After four seasons with the Bucs, tight end Cade Otton is a free agent for the first time in his career. While Otton has developed from a backup into a quality starter, there are questions about his future in Tampa Bay. The 2022 fourth-round pick is coming off an up-and-down year, one that saw him disappear within Josh Grizzard’s offense for long stretches but also flash the same promise he did in 2024 as a reliable pass-catcher.

When it comes to whether Otton will stay with the team or leave in free agency, there are quite a few factors at play.

Will The Bucs Be Able To Invest A Draft Pick Into Finding A Better Tight End?

For as strong as the Bucs offense was in 2024 and entered 2025 being on paper, things just did not come together as expected. With Todd Bowles needing a scapegoat after going 2-7 down the stretch, that led to the firing of offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard. Tampa Bay’s next play-caller might offer hope that Cade Otton, along with the rest of the offense, can improve in 2026.

Bucs TE Cade Otton – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Otton is an average tight end for the position, serving as a jack-of-all-trades type of player. He is a chain-mover but does not consistently stretch the field. There have been noticeable strides as a blocker since his rookie year, but no one will confuse him with Rob Gronkowski. It is clear that Otton can be an upgradeable piece, but it is not a simple equation as it relates to the team investing a draft pick in someone else.

There is truly only one tight end with a first-round grade in the 2026 NFL Draft, and that is Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq. Sadiq would be a fine player to invest in and bank on his athleticism allowing him to develop into an above-average player.

The only problem?

The Bucs must invest heavily on all three levels of the defense, and the tight end class gets weaker beyond Sadiq.

Bucs GM Jason Licht – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

General manager Jason Licht has not been shy about drafting the best player available, but one can argue the offense has enough premium pass-catchers and does not need to rely on Otton to be anything more than a fifth option. When injuries have befallen the wide receiver room in each of the past two seasons, he has shown an ability to step up into a lead role.

Licht could argue that is all the position requires, and that Otton, Payne Durham, and Devin Culp are a fine young trio that can do the dirty work and contribute when needed. Tight end is truly the only starting position on offense that needs an upgrade, with the unit in good shape entering next year. For what it is worth, Otton fits his role well and has developed a great relationship with quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Cade Otton Ended The Year On A High Note

Another feather in Cade Otton’s cap is that he finished the year on a high note. Otton was a volatile member of the Bucs’ offense last season, finishing eight games with 25 or less receiving yards and five games with 50 or more receiving yards. When it came time to make a last impression in Week 18, he saved his best game for when Tampa Bay needed to win to stay in the playoff hunt. He caught his only touchdown of the year in that 16-14 win over the Panthers, adding seven catches for a season-high 94 yards.

Otton told Pewter Report after that game earlier this month about how it felt being a such a focal part of the offense. Baker Mayfield knows just how “reliable” he can be when asked.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and TE Cade Otton – Photo by: USA Today

“It means a lot,” Otton said. “It means a lot coming from Baker for him to say that. I just try to do my job each and every day, each and every game. As a tight end, you’re not always part of the pass game, sometimes you are. You just got to be focused on team success.”

In that game and throughout the year, he was also asked to take on more responsibility as a blocker. With the offensive line dealing with an assortment of injuries, Otton was also a reliable extra set of hands at the line of scrimmage while playing 93% of the offensive snaps.

“I take a lot of pride in that, in being an extension of the O-line,” Otton added. “Just having that mentality of, ‘You’re going to win your one-on-ones in the run game.’ Then doing the pass game, too, it’s very unique about the tight end position.”

What Is Cade Otton’s Value?

At this point, there is no questioning that Cade Otton is valued by the Bucs, but is that value relative to his price tag fit Tampa Bay’s salary cap picture?

Pewter Report’s Josh Queipo recently provided a full financial outlook for the team heading into the offseason, placing Otton’s APY (average per year) valuation around $12.5 million per year. Queipo predicts that the team will have roughly $50 million to spend in free agency and will likely allocate about $20 million of it toward signing wide receiver Mike Evans.

Is Otton worth such a large slice of the remaining pie?

Bucs GM Jason Licht and assistant GM Mike Greenberg – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

That is where things are debatable.

While he can be relied on for playing a majority of the offensive snaps, does his overall production warrant the cost?

He finished last season with 59 catches for 572 yards and just one touchdown. Those numbers are down from what he did in two fewer games in 2024, when he had 59 catches for 600 yards and four touchdowns.

That production also begs the question – is there anymore ceiling to his game, or has he reached his potential?

Would a room of Payne Durham and Devin Culp, plus maybe a Day 2-3 draft pick or cheaper free agent signing, provide similar output?

There is an array of free agents at the position that either the team could target or might lessen Otton’s market. Kyle Pitts, David Njoku, and Dallas Goedert are among the top options around the same price point with plenty of inexpensive veterans also available.

Cade Otton’s future in Tampa Bay is uncertain, with it being a layered argument one could see either way. How the Bucs approach Otton’s future will serve as a microcosm for how the front office utilizes its remaining cap space to get aggressive in free agency and build the team to compete next season.