Former LSU Offensive Coordinator Gives High Praise to New Buccaneers Tight End

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' tight end room needed some help in the offseason, and general manager Jason Licht made sure to address that need in the NFL Draft this year.

Greg Auman of Fox Sports was able to speak with former LSU Offensive Coordinator Joe Sloan to speak with him about new Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tight End Bauer Sharp, who the Bucs selected in the sixth round of the NFL Draft. Sloan gave some great insight into the type of player that Sharp is going to be and what he will provide the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Nov 22, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers tight end Bauer Sharp (10) reacts to making a first down against Western Kentucky Hilltoppers defensive back Avarion Cole (16) during the second half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Sloan now finds himself as the offensive coordinator at Kentucky, but still had some great words to say about the ability that Sharp has, as well as the type of attitude and mentality that he is going to give the Buccaneers.

"I loved Bauer. He's intense. He loves football," Sloan said. Tough as nails, a team guy. He's twitchy and fast, so he has a good mix of a skill set. He can flex out and do some things in space, but he also can strike you."

Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; LSU tight end Bauer Sharp (TE24) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Sloan also spoke on what types of roles Sharp can have in the Buccaneers offense going forward, making a note of Sharp's versatility and having the ability to do a great amount of things at the tight end position.

"I think his versatility was awesome. He'll be able to do a lot of different things at the position, which the position calls for," Sloan said. "I think he'll be an asset on special teams. He's going to make impact plays. He's all-in.

"I would imagine they're going to use him in a lot of different fullback situations. I would. He'll run and strike you. A lot of tight ends are finesse players these days. He's right around 250 and will stick his nose in there and be physical."

Jun 10, 2025; Tampa Bay, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Payne Durham (87) participates in mini camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

One of the top training camp battles for the Buccaneers is going to be the battle for the second tight end position. Along with Sharp, Veteran tight ends Payne Durham and Ko Keift, as well as third-year tight end Devin Culp, will all be battling with Sharp for the job this summer and fall.

Out of all of the options, Durham is the early favorite for the job as he has served in the TE2 role for the Bucs for the past couple of seasons. However, based on the praise that Sharp got from Sloan as well as the fact that the Buccaneers traded up to select Sharp in the sixth round, this should be a very legitimate competition between every player involved.

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