It was a no-brainer move, but it’s now official. The Buccaneers have tendered exclusive rights free agent Cameron Brate, as Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times writes. 
Brate, 26 this summer, broke out in 2016 as he caught 57 passes for 660 yards and eight touchdowns. Because he only played a handful of games in his first NFL season (2014), he was shy of having three full accrued seasons, which would have made him a restricted free agent. Instead, he’s an ERFA, enabling the Bucs to keep him for cheap.
Next year, he’s scheduled for restricted free agency and may require a high tender to be kept. With that in mind, the Buccaneers may look to extend him now and lock him in at a favorable rate going forward. As a former undrafted rookie free agent, Brate has yet to cash in at the pro level, so he may opt for security over earning upside.