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BY IRA KAUFMAN

He’s waiting in the weeds, where he’s most comfortable.

NFL scouts once dismissed Cameron Brate as an overachiever at Harvard who would never amount to much at the pro level. The Bucs took a chance on the undrafted tight end, but soon they would select O.J. Howard in the first round — a bigger, faster target for Jameis Winston.

Seventh-year tight end Cameron Brate

Now Brate has to fend off Howard and new addition Rob Gronkowski for playing time as Tom Brady slings footballs to an impressive array of targets.

Don’t sleep on the Ivy League guy.

Let’s not forget that Brate caught 20 TD passes over a three-year span, despite a torn hip labrum in 2018 that required offseason surgery. A rib injury slowed his production last season, but Brate has already made a strong impression on his new quarterback.

“He’s really been fun to work with,” Brady said after Friday’s practice at Raymond James Stadium. “I had always watched him from afar. I can’t say enough good things about him. We’ve got a really strong group there.”

Brate won’t ever catch 85 passes in a season like Travis Kelce or George Kittle. He’s never going to be a prime pickup in a fantasy league, but Brate will have every opportunity to emerge as a key contributor for the Bucs this fall.

Why? Good question, considering Brady has Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Gronkowski and Howard as attractive options.

Brady craves dependability — and that is Brate’s calling card. He rarely drops a ball, although he had a whopper last season during the late stages of a 23-20 loss against the Texans.

Winston put the ball right in his tight end’s hands on a 4th-and-3 play, but Brate couldn’t complete the reception. Buc fans from Sun City to Seminole gasped in disbelief that Brate failed to keep the chains moving. He couldn’t believe it, either, holding both hands up to his helmet as he ran off the field.

That critical drop was very much an outlier for Brate, whose 66.6 percent career catch rate dwarfs Evans’ 55.3 percent figure.

“Brate’s moving real, real well and looking good,” Bruce Arians said Friday. “I think his hip surgery is well behind him.”

Just when he figured he had put those hip and rib issues behind him, Brate contracted the coronavirus this spring. He has recovered fully, in time to get his timing down with Brady.

Dependability + Targets

If Brate stays healthy, there’s every reason to believe he’ll score at least a half-dozen touchdowns. The guy knows how to get open, especially in the red zone, where Brady has thrived for two decades.

The thing about Brady that Tampa Bay players are starting to realize is he holds himself to the same high standard he applies to others.

But first, he has to trust you. Running an imprecise pattern chips away at that trust. Failing to make the catch off an accurate pass is deemed another breach.

Those have been issues for Howard in the past. He’s enjoying a good camp, but the real test comes Sept. 13 in the Superdome. Brady demands reliability, and that’s Brate’s sweet spot. Unlike Howard, he won’t turn a 14-yard slant into a 65-yard score, but he’ll make the tough catch in traffic.

And like every one of his teammates, Brate has felt the Brady Effect.

“He has raised the expectations that we have for ourselves,” Brate says. “We’re going to have more eyes on us. It’s super exciting for us to have those expectations.”

My expectations for Brate have also been raised.

There’s only one football to go around, but Brate has the skill set to generate his share of targets. Brady is seeking dependable pros who are focused on doing their job.

You can come out of the weeds now, Mr. Brate.

Like this entire football team, your time is now.

Bill Currie Ford
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5815 N. Dale Mabry Hwy.
Tampa, FL 33614
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Ira Kaufman’s column is presented by Bill Currie Ford. Click on Ira to visit BillCurrieFord.com.