BREAKING: Bucs Sign Veteran TE

With Rob Gronkowksi officially out of the picture, the Bucs are signing veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph to a one-year deal, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Wednesday night.

All offseason long, it felt likely that Tampa Bay would have an additional veteran presence in its tight end room outside of Cameron Brate. That turned out to be true, only it won’t be the one everyone expected it to be.

Gronkowski played the “will he/won’t he” game for four-plus months before retiring in June. And despite speculation that he would eventually return from retirement a second time, he has twice reaffirmed that he’s done with the game.

So, the Bucs will go in a different direction with the addition of Rudolph. The 32-year-old, who will turn 33 in November, spent the first 10 seasons of his career in Minnesota. As a Viking, he made two Pro Bowls while recording 453 catches for 4,488 yards (9.9 avg.) and 48 touchdowns.

Most recently, Rudolph spent the 2021 season with the Giants. He posted 26 catches for 257 yards (9.9 avg.) and one touchdown in his one year with New York.

Now, he comes to Tampa to play with Tom Brady and the Bucs. He joins a tight end room that features Brate, longtime practice squad member Codey McElroy, fourth-round pick Cade Otton, sixth-round pick Ko Kieft and undrafted free agents JJ Howland and Ben Beise.

Bucs TE Cam Brate – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

It stands to reason that Rudolph and Brate will be the top two tight ends to start 2022. Rudolph fits the “Y” tight end mold, which means he’ll fill Gronk’s old role and offer more as a blocker. Brate is more of an “F” tight end and won’t provide as much blocking ability. Once fully healthy and adjusted to the offense, Otton is likely to figure in as the No. 3 tight end. If the Bucs choose to carry four guys at the position, Kieft is the likely No. 4. Otherwise, the blocking specialist will end up on the practice squad. 

The Bucs had reported interest in Rudolph last week. Then, Tampa Bay legend and should-be Hall of Famer Ronde Barber gave an apparent hint about the signing Wednesday night. And sure enough, the news broke soon after that Rudolph was officially going to be a Buc.

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