Prior to the 2016 season, Cameron Brate had played in 19 NFL regular-season games, catching 24 passes for 305 yards and three touchdowns. That was actually a pretty promising start to a career for a former undrafted free agent who had played his college ball at Harvard, which has not exactly been a crucible of NFL stars.
Then, in 2016, Brate made the leap.
In his third NFL season, Brate transformed from a fringe part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offense into one of the more productive tight ends in the NFL. He caught 57 passes – second-most on the team – for 660 yards and tied for the NFL lead with eight touchdown receptions.