Tampa Bay Buccaneers sign Cade Otton

The Buccaneers locked up Cade Otton with a three-year, $30M extension that earns a C+ CVI—a fair market deal that reflects his emergence as a reliable, if unspectacular, tight end option. At $10M per year, Tampa Bay paid appropriately for a solid starter who's shown steady development but hasn't quite reached the elite or franchise-caliber tier that commands premium money in today's tight end market. The $20M guaranteed provides meaningful security for Otton while giving the Bucs reasonable flexibility, as they can evaluate his continued growth without being locked into an albatross if his production plateaus. This CVI grade aligns with similar deals for above-average tight ends who've proven they can contribute consistently but haven't established themselves as game-changing weapons like the top tier of the position. The contract structure minimizes risk for Tampa Bay while rewarding a homegrown player who's carved out a solid role in their offense—a textbook example of paying market rate for known production rather than betting heavily on upside or overpaying for past performance.