Report: Buccaneers expected to release veteran TE Cameron Brate
The 10th-year veteran’s time with the Buccaneers is coming to an end
Per ESPN's Jermey Fowler, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are expected to release tight end Cameron Brate in the coming days.
2023 would've been Brate's 10th season with the Buccaneers. He originally signed on as an undrafted free agent out of Harvard University and went on to become a reliable part of the offense for almost a decade.
Per Spotrac, Brate was set to count $4.985 million against the cap in 2023. The Buccaneers are currently a little more than $56 million over the cap, per Over The Cap, so it makes sense to release Brate, even if the savings are minimal ($2.030 million, to be exact).
Quick side note: The Buccaneers are actually around $42-$43 million over the cap since they are going to release Donovan Smith and Leonard Fournette and those figures don't include Brate's impending release.
It took Brate about a year to emerge as an effective weapon for the Buccaneers, but he became an integral part of the passing attack once he did. His best run came during the 2016-2018 seasons when he recorded 135 receptions for 1,540 yards and 20 receiving touchdowns on 207 targets.
In fact, his 20 receiving touchdowns tied for second-most among all tight ends during that span and were second only to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
The Buccaneers are still close to $40 million over the cap, even when considering the move. So, it's obvious that more players are going to see their time with the pewter and red come to an end.
Featured image via Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
