Where Does Bucs' TE Group Rank in the NFL?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers already had one of the NFL's most talented tight end tandems in Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard, but they made it a three-headed monster when they lured Rob Gronkowski out of retirement and acquired him via trade from the New England Patriots earlier this offseason.
Not only do the Bucs have a pair of Pro Bowl wide receivers, but they also have arguably the deepest tight end group in the entire NFL.
But how does their group overall stack up against the rest of the league's depth charts at tight end? The latest rankings from Pro Football Focus puts them at No. 4, trailing the the Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.
PFF's Steve Palazzolo still thinks Gronk could have a big impact for the Bucs, even if he's not what he once was:
While Gronkowski sat out the 2019 season and wasn’t even the same dominant player when he did play in 2018, his nine-year career was perhaps the best stretch of tight end play in NFL history. He has six seasons with 90.0-plus receiving grades, he’s an excellent blocker and even if he’s not the same Hall of Fame-caliber talent, just having his familiarity with quarterback Tom Brady is a huge win for the Bucs.
Howard has been hit-or-miss since the Bucs took him in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, but his rare combination of size and athleticism still gives him plenty of upside, as Palazzolo notes:
Howard has had a roller-coaster start to his career, grading at 61.4 as a rookie, 89.1 in his second year and 54.7 last season. He has the size, speed and long frame to win up the seam, and even with the ups and downs, Howard is still averaging an impressive 15.5 yards per reception over his career.
And While Brate may not have the flash or upside of the other two, his reliability and consistency should still make him a significant part of Tampa Bay's offense in 2020, even if the depth at the position gives him fewer opportunities to shine this year:
Meanwhile, Brate has seen his production decrease after two strong years in 2016 and 2017, but he’s a solid backup receiving option, especially if Gronkowski and Howard return to form. The potential is through the roof for this tight end corps, but it will all depend on Gronkowski’s condition and Howard looking like his 2018 self.
Yes, there will be plenty of mouths for Tom Brady to feed in the Tampa Bay passing game this season, but that's a fantastic problem for a veteran quarterback to have. Brady should take full advantage of the depth and complementary skill sets of his three tight ends, making opposing defenses respect multiple targets at every level of the field.
