When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived their former seventh-round pick, Devin Culp, before his third NFL season, he cleared waivers and did not find a new team right out of the gate. However, before the Cleveland Browns‘ Week 6 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, the team decided to sign the Bucs’ former tight end to their practice squad, according to the league’s transaction wire.
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tight End Signs With Cleveland Browns
Culp was a seventh-round pick, going 246th overall. So, sticking with the team that drafted him for the first three years of his career is a bit of a success. However, he did not have an impact for the Bucs.
Culp had five receptions for 88 yards as a rookie in 2024. In 2025, he did not even have that much production. He had just one catch for six yards. Culp had 41 offensive snaps in his first season and 56 snaps in his second NFL season.
He also added 50 special teams snaps as a rookie and 110 during his second year. However, the Bucs tight end room got a bit deeper, and it was getting harder to justify keeping Culp and his declining production on more snaps.
Tampa Bay likely feels justified in releasing Culp, considering it took until Week 6 of the regular season for him to find a new home after they let him go.
Bucs Do Not Need Help at Tight End
As the Bucs currently stand, they have four tight ends on the active roster. Cade Otton is viewed as an expendable trade asset. He is not living up to his contract, and considering the team is 1-4 with a deep tight end room, they might end up moving on from another tight end they once drafted.
So, they did not need Culp. Payne Durham is a blocking tight end. The former fifth-round pick is in the mix but has just 81 snaps played compared to 304 for Otton. If they move on from Otton, we could see a lot more from Durham.
They also have rookie sixth-round pick Bauer Sharp. Sharp has played 18 snaps. Lastly is former sixth-round pick Ko Kieft. Kieft has just three total offensive snaps, but has 70 total special teams snaps. So, he has a valuable role.
It will be interesting to see what the Bucs do, and if they decide to sell at the trade deadline. They are sitting at 1-4, which would typically imply selling. However, the division leader is 2-3, and they do not have any losses within the division. If they simply won their division games, they would end up being in the mix at the end of the season.
So, when the offers for Otton come in, they will have to weigh being a roster that started the year 1-4 but also being a team that is in the playoff hunt.
Former Buccaneers Draft Pick Signs With Browns