Brate (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's Week 17 clash against the Panthers, Greg Auman of FOXSports.com reports.
Brate played just eight snaps in the Week 16 overtime win against the Cardinals and is now a relatively surprising healthy scratch Sunday. In his stead, rookie Cade Otton will serve as the clear top pass-catching option at tight end, while veteran Kyle Rudolph and fellow first-year pro Ko Kieft will rotate behind him, primarily as blocking options.