Joe has been told that the Bucs are interested in retaining starting tight end Cade Otton for a fifth season but are not being aggressive about re-signing him. At least not yet.
Joe is 50-50 on Otton. He’s a decent player (59 receptions last year) and was a strong fourth-round pick, but the Bucs can do better.
So it’s fair to say the Bucs are looking at tight ends in the draft. And, man, the Bucs sure need upgrades on special teams, and backup tight ends need to be core special teams players.
Joe has written about big-name tight ends, but how about a small name? DJ Rogers out of Texas Christian University is a guy Joe talked to today. Rogers met with the Bucs at the NFL Scouting Combine this week and it was a formal meeting. He said he met with the Bucs’ tight ends coach (Justin Peelle) and two scouts.
“We just watched a little bit of film, some installs,” Rogers said. “I got up on the [white] board, you know, drew a couple of pass plays, my favorite pass plays, my favorite run plays, stuff like that.”
Rogers also talked to the Bucs at the Senior Bowl, where reports say he had a solid week.
Rogers hopes to prove to be one of the fastest tight ends at the Combine when it’s time for the 40-yard dash. The NFL lists Rogers as 6-3, 242 pounds. So he’s not the strongest looking tight end prospect, especially for a guy who spent five years in college. Joe has seen Rogers projected as potential sixth-round pick.
Joe suspects Rogers will check the good-teammate box for the Bucs front office, given that he spent his entire college career at TCU, despite not catching a pass in his first two seasons.
No, Joe is not lobbying for Rogers, only showcasing some of the invisible things happening behind the scenes here at the Combine.
DJ Rogers using his body to get separation and score during @seniorbowl Day 3! https://t.co/AjiHZFJzxv pic.twitter.com/1iC5Sef2jh
— TCU Football (@TCUFootball) January 29, 2026