UDFA….cost us zero draft picks and played solid for years….has taken pay cuts to help with cap
July 31st, 2022 at 4:33 pm
Candid, honest answer. What more can you ask for.
July 31st, 2022 at 5:10 pm
…”as far as route running and catching the ball”.
That is not the definition of a complete TE capable of replacing Gronkowski. We know Brate can run and catch. It’s the rest. Until he greatly improves on those other important things, and becomes more reliable as that pass catcher, no, he is a decent TE2 or TE3. Exactly who and what he is.
July 31st, 2022 at 5:48 pm
So many here are clueless about Brate.
He is a great TE. Top 10 in the league.
July 31st, 2022 at 5:51 pm
I love Brate. He’s the best TE in the league. Nobody can match his skills. He should’ve started over Gronk, and should start over Rudolph. For Christ sake folks, if they loved him so much, why did they draft two TEs, and sign a proven vet. Read the writing on the wall.
July 31st, 2022 at 7:16 pm
Brate is a good TE and Brady trusts him in key situations. He’s not going to drag 3 defenders 15 yards downfield after contact like Gronk (name another TE who can) but he runs good routes and has good hands. As for his blocking, there are other TE options for that on this team but Brate can do the job. There is no other Gronk on this or any other team so comparisons, trying to make up for Gronk’s overall contributions is fruitless. If the rookies pan out as expected then the Bucs have probably the best TE group in the league. I’m excited for preseason to see what they can all do.
July 31st, 2022 at 7:39 pm
Devin learned English from leftwich. Not sure lefty ever gets a hc job until he learns a different language. That’s a tough sell on the news every day
July 31st, 2022 at 8:02 pm
Who’s gonna block like Gronk?
July 31st, 2022 at 8:05 pm
Ain’t nothing wrong with Brate, glad we have him.
July 31st, 2022 at 8:48 pm
Our TE corps is fine. They probably would block more since our wide receivers are top line anyways. Toms gonna feed them first, then RB then TE. Last weapon would be Tom sprinting for 11 yards
July 31st, 2022 at 8:53 pm
Darin,
I don’t disagree with your line of thinking about the MASTERMIND BL, you need to remember that the POTUS isn’t exactly a wordsmith himself.
Fun times.
July 31st, 2022 at 9:50 pm
Brate deserves to be treated with respect. More than I can say about some of the bad mouthers on here most of whom could not run around the block without gasping for air.
July 31st, 2022 at 11:51 pm
Darin ……….. Spot On and this is after College 😔🤨😌…….for the love of elementary graduation !!! Joe just ignore the quotes, skip the quotation marks and corrects the english for them.
After All that’s what happened to furnish said result !!
August 1st, 2022 at 12:37 am
Codey got screwed again. Reminds me of Earnest Graham. Never given a chance
August 1st, 2022 at 4:36 am
As some mentioned, Brate is a 1 dimensional rotational TE but solid. With additions of Gage and Julio i dont see Brate seeing the field all that much. Heavy does of 3/4 wr sets with Fournette on the field. Rudolph will be the inline TE in most situations due to his accomplish blocking skills and just as reliable in the passing game. Brate will only see the field in empty sets when Bucs are playing catch up or which should be rare.
August 1st, 2022 at 6:37 am
If Pats Fan is right (and he likely is), Brave should be on the chopping block. The team has too many WR’s and TE’s.
August 1st, 2022 at 7:00 pm
Don’t forget though, Brady likes making big plays to the TE position; he can effectively “screw-with” opposition defenses and keep them guessing.
When Gronk was easing-in during the first half-season of 2021, Brate got a lot of work, and exceeded expectations in an impressive way, imo.
In fact, aside from the great Mike Evans, AB and Godwin, Brate was definitely that “other valuable player” for the Brady-offense in 2021.
There doesn’t seem to be any reason why Brate can’t return to that important, contributing-role this year.