Rookie tight end Bauer Sharp is channeling his "Swiss Army Knife" versatility into minicamp, grinding through playbooks and embracing special teams to prove his worth to Tampa’s veterans.
Rookie minicamps have begun for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and their sixth-round pick, Bauer Sharp, is focused on earning his teammates' respect with his work ethic on and off the field.
Sharp said he is excited to learn from his veterans, like Baker Mayfield and fellow tight end Cade Otton. He's even learning from Jalon Daniels, an undrafted free agent he played against in the East-West Shrine Bowl in January.
"I've just been putting my head down, grinding in the playbook, studying so I can play fast," Sharp told reporters on Saturday. "Ultimately, I want to win the locker room and respect from these older guys."
Tampa Bay's 185th pick from LSU said he learned his work ethic from his parents growing up in Alabama. Sharp wants to make an immediate impact for the Buccaneers, similar to how Otton did in his rookie season.
Otton played 70% of his snaps on offense, hauling in 42 receptions for 391 yards and two touchdowns. He also finished with a 78.3 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF), establishing himself as a capable extra blocker for Tampa Bay.
Sharp is a sixth-round pick, so it would be difficult for him to play heavy offensive snaps, but he can make an impact on special teams. Payne Durham and Ko Kieft played a majority of their snaps with the Buccaneers on special teams.
The former Tiger called himself a Swiss Army Knife in his Zoom meeting with reporters after Tampa Bay drafted him, highlighting his dedication to contributing to his team in various ways.
"You can put me at fullback," Sharp said. "You can put me as a Y tight end, you put me as an H, it doesn't really matter. I can do it all. You ask me to go run them on kick off and make a tackle, I'm going to do that as well. All the special teams, I think I'm just a I'm just a Swiss Army knife, as they would say."
Sharp showcased his versatility throughout college at multiple programs. He recorded 106 receptions for 942 yards and eight touchdowns, but he had an impressive rushing season at Southeastern Louisiana in 2023.
The 6-foot-5 tight end rushed for a career-high 133 yards and five touchdowns for the Lions.
Sharp is bringing his versatility and his work ethic to minicamp, aiming to earn the respect from his teammates and make an immediate impact for Tampa Bay in his rookie season.
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