Behind The Scenes At Tight End
October 20th, 2023
Extra work.
Sorry, Coach Bowles, but when your brief, on-field news conference was on YouTube after practice today, Joe was much more interested in what was happening in the background.
Over Bowles’ shoulder was quarterback Baker Mayfield working 1-on-1 after practice with Payne Durham, the rookie tight end who got his first snaps of the season Sunday against the Lions. After a couple of routes/throws, the duo walked off the field together talking.
What a tipoff that is for how Durham is progressing. And seemingly right on cue, Bowles was asked about Durham.
He repeated a lot of what was said about the rookie all spring and summer — before Durham rode the bench through September.
“He’s been practicing great,” Bowles said of Durham. “He’s a gritty guy. He’s tall. He’s very good in the red zone as a target. He’s tought out in space. So we look for him to get some touches.”
Durham is 6-6, 253 pounds and has good hands. He certainly should beat out Ko Kieft, an overmatched fullback and good special teams player, and David Wells at tight end.
Durham caught his one target for a first down against the Lions on Sunday, and Joe suspects his time more formally will arrive Sunday against the Falcons.
October 20th, 2023 at 2:11 pm
Boiler up!
October 20th, 2023 at 2:35 pm
Would love to see Durham blocking out in space, I would imagine he’s much more effective than what we’ve seen from everyone else so far.
October 20th, 2023 at 2:40 pm
I hope he is a better blocker also. And can break tackles to pick up first downs. Not come up a yard or two short.
October 20th, 2023 at 2:45 pm
Cade Otten has been run blocking just awful this year.
That’s a problem.
October 20th, 2023 at 3:22 pm
“He’s a gritty guy.”
Means he’s slow.
Looked really slow in his last year in college, and looked even slower in the preseason.
His college tape is very odd, because in some of it, the guy looks like a faster Cameron Brate, then in other, he looks like a lumbering slow, no way it makes it in the NFL guy. I mean it’s a massive spilt. Then you go a little deeper and what you find is that in his early college days, he was basically a big WR – and I guess he went through a massive growth spurt before his last year, because he looks like a completely different guy (and not in a good way in my opinion). Also, when I say growth spurt, I mean that, I’m not saying he roided up, he literally looks like a lot taller and bigger – and much slower.
Anywho, for him to beat out anyone, he needs to get a lot faster, and maybe that’s happened. But personally I wouldn’t expect anything from him. Would love to be proved wrong.
October 20th, 2023 at 3:30 pm
I like that Mayfield is working with him.
October 20th, 2023 at 3:45 pm
I wouldn’t call what Otton has been doing run blocking.
October 20th, 2023 at 3:58 pm
The tight end, running back, interior O-line and safety positions need to be upgraded on this team.
I hope we can address those issues next Spring in the draft.
Cade Otton is NOT a TE1. He would be OK as a TE2 but we need a REAL NFL TE1 on this team…
October 20th, 2023 at 4:28 pm
This is befuddling. Mayfield, Wirfs, Feiler, Hainsey, Mauch & Goedeke have all been on the field for all of the 313 offensive snaps in our 5 games. Otton has been on the field for 303 of those 313 offensive snaps (97%) and has been targeted only 17 times, with 13 catches for only 104 yards. And now we find out that his blocking sucks?
Rachaad White has been on the field for 242 of those 313 offensive snaps (77%) and has touched the ball for 70 rushes (232 yards) and has also been targeted 17 times, with 16 catches for 98 yards. Rachaad’s thus been the focus of 87 plays (36% of the snaps he was on the field and 28% of all of our offensive snaps) & has produced 330 yards of offense.
So right there are 2 starters who’ve played almost all of the offensive snaps in our 5 games who’ve produced a total of 434 yards of offense between them in 104 touches/targets. Meanwhile, Mike Evans (who many have been downtrodden about) has 386 yards all by himself in only 41 targets (24 catches). Chris Godwin meanwhile has 332 yards himself in only 37 targets (27 catches).
So between them, they’ve produced 718 yards in a lot fewer (88) targets. And THAT’S why Mike & Chris are our 2 big dogs. Time to let the big dogs hunt.
October 20th, 2023 at 5:02 pm
It could be Mayfield was practicing his throwing with the biggest target we have in hopes of improving his accuracy.
October 20th, 2023 at 5:24 pm
Lol, Munch. “Means he’s slow.”
October 20th, 2023 at 6:10 pm
Can he block?
Can anyone of our tight ends block?
Otton seems to whiff on 50% of his blocks…
October 20th, 2023 at 6:11 pm
Defense Rules Says:
October 20th, 2023 at 4:28 pm
….Time to let the big dogs hunt
____________________________________________
Amen.
October 20th, 2023 at 6:33 pm
Awesome as usual DR
That tells me so much.
Otton should be targeted more and run block less duh.
Durham needs to have a 70/30 split for Otton to even be effective.
But for your TE1 to have as many targets as your RB1 is just wrong.
Unless of course you are Christian McCaffery.
I would rather see a sixth lineman than Otton try to block.
Would probably have equal or more production still in the passing game actually.
I agree we should let the Big Dogs hunt, but not until the little dog (Otton) stays on the porch some.
October 20th, 2023 at 6:45 pm
BillyBucco … ‘I would rather see a sixth lineman than Otton try to block.’
Love that idea. Bucs used that a lot when BA was here, but seem to have moved away from it lately. I’m sure they consider it to be a ‘tell’, but who’ll care about that if the OLineman starts mowing down defenders?
October 20th, 2023 at 8:23 pm
Awesome again DR
Rod – I noticed the same thing about Payne’s college tape – slower as he grew, but at his size – just block and find the soft spots in the D. Gronk wasn’t fast.
October 20th, 2023 at 8:26 pm
And, if I may…. Bring the Payne!
Sorry about that
October 20th, 2023 at 8:48 pm
Otton tiotally whiffed on key blocks last week om the rrun game
. Look for the rookie tight end to get more and more playing time if Otton keeps missing blocks
October 20th, 2023 at 9:35 pm
He needs to be out there every red zone, that was his knack. And we are struggling there
October 20th, 2023 at 9:37 pm
On the using 6 OL’s mentioned previously, sub stinnie at guard and mauch to TE
October 20th, 2023 at 10:45 pm
@statguy
Very smart.
Mauch is a very tight end.
Demar Dotson should have been used as a red zone TE.
The guy was 6-7 and a former division 1 basketball player.
Why do so many coaches lack creativity?
October 20th, 2023 at 11:03 pm
@ Rod-
Durham went down in weight each year at Purdue, didn’t get bigger. . Went in mid 260’s, left 250 LBs. Was never a WR type. Played a lot of tight slot but always short routes. Dude, you gotta get better at research.
October 21st, 2023 at 2:33 am
I hope they target him and he can block.
That is all.
Go Bucs!
October 21st, 2023 at 8:43 am
74 Bucs Fan says: “Gronk wasn’t fast”
Surely age and injuries slowed down the big fella later in his career but let’s compare 40 times (assuming these are all from the combine).
T. Kelce: 4.61
Gronk: 4.68
Otton: 4.78
Durham: 4.87
Kelce and Gronk are (were) two exceptional TEs, so it’s not really fair to compare our young guys to them. They both have the field awareness to find the open areas and that comes with experience and connection with a QB.
If Kelce was a WR, you could say his blockingnis pretty good
October 21st, 2023 at 9:44 am
Thanks for the 40 times @glass half full. How much difference do those fractions of a second actually make. Run a better route, take a step in a slightly different direction and those fractions disappear.
Watched a lot of Purdue games while Durham was there and coach Brohm was a pass happy guy that hated running the ball. Durham was always open and when it was contested he came down with the ball more often than not. The guy can can catch the ball. My big question is whether he can block. Just wasn’t asked to do it in college and just not a big part of their scheme.
October 21st, 2023 at 10:09 am
Thanks, DR. Otton can catch much better than block. I always thought that’s why he was brought here. Kieft is more of a blocker/fullback, perhaps? I have to agree with why Canales is not fully utilizing GodzillaCD14? I can understand ME13 and that hammy, but CG14? It’s like he’s having a vacation out there. Also, for all the badmouthing White get on here, he sure can catch and block. A lot of this is on Canales.
October 21st, 2023 at 10:10 am
Whoops, CG14 not CD14. He’s one of my fave players, too.
October 21st, 2023 at 11:23 am
Rod Munch Says:
October 20th, 2023 at 3:22 pm
“He’s a gritty guy.”
Means he’s slow.
Looked really slow in his last year in college, and looked even slower in the preseason.
His college tape is very odd, because in some of it, the guy looks like a faster Cameron Brate, then in other, he looks like a lumbering slow, no way it makes it in the NFL guy. I mean it’s a massive spilt. Then you go a little deeper and what you find is that in his early college days, he was basically a big WR – and I guess he went through a massive growth spurt before his last year, because he looks like a completely different guy (and not in a good way in my opinion). Also, when I say growth spurt, I mean that, I’m not saying he roided up, he literally looks like a lot taller and bigger – and much slower.
Anywho, for him to beat out anyone, he needs to get a lot faster, and maybe that’s happened. But personally I wouldn’t expect anything from him. Would love to be proved wrong
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You know which TE looked super slow and lumbering on tape last year? That big TE from Georgia the Steelers drafted. Dude ran a 4.5 at the Combine. I just don’t see it on tape. Explain that puzzle.
October 21st, 2023 at 11:26 am
40 times. Anybody forget that Tony Gonzalez ran a 4.78? Or that OJ Howard was 4.51? Speed and separation are different at TE. For every 4.5 TE that lives up to his speed like Kittles, you have another like Virgil Green that doesn’t.