It’s not hard to see why the Tampa Bay Buccaneers seem like they might have to play some sort of shell game to field a roster in 2025 — they have a whopping 25 potential free agents and just $11.7 million in salary cap space , as of January 16.

While there are ways to generate more cap space — mostly through a convoluted series of restructured contracts — remember the Buccaneers made 2 players the highest paid in the NFL at their positions before the 2024 season with contract extensions for free safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (4 years, $84.1 million) and left offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs (5 years, $140.6 million).

That means, at least for 2025, more big-time contract extensions should be off the table, which includes tight end Cade Otton.

Otton is set to make $3.3 million in 2025 — the final season of the 4-year, $4.49 million rookie contract he signed in 2022. Any new deal for Otton would likely put him among the Top 10 highest paid tight ends in the NFL at a point in his career when he’s barely shown he can be a Top 20 tight end.

“Otton is projected to sign a 4-YEAR, $50-MILLION CONTRACT, he had 59 receptions in 14 games. Otton, 25, has been a reliable target in Tampa’s offense this season & they could look to lock him up,” MLFootball wrote on its official X account on January 8.