Valuable?
Yeah, Joe guesses one could call former Redskins and Broncos offensive lineman Mark Schlereth old school.
Back when the three-time Super Bowl winner played in the 1990s, tight ends had to block at least 50 percent of the time and had to be just as good a blocker as they were as a pass-catcher.
To that end, Cade Otton is what Schlereth calls a real tight end. Schlereth is not fond of the glorified wide receivers that now dot the NFL landscape playing the tight end position. So on his podcast, “Stinkin’ Truth,” Schlereth said Otton is one of the top soon-to-be free agents. Why? Because Schlereth likes how Otton is a willing blocker and isn’t horrible at it.
Otton “I think is a phenomenal football player,” Schlereth said. “He’s a football player. That dude, to me, gives you versatility duality that I want in that position.”
Joe goes back and forth on Otton. Joe wants a weapon at tight end. Otton really isn’t that, though he is servicable. Maybe Otton could be a weapon if he were used the right way. He did have a couple of sweet plays catching the ball downfield for explosive plays. Maybe he should have been targeted with deeper throws more often?
Otton is an OK blocker. He has improved. But he’s not a particularly beastly player. And those two ghastly turnovers last year Otton had against two formidable teams on the road, Detroit and Los Angeles, absolutely killed the Bucs.
Yeah, yeah, both plays should have been blown dead. But for crying out loud, hang onto the ball!
The Bucs can do better but Otton is a valuable glue guy. He’s a class act, that’s for sure.
Joe talked to CBS analyst and draft guru Emory Hunt at the combine last week and Joe brought up Baylor tight end Michael Trigg as maybe a Bucs target on the second day of the draft.
Hunt loved the suggestion. He, like Schlereth, sees value in Otton. Hunt said that if the Bucs would use a two-tight end set with Otton as the inline tight end and Trigg stretching the field, the Bucs would be cooking with gas, especially with their receivers.
So Otton may have suitors next week when the free agency dinner bell rings on Monday. Will the Bucs keep him or maybe land Kenyon Sadiq in the first round of the draft at No. 15?
Or, could the Bucs do what Hunt suggests, re-sign Otton and then go get Trigg on Day 2?
@markschlereth Free Agent that’s on my wish list! #NFL #football #broncos #tampa ♬ original sound – STINK