Payne Durham

Career StatsC-

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
Career		46	17	184	2
2025		17	1	11	0
2024		16	11	115	2
2023		13

Season	Team	GP	Rec	Yds	TD	YPR	Grade
2025		17	1	11	0	11.0	F F Bottom 5%
2024		16	11	115	2	10.5	F F Bottom 5%
2023		13	5	58	0	11.6	F F Bottom 5%

Grades reflect the player's performance in each season. Header grade shows the current season.

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

Tampa Bay got a C Contract Value Index out of the Payne Durham signing because the guaranteed money matches the production tier. Durham's 2025 season netted 11 receiving yards across 17 games—a depth-piece volume that aligns squarely with his C- performance grade and his role as organizational fill-in rather than scheme-critical asset. At $1.02M AAV on a four-year rookie scale deal, the contract reflects realistic compensation for a third-year tight end whose market value remains tethered to injury-replacement opportunity; there's no structural overpay here, but there's equally no equity being built in a future starter. The C CVI rating accounts for Durham's modest production trajectory against the reasonable salary floor—he's not costing the Buccaneers premium dollars, but he's also not generating enough on-field evidence to justify accelerated investment. Media and fan perception appropriately tempers the warm personal narratives (his locker-room chemistry, lacrosse background, cultural fit) with the reality that his competitive standing remains developmental and depth-anchored. With the team currently sitting outside the playoff picture at 8-9, Durham's role as a reliable organizational piece in evaluation mode makes the contract serviceable but unremarkable—neither a liability nor a building block heading into the 2026 regular season in 91 days.

Contracts in the Same Value Band

Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the C band — a quick read on where Payne's contract sits relative to comparable money.

Performance Analysis

Payne Durham delivers production that earns a C- performance grade against TE comps. The third-year tight end appeared in 17 games during the 2025 season but accumulated just 11 receiving yards and 3 tackles, numbers that reflect a reserve role devoid of meaningful offensive involvement. His receiving total represents the core issue: even with full-season availability, Durham was not targeted consistently enough to generate production impact at the position. The durability itself is a minor positive—17 games on the roster shows organizational retention—but playing time remained sparse and conditional, tied primarily to injury opportunity rather than scheme preference or competitive merit. According to team and media framing, Durham is viewed as a developmental depth piece and locker-room presence rather than a competitive asset, with his most significant snaps coming as a fill-in for starter Cade Otton; his warm public profile and noted team chemistry value provide organizational goodwill, but that cultural fit has not translated into elevated fantasy relevance or scheme-critical standing heading into the 2026 season. At 25 with three seasons under his belt, Durham is stuck in a familiar depth-tight-end holding pattern—likable enough to retain, but production-limited enough that realistic fan and analyst expectations remain appropriately modest.

How Payne Compares at the Position

Payne Durham ranks 94th of 164 graded tight ends by performance. That slots Payne between Mitchell Evans (C-) just ahead and Lucas Krull (C-) just behind.

Current Sentiment

Payne Durham enters the 2026 season with a C+ sentiment grade, reflecting a public perception that's more favorable toward his character than his on-field contributions. The Tampa Bay tight end has cultivated an unexpectedly warm media presence through charming human-interest stories about his lacrosse background and viral locker-room moments, most notably the Todd Bowles "secret lovers" press conference that showcased his team chemistry value. However, this goodwill hasn't translated into meaningful production expectations, as Durham remains viewed primarily as organizational depth whose most significant playing time has come as an injury replacement for starter Cade Otton. Media coverage consistently frames him as a developmental piece with undefined role clarity, generating soft-feature content that keeps his name visible without elevating his competitive standing. Fan and analyst perception appropriately tempers the positive personal narratives with realistic assessment of his limited receiving totals and depth chart position. Durham represents the classic "good story, limited impact" player whose cultural fit and likability exceed his fantasy relevance or scheme-critical value heading into the new season.