The Tampa Bay Buccaneers saw a disappointing end to their 2021 season as they failed to defend their Super Bowl title after a divisional-round loss to the Los Angeles Rams. They are also expected to enter a new era with Tom Brady's official announcement to retire after 22 seasons in the league.
Currently, Bruce Arians' squad has $18 million in cap space which isn't too shabby as compared to the other more handicapped teams. However, given their financial situation, it will still be hard for them to acquire a franchise quarterback, especially as they set their sights on continuing to be a powerhouse in the NFC in the post-Tom Brady era.
With that said, the Buccaneers are expected to tweak their roster and make significant moves in order to form the most competitive lineup that they can put out on the field. Unfortunately, some players will be compromised in the team's bid to make it back as a solid playoff contender in 2022.
1 surprise roster cut for the Buccaneers in the offseason
A player who could be in danger of getting released in the offseason would be tight end Cameron Brate. He has already found a home in Tampa Bay ever since the team picked him up as an undrafted free agent back in 2014. He went on to serve as a reliable weapon off the bench who managed to deliver despite having limited opportunities on the field for the Buccaneers.
The playing time that he saw with the Bucs was eventually decreased even more after Rob Gronkowski decided to join forces with Brady last year. The 2021 season was no different as he continued to play behind the legendary tight end for the most part of the season.
He started three of 17 games played and compiled 245 receiving yards on 30 receptions and four touchdowns. Some may argue that another backup TE in O.J. Howard may be a better cut candidate as he is not as skilled as Brate is. He is also prone to dropping the balls and catching flags on most occasions. However, the 27-year-old is actually set to become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason which means that the Buccaneers can only opt to not extend his contract if they do not intend to bring him back in 2022.
Another reason that supports Brate's case to be released is that he is currently the team's eighth-highest paid player with a cap hit of $7.3 million. Yes, he didn't have that many opportunities to be able to have eye-popping numbers but his output was still underwhelming as he only tallied around 300 yards for each of the past four seasons.
Given that, it wouldn't be a strategic choice for the Bucs to keep the veteran around, given the level of production that they are getting from him. In fact, they can potentially save $5.3 million in salary-cap space if Brate will be released in the offseason. They can use the money to extend the contracts of key players like Gronkowski, Chris Godwin, and Ndamukong Suh, among others.
Sure, Gronkowski is still undecided on playing for the 2022 season, especially after his buddy in Brady already hung his cleats for good. However, the Buccaneers still couldn't afford to have Brate as their starting tight end, given his price tag even if the former New England Patriot decides to retire as well.
With that said, the team can opt to address their tight end room in the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft where they can select younger prospects who can be signed on bargain deals. Given that the team is heading to a rebuild, it would be a logical choice to instate a youth movement in key position groups as well.
If the Buccaneers are planning to be aggressive in the offseason then Cameron Brate could be a cut target for them in order to have more room to improve their roster for 2022.
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