The Bucs might not turn out to be a heavy 12-personnel offense in 2026, however offensive coordinator Zac Robinson’s latest feedback recommend Tampa Bay needs extra flexibility than ever earlier than. Robinson and tight ends coach Justin Peelle outlined the imaginative and prescient they’ve for the gamers on the roster final week.
Led by tight finish Cade Otton, Tampa Bay additionally has loads of backups with various skillsets, resembling Payne Durham, Devin Culp, Ko Kieft, and Bauer Sharp. That makes it a place group price watching, particularly as gameplans are drawn as much as make the most of and maximize the expertise.
Count on Bucs To Discover Steadiness With 12 Personnel In 2026
Whereas Zac Robinson ran the second-most 12 personnel within the NFL final season, don’t count on that once more in 2026.
Though there was a league-wide shift to working extra two tight finish units, the Bucs have an abundance of extensive receivers to contain. Robinson has coached on each ends of the spectrum after working probably the most 11 personnel in 2024, so that ought to result in extra of a steadiness going ahead.
Bucs OC Zac Robinson – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Cade Otton will proceed to get nearly all of snaps on the place, however the offensive play-caller additionally shared what he likes about Payne Durham, who matches extra of the blocking archetype.
“Love the tight end packages that you can have with both of those guys,” Robinson stated. “Payne has been a guy that you throw on the tape and the physicality as a blocker and anytime it’s been thrown to him, he’s making plays as well. He hasn’t had as many opportunities, but Cade and Payne have had some great careers up to this point.”
Whereas Durham’s receiving manufacturing was minimal final season, Robinson’s reward underscores how extremely the workers values his blocking and physicality. That provides him a combating likelihood, contemplating that he had only one catch for 11 yards on 4 targets. The 2023 fifth-round decide was about as a lot of a non-factor within the passing sport because it will get, however he has flashed the power to make contested catches up to now.
Bucs TE Payne Durham – Picture by: IMAGN Photos
Justin Peelle additionally spoke about saving Otton extra when requested about his utilization, and it’s honest to surprise the extent of permitting different guys to rotate in. Since 2023, Otton has performed 97%, 92%, and 93% of the offensive snaps. Maybe which means extra Durham, nevertheless it might additionally imply extra probabilities to see Devin Culp, Bauer Sharp, and Ko Kieft.
“You love 12 personnel, you know, I think the first year in Atlanta we were the heaviest 11 personnel and then last year we were the second-most 12 [personnel],” Robinson stated. “Again, you’re adjusting to who the best 11 are on the field. You love to get base defense out there to get some of those different looks for the run and pass game, but it’s an exciting group. You add in Ko Kieft too, who’s a really good blocker, so there’s some good versatility within that room and just looking forward to progress from Bauer and the rest of those guys.”
Maybe probably the most telling element was who Robinson didn’t point out.
Culp has been given two years to showcase his athleticism and show himself as prepared, however Liam Coen and Josh Grizzard selected to not contain him extra. His time may very well be working out, as Tampa Bay will possible hold three tight ends on the 53-man roster.
For the room as a complete, Peelle shared that tight finish utilization will come right down to the benefit they see based mostly on the opponent.
“That’s the trend,” Peelle stated about extra groups working in a number of tight ends. “Last year, there was a lot more 12 and 13 going around the league and what you do as a coach when you start game planning you look at it like, ‘What are our advantages? Is it better for us to play with the three wide receivers that we have that are extremely talented, or can we get some sort of matchup advantage by putting two or three tight ends on the field?’ I think that’s a week-to-week basis, and then it goes to the tight ends. Have they proven themselves, can we get better to where we have to get these guys on the field?”
Bucs Coaches Focus on Traits And Worth Tight Finish Room Gives
There was debate as as to if the Bucs would re-sign Cade Otton over the offseason. Finally, the crew valued him sufficient to present him a three-year, $30 million deal. Though his numbers don’t scream elite tight finish, he checks a number of bins that go unnoticed.
Bucs TE Cade Otton – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
“Starting with Cade, he does a lot for us,” Peelle stated. “Maybe the numbers aren’t up there amongst the top ones, but he does a lot of things for us that I think a lot of people don’t realize. He’s really good in the run game, obviously we’ve had some issues and some injuries… we had to do some different things with him to protect those edges. Unselfish player, team leader, he does a lot for this team that goes unrecognized and doesn’t say anything about it, either. That’s just the guy he is.”
Otton’s numbers dipped a bit from 2024 to 2025, as he completed with 59 catches for 572 yards and a landing final season. Even when the ball was not going his means, he served as an additional blocker when left deal with Tristan Wirfs and proper deal with Luke Goedeke missed time as a consequence of harm. With it being arduous for him to get targets, it made it that rather more troublesome for the opposite tight ends to earn expanded roles.
“As for the other tight ends, it was just the way it went last year,” Peelle added. “Right, wrong, or indifferent, the opportunities just didn’t come our way but that’s what I do love about this room — it’s a very unselfish group. They’ll do whatever they’re asked to do. They don’t say anything, they don’t complain. They’re just trying to help win ballgames.”
With Payne Durham, Devin Culp, and Ko Kieft all returning, they are going to face some new competitors in sixth-round decide Bauer Sharp.
Bucs TE Bauer Sharp – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Sharp has an opportunity to stay and beat out Culp or Kieft, particularly given that he’s extra of a flexible piece that may do a little bit of all the pieces.
“You love the tenacity he plays with; he plays with an edge,” Robinson stated. “He can run; he has some athleticism and some toughness at the line of scrimmage… Bauer is a guy that brings a unique skillset with some versatility. He lined up everywhere at LSU, he lined up in the backfield, he was at tight end, he’s out wide, they asked him to do a ton of different things so it’s easy to see a vision for how he can fit into that room.”
The Bucs might not function a star at tight finish, however Zac Robinson and Justin Peelle imagine the place might quietly turn out to be one of many offense’s most essential matchup instruments in 2026.
