Just another Husky tight end in the NFL, and another Husky going to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Cade Otton will be joining his former teammates Vita Vea, Joe Tryon, and Benning Potoa’e with the greatest quarterback of all time, Tom Brady. This is probably the best fit that Otton could’ve asked for, and this is a steal for general manager Jason Licht, because if Otton wasn’t slowed by an ankle injury and poor offensive scheme in 2021, he probably would’ve been the first tight end off the board in the early second round.
“A big-bodied target with a rare level of starting experience, Otton fits the mold of the modern-day tight end. He can handle in-line duties as a blocker, but also does an excellent job working the middle of the field as a pass-catcher. He’s a reliable short-intermediate target with soft hands and maximizes his catch radius. There is room on his frame to add mass and overall strength, but he’s an instant contributor as a move blocker in the run game. He should be off the board by the end of round three in a deep tight end class,” a scout said of the 6’5, 245-pound tight end.
Otton was probably hurt the most by the offensive scheme in 2021, as the All-American tight end didn’t have more than four catches in a game after Washington’s opening loss to Montana, where he recorded eight catches for 82 yards.
In offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich’s scheme, Otton is going to be asked to do a little bit of everything, and he’s going to excel in the role. And who better to learn from than Brady? And potentially Rob Gronkowski, if he decides to return to the team. This is an A+ pick for the Buccaneers, and he should fit right into the team in 2022, and could see a pretty significant role early on with wide receiver Chris Godwin still recovering from an ACL tear.
