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About the Author: Scott Reynolds

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Scott Reynolds is in his 28th year of covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the vice president, publisher and senior Bucs beat writer for PewterReport.com. Author of the popular SR's Fab 5 column on Fridays, Reynolds oversees web development and forges marketing partnerships for PewterReport.com in addition to his editorial duties. A graduate of Kansas State University in 1995, Reynolds spent six years giving back to the community as the defensive coordinator/defensive line coach for his sons' Pop Warner team, the South Pasco Predators. Reynolds can be reached at: [email protected]

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SR’s Fab 5 is a collection of inside scoop, analysis and insight from yours truly, PewterReport.com publisher and Bucs beat writer Scott Reynolds. Here are a few things that caught my attention this week at One Buc Place and around the NFL.

FAB 1. Brate’s Brilliance On Display In Tampa Bay

When NFL fans think of current, dominant tight ends, the names Rob Gronkowski (New England), Travis Kelce (Kansas City), Zach Ertz (Philadelphia), Hunter Henry (San Diego) quickly come to mind. The name that is notably absent is the one that’s on the minds of Tampa Bay fans.

Cameron Brate.

DgdsquarehurricaneAlthough he’s only been in the NFL for less than four years, he’s become the most prolific tight end in Buccaneers history – and the rest of the league. While Bucs Ring of Honor inductee Jimmie Giles holds the touchdown reception record in Tampa Bay with 34 career scores, he only scored 13 of those TDs in his first 48 games with the Bucs.

“The coaches put me in good spots every week,” Brate said. “We have so many other good targets, especially down there in the red zone, defenses are going to have a tough time taking all of us away. Having a receiver like Mike Evans down there definitely helps us down there. If they single cover Mike, we’re going to throw it to Mike. Usually we’ll get one-on-one matchups across the rest of the field so quarterbacks look my way. Hopefully I hang on to it.”

Brate has 15 touchdowns in his first 39 games in Tampa Bay, including TDs in the last four games, which is a team-record for consecutive scores among Bucs tight ends. Giles only scored touchdowns in three consecutive games, but had seven TDs within a three-game span in 1985, including four scores in a 41-38 loss at Miami on Monday Night Football. Giles had a touchdown the next game against New England and then two at New York against the Giants.

As a former undrafted free agent out of Harvard, Brate’s sudden emergence as a red zone threat for quarterback Jameis Winston has been nothing short of brilliant.

“Cam has a great feel for creating space in tight quarters,” Bucs offensive coordinator Todd Monken said. “He’s very capable of making contested catches. He has a great rapport with Jameis. No one stays after longer [after practice] than he does in developing that. Those would be the three biggest factors: ball placement, competing for it and creating space.”

Brate beat out Austin Seferian-Jenkins, a former second-round pick, for the starting job last year, and became the lone weapon at tight end after Seferian-Jenkins’ departure before Week 3. His eight touchdowns last year was tied for the most in the league among tight ends, and also tied Giles for the most touchdowns by a tight end in Tampa Bay.

During the 2016-17 seasons, Brate’s 11 touchdowns are the most among tight ends, ahead of Henry (10), Minnesota’s Kyle Rudolph (nine), Ertz (eight) and San Diego’s future Hall of Famer Antonio Gates (eight). Brate’s four touchdowns thus far in 2017 rank him seventh in the league for touchdown receptions league-wide.

Brate’s success comes as no surprise to his agent, Joe Linta.

Bucs Te Cam Brate – Photo By: Mark Lomoglio/Pr

Bucs TE Cam Brate – Photo by: Mark Lomoglio/PR

“It doesn’t surprise because when I scouted him at Harvard years ago I thought this could happen,” Linta said. “If it wasn’t for Jason Licht trusting me to at least look at him none of this would have happened. We owe everything to Jason on this one.

“Thank God J. trusted me enough to bring him in and give him a look because he had been to two tryouts and hadn’t been signed,” Linta said. “Without J., who knows where Cam would be right now?”

The Bucs are thrilled that he’s in Tampa Bay. What they aren’t happy with is the lack of respect he gets from the media.

“I don’t really read the media, but I’m not surprised he doesn’t get the respect he deserves,” Bucs tight end Luke Stocker said. “But I don’t think anybody on the team is surprised by what he’s doing. Going all the way back to last year, every day at practice we’re in a red zone drill and he just shows up constantly and consistently. That’s carried over to the game field. Even last year he had eight touchdowns. This year I’m not surprised at all. I expect him to continue to do good things for us.”

Tampa Bay receiver Adam Humphries, who is also Brate’s roommate, feels like this could be the year where Brate gets his just due around the league.

“I feel like he’s done enough to earn some credit and some stardom,” Humphries said. “In this locker room we think highly of him and think he is one of the best in the league. Also, we have a ton of playmakers in our offense. It’s fun when the ball is spread around like that. I think the first game was the only game he didn’t score in. Obviously he’s clutch and knows how to score.”

Linta is keeping close tabs on Brate’s numbers and how they stack up with other tight end ends. Brate will be a restricted free agent next year, and if Tampa Bay comes with the right contract numbers on a multi-year extension rather than a one-year tender, Linta and Licht could make the talented tight end a Buccaneer for quite a while. A Pro Bowl berth would only make Brate worth more.

Bucs Te Cameron Brate And Qb Jameis Winston - Photo By: Cliff Welch/Pr

Bucs TE Cameron Brate and QB Jameis Winston – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“That’s just how it is sometimes,” Linta said. “Sometimes the media and others don’t give him as much praise as they should. He is right up there with those Pro Bowl guys. He works hard and puts up the numbers every game. For the past three seasons he’s done it. He’s right up there with those guys. All the players in the league, we know. Everybody realizes it. Most of the media people realize it but sometimes it just doesn’t work out that way.”

Brate is humble to be considered as one of the league’s top tight ends.

“It’s pretty cool just to be in the same category as some of those guys,” Brate said. “Those are guys that in the offseason I’ll look at their film and try to pick up some of the things that they do. I’m just trying to get better every day. That’s always been my goal. It’s helped get me to where I’m at now. I’m just going to keep using that as my mantra and hopefully keep getting better.”

After Brate scored eight touchdowns last season, he and his agent were shocked when the Bucs made Alabama tight end O.J. Howard the team’s first-round pick in April.

“They went to great lengths right away to make it known to Cam that he was still a huge part of the offense,” Linta said. “Other than the five-second shock when it happened, it was placated pretty quickly and I don’t think it could have gone any better than it’s gone for him this year.”

Despite Howard’s draft status, it’s clear he’s the second tight end on the totem pole for now with Brate emerging as a touchdown machine for a second straight year.

“Cam does a great job preparing for the game,” Howard said. “He practices hard. He just does a great job running routes as far as selling routes to get open and seeing the coverages – that all starts with preparing. He sits down and looks at the defense all week long. When he goes out there on game day he know what is going to happen before they even do it. He just showed me how to do that. I’m definitely watching.”

Because Dirk Koetter’s offense prominently features two tight ends, there is room for both Brate and Howard in Tampa Bay. It will be interesting to see how Brate finishes the season and how soon Licht and director of football administration Mike Greenberg approach Linta about a contract extension. Linta told me that hasn’t happened just yet.

“Nothing more than just friendly talk because I’m friends with those guys,” Linta said. “It’s more friendship talk than contract negotiations. He got screwed by one game, and that didn’t allow him to be a free agent now, which kind of hurt, but rules are rules. Obviously between now and this time next year the rubber will meet the road and they’ll have to determine if he’s a guy they want for the long term.”

Bucs Te Cameron Brate - Photo By: Mark Lomoglio/Pr

Bucs TE Cameron Brate – Photo by: Mark Lomoglio/PR

Brate only played in five games during his rookie season, which didn’t allow him to accrue a full year’s worth of experience in the league. That does give the Bucs an advantage with Brate only being a restricted free agent in 2018. Linta said he’s fine with whatever avenue Licht wants to take.

“I wouldn’t be mad because they are allowed to do it,” Linta said about the possibility of a one-year tender. “I respect that, just like they can’t get mad at me for turning down something they want to do. Everybody plays by the rules and J. and I go back a long time and there is a lot of respect from him to me and from me to him.”

With more touchdowns, more respect will come for him, and sooner or later the rest of the league will recognize Brate’s brilliance.

“The media will take notice eventually,” Linta said. “The difference between him and the top guys is publicity, not ability. The ability is the same. You can put up any of the top guys against him and Cam’s right there. That catch against the Patriots was nothing short of Pro Bowlish.”

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