Will New TE Coach Help Cade Otton Soar?
March 21st, 2024
Cade Otton hauls in a TD pass in NFC divisional round.
When the Bucs announced yesterday they hired veteran NFL tight ends coach Justin Peelle and Joe noticed his resume, it brought a smile to Joe’s face.
It seems Peele has a knack for developing some pretty good tight ends.
No, Kyle Pitts has yet to max out his ability in Atlanta. It wasn’t Pitts’ problem that he had Artie Smith as a coach and playcaller who apparently had no clue how to use his talent and for some weird reason, didn’t like throwing Pitts the ball.
Last year, especially the latter part of the 2023 season, Bucs tight end Cade Otton seemed to be taking that next step in his career. It sort of gave Bucs fans a taste of what Otton might be able to accomplish.
Enter Peelle who seems to know how to get his tight ends to actually take that next step.
There is a lot a team can do between now and the start of the season as far as talent acquisition. Yes, Joe understands the Bucs love to sell people on every name on the roster — shoot at the combine Bucs types were trying to hype weekday warriors on the practice squad for crying out loud.
So Joe gets that the Bucs think a lot of Payne Durham. Maybe he will turn out to be something, who knows? But Joe sure would like to see the Bucs sometime this offseason go out and get a tight end who can block. That’s not Otton’s wheelhouse.
(This is not a knock on Otton at all. He’s just not a savage blocker. And if the Bucs find a savage blocking tight end, watch what happens to the run game.)
By freeing up Otton from (some) blocking assignments, Joe thinks that very well could unleash the Washington product.
Regardless, Otton gave Bucs fans some glimpses of what he could be the way he played late last season. Perhaps a solid coach like Peelle could help Otton max out his abilities?
March 21st, 2024 at 12:13 am
otton might just have a big year, if things carry over from down the stretch last year…
and payne durham, somewhere in the back of his mind thinks he’s kinda like gronk with the hands…
and that’s not a bad thing…
and #41 might have taken a step back last year…not sure if it’s on him or on the dave cantalones
March 21st, 2024 at 12:19 am
Who says Van Dam wasn’t a solid coach? Maybe they wanted to move him into more of an X’s and O’s role because he is suited to it and can add to implementation of the offense and gameplanning. So they needed someone to take over his TE responsibilities. I really can’t say, but I have never heard anything to indicate Van Dam wasn’t a good coach. I think people tend to assume because he’s not a household name.
March 21st, 2024 at 12:28 am
I like Otton, but he’s not a superstar – he’s just a solid player.
For Durham, he’s really odd, because his early college tape shows a kid who looks like a big WR, and he moves like one – but he hit a growth spurt I think (and yes, actual growth, not roids) and from one years tape to the next, he looks like a completely different guy – much slower and more lumbering but also much much larger. Perhaps he can regain some of that explosion he showed earlier in his college career after being on an NFL regiment for a year now. In any case he does have very good hands as he seemed to be primarily a pass catching TE early on.
March 21st, 2024 at 1:12 am
I like the concept of the article but I Know that you are kinda depressed that you can’t write about the acquisition of an Edge rusher. Just maybe we get that in the draft and let Cancey and Diaby blossom?
March 21st, 2024 at 3:28 am
I have a feeling Payne Durham is going to become a star.
March 21st, 2024 at 4:27 am
I’m genuinely impressed Joe. Here’s a whole article about a single position group. Not about Baker Mayfield or our edge rushers, but about the whole TE position group. And what we might look for it to be accomplishing this year.
Bucs currently have 5 TEs on our roster. They’re a young group overall with not much experience, but they’re all pretty good sized. Strange though that Otton was on the field for over 96% of our offensive snaps last year. That’s far more than any of our receivers or running backs, and probably says a lot about what the coaches thought of the rest of the TE group.
1 – Cade Otton: 6’5″ & 247 lbs – 24 (2 yrs) – 1064 off snaps
2 – Payne Durham: 6’5″ & 255 lbs – 23 (1 yr) – 128 off snaps
3 – Ko Kieft: 6’5″ & 265 lbs – 26 (2 yrs) – 207 off snaps
4 – David Wells: 6’6″ & 260 lbs – 28 (3 yrs) – 43 off snaps
5 – Tanner Taula: 6’6″ & 255 lbs – 25 (Rookie) –
Cade Otton might not be a great blocker, but he got 3 times as many snaps last year as all the rest of our TE room combined. Payne Durham was hopefully just be a slow-learner, because he only averaged about 10 offensive snaps per game that he played in & was only targeted 7 times total on the season. Ko Kieft saw more action on S/Ts last year (276 snaps) than he did on offense (207 snaps); not good IMO for a guy who’s supposed to be a blocking TE/FB.
Wouldn’t be at all surprised to see the Bucs grab 1 more TE to complement Otton & Durham. Also wouldn’t be surprised if neither Wells nor Kieft nor Taula made the team. If Bucs are gonna have an improved offense, passing AND running, we’ve gotta get more productivity out of our TEs.
March 21st, 2024 at 6:44 am
Usually year 3 for some reason is the season when TEs and WRs break out. If the stretch of playoff games is an indication, then Otton could be a top 10 receiving threat. It’s tough because you don’t wanna give away the run by playing Durham and I feel that’s exactly what we did last year. You have to incorporate some passes to him at some point. I really like his college tape and think he could be a #1 TE. Hoping 12 formation looks good this year when we do run it. I honestly don’t think TE is a position group we add, unless a miracle happens and Bowers falls to the 20s. Id actually give away a pick to get him. I don’t think he makes it past the Jets if they don’t trade up for WR.
March 21st, 2024 at 7:48 am
Payne Durham played with his head – too much thinking instead of letting it fly.
If coach Justin Peelle is as good as they claim, Durham could become that all around tight end.
March 21st, 2024 at 8:04 am
Teach him how to block…. Please.
We know he can catch. Kid gets blown up often!
His block or lack of killed many a play!
March 21st, 2024 at 8:19 am
Anyone know how much 12 we ran last year vs prior? I’d always assumed we did a lot of 12 for Brady’s sake
March 21st, 2024 at 8:26 am
Cpme on Joe, Artie Smith had no QB Sir…..He is a good playcaller…..
He did a quite a lot with that team….
There is a reason why Tomlin called him……
March 21st, 2024 at 8:27 am
While you are at it teach him how to run a proper route. That final interception would not of happened if he ran the correct route. I am assuming it was him because the WR was about 6ft from him when the ball was delivered.
I know this will get the Baker Haters going.
March 21st, 2024 at 8:49 am
Man I have somehow ended up with Kyle PItts on fantasy teams each year he’s been in the league and it’s been disappointing as hell. Now with Cousins there I am going to be tempted again. Maybe i should keep drafting him so that he’s guaranteed to suck for the sake of real life Bucs lol
March 21st, 2024 at 10:02 am
BakerFan Says:
March 21st, 2024 at 8:27 am
While you are at it teach him how to run a proper route. That final interception would not of happened if he ran the correct route. I am assuming it was him because the WR was about 6ft from him when the ball was delivered.
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You are right. Otton was supposed to be underneath the linebackers. The take what the defense gives you theory. He almost collided with Godwin on that play. The Haters won’t ever concede that point. They had been searching all season to hang Mayfield.
March 21st, 2024 at 10:02 am
If you want a blocking TE – take a look at Theo Johnson from Penn State…
March 21st, 2024 at 10:58 am
You can give the guy credit for Pitts 1000 yard rookie season. Ain’t True. It was more Matt Ryan at QB than Peelie coaching him up.
In 2020 the year prior to Pitts arriving Ryan passed for 4600 yards with Calvin Ridley being the go to guy with 1300 yard and TE’s getting around 600.
In 2021 Ridley only made it 5 games and Pitts then became Ryan’s go to guy. If Peelie twisted up Ridley’s leg then yes he was responsible.
In 2022 Pits QB’s were Mariotta and a Rookie Ridder. Pitts was targeted about 60 times and less than 50% got to him. Drake London was the Go to guy.
Some guys just can’t seen to maximize the TE in the offense.
Cousins uses TE’s and regardless of who coaches Pitts this season London and Pitts will both hit the 1K mark. In 2022 Cousins threw for almost 1000 yards to his Tight Ends while still throwing over 1800 yards to Jefferson.
Lavonte and whoever replaces White are going to be their busiest the two games against the Falcons. Oh I forgot they get LaPorta, Kittle, and Kelce too.
Maybe Peelie can game plan a way to stop those Tight Ends that no one seems to be able to.
March 21st, 2024 at 1:06 pm
I’d really like to see Payne get some playing time in this season
March 21st, 2024 at 5:24 pm
Why did peel leave his last job?