Welcome to SR’s Fab 5 – my weekly insider column on the Bucs that options 5 issues which can be on my thoughts. SR’s Fab 5 is now a faster learn, however nonetheless packs a punch. Take pleasure in!
FAB 1. Belief Jason Licht When It Comes To Drafting O-Linemen
The Bucs offensive line room is sacred floor for basic supervisor Jason Licht.
Licht mentioned as a lot to Tampa Bay’s new offensive lineman Graham Barton, the workforce’s first-round decide, upon welcoming him into the workforce headquarters on Friday, April 26.
“What’s loopy is that I really feel like I’ve identified you, you recognize?” Licht mentioned to Barton in a behind-the-scenes video launched by the workforce. “We’ve watched all of your video games, your interviews – all that stuff. We’re ecstatic [about you] – not simply the participant, however the individual that you’re.
“We satisfaction ourselves within the tradition now we have right here, particularly in that O-line room. You’re not simply becoming it – you’re going to drive it. And that’s what makes you the participant that you’re, so we’re excited.”
Bucs HC Todd Bowles, OL Graham Barton and GM Jason Licht – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Licht appears to know the significance of constructing a superior offensive line room greater than most GMs across the league.
Maybe it was his background as a guard at Nebraska in 1991 earlier than transferring to Nebraska-Wesleyan the place he turned an all-conference defensive deal with. Maybe it’s seeing first-hand how far a dominant offensive line can take a workforce within the NFL.
Both method, Licht reveres trench warfare and understands the significance of it. He is aware of that regardless of all of the modifications to soccer within the modern-day and the elevated emphasis on the passing sport, that is nonetheless a sport received on the line of scrimmage.
The offensive line is the engine – not only for the offense, however your complete workforce. 5 offensive linemen function fingers that come collectively to kind a fist, and that fist is known as upon to blast holes in opposing defenses.
Licht has drafted 9 Professional Bowlers since turning into Tampa Bay’s basic supervisor in 2014. Two have been offensive linemen – former guard Ali Marpet within the second spherical of the 2015 draft and left deal with Tristan Wirfs within the first spherical of the 2020 draft.
Of the 5 starters alongside the O-line through the Bucs’ Tremendous Bowl season in 2020, 4 have been Licht’s draft picks – left deal with Donovan Smith (second spherical, 2015), proper guard Alex Cappa (third spherical, 2018) together with Marpet and Wirfs, who performed proper deal with throughout his first three seasons in Tampa Bay.
Bucs GM Jason Licht and former C Ryan Jensen – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
That quartet of blockers – together with Professional Bowl-caliber heart Ryan Jensen – lured Tom Brady to Tampa Bay in free company in 2020 simply as a lot because the weapons Brady must throw to within the passing sport, comparable to Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Rob Gronkowski, the Patriots’ Professional Bowl tight finish whom Licht wound up buying and selling for. As a 42-year outdated quarterback, Brady was simply as fascinated by being protected as he was in having an arsenal of succesful targets to throw to.
After profitable Tremendous Bowl LV in 2020, the Bucs got here near repeating as Tremendous Bowl champions the next season. However following the 2021 season, Marpet all of a sudden retired in his prime at age 29 within the 2022 offseason. Jensen would endure a career-ending knee harm on the second day of coaching camp simply months after signing a large, three-year deal value $39 million.
Straight away, Licht and the Bucs misplaced two Professional Bowl offensive linemen nonetheless of their prime.
That was not a part of the plan.
In truth, had these two franchise-altering occasions not occurred, Marpet would’ve been signed by the 2023 season and Jensen would’ve been beneath contract by 2024. Remember that Marpet simply turned 31 on April 17, and chances are high he would have been on his third contract in Tampa Bay had he not retired.
Licht has undoubtedly thought a couple of occasions, “Oh, what may have been.”
Bucs C Robert Hainsey – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
That’s the place Barton is available in.
Regardless of Robert Hainsey’s bodily and athletic shortcomings, he hasn’t missed a begin since taking up at heart for the previous two seasons. He has the intelligence to make the road calls and has anchored the unit whereas profitable back-to-back NFC South championships in 2022-23.
However the heart place is the tip of the spear up entrance. Jensen’s measurement and tenacity helped set the tone for the Bucs offensive line and offense on the whole. His aggressive mindset helped change the tradition in Tampa Bay, and it’s been no shock that the Bucs have had the league’s worst-ranked speeding assault the final two years in his absence.
Barton appears to be like like Marpet 2.0 to me on movie because of his superior athleticism, however the Bucs are additionally hoping he might be Jensen 2.0 on the heart place.
Since Marpet abruptly retired in 2022, which was additionally the identical offseason Cappa left for a wealthy contract in Cincinnati, Licht has been reloading the offensive line. He used a second-round decide that yr to draft Luke Goedeke, who failed as a left guard as a rookie, however excelled at proper deal with, which is his extra pure place, final season.
In 2023, Licht and the Bucs took one other step towards constructing one other Tremendous Bowl-caliber offensive line with the collection of Cody Mauch, who was a left deal with at North Dakota State and moved to proper guard. After a yr of trial-by-fire on-the-job coaching, Mauch needs to be improved in his second season.
This yr, the Bucs used a first-round decide on Barton, who is anticipated to offer an improve over Hainsey at heart. That’s 4 premium draft picks on offensive linemen over the previous 5 years for Licht.
Bucs LT Tristan Wirfs – Picture by: USA At present
LT Tristan Wirfs – 2020 first-round pickLG (To Be Decided)C Graham Barton – 2024 first-round pickRG Cody Mauch – 2023 second-round pickRT Luke Goedeke – 2022 second-round decide
Wirfs is already a Professional Bowler, and primarily based on his elite athleticism and bodily traits, Barton definitely has Professional Bowl potential. We’ll see how excessive the ceiling is for Mauch and Goedeke on the best aspect, and who in the end finally ends up because the beginning left guard.
In fact, don’t rule out Licht utilizing one other premium draft decide on a left guard candidate subsequent yr, both. That appears to be the pattern in Tampa Bay.
In case you’re going to belief Licht to pick out any place within the draft, belief him probably the most in terms of offensive linemen. Merely put, Licht is an offensive line-drafting guru. And Barton is his newest home-run decide.
FAB 2. Bucs Had been Wanting For The Proper Match In The O-Line Room
To counsel that the Bucs offensive line room is a brotherhood could be understating it. However there actually isn’t a greater adjective to explain the tradition of Tampa Bay’s tightknit offensive line.
Group captain and left deal with Tristan Wirfs is the ringleader of the group, and his finest buddies on the workforce are proper deal with Luke Goedeke, heart Robert Hainsey, proper guard Cody Mauch and Baker Mayfield, who’s an honorary offensive lineman along with being the Bucs quarterback.
Bucs HC Todd Bowles, OL Graham Barton and GM Jason Licht – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
So when Licht and his scouts are evaluating offensive linemen, it’s not simply the gamers on tape that they’re scouting. It’s who they’re as individuals, too.
Tampa Bay’s offensive line and the chemistry inside that room is simply too essential to screw up and take probabilities with.
Not solely is Licht on the lookout for a wise, robust athletic lineman, but in addition one that’s humble, hard-working and team-oriented.
The phrase “dangerous character” doesn’t all the time imply “dangerous man” in terms of the Bucs’ participant evaluations. It might imply that the participant comes throughout as self-centered, too flamboyant or outspoken, not an excellent teammate, or it might imply that he’s an asshole and an excessive amount of of a prick for the Bucs’ liking.
Graham Barton is as excessive character as they arrive. And when Barton and Oregon heart Jackson Powers-Johnson have been each on the board when Tampa Bay was on the clock at No. 26, Barton’s athleticism and character gave him the sting.
It’s not that Powers-Johnson is a nasty man. It’s simply that the Bucs deemed that Barton could be a greater match within the locker room and the O-line room. Barton would assist row the bow, and maybe Barton would’ve rocked the boat a bit.
It’s okay to have a firestarter on a soccer workforce – a participant that brings a little bit little bit of a nasty edge. However usually not alongside the offensive line, as that unit must be has cohesive and like-minded as potential.
Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson – Picture by: USA At present
Previous Bucs leaders like Hardy Nickerson, Warren Sapp and Jason Pierre-Paul may very well be seen as abrasive, however they weren’t offensive linemen. Ryan Jensen performed with an analogous, sure edge, however that was finished throughout the workforce idea and didn’t rub any of his linemates the flawed method. That’s essential to Licht as he and Todd Bowles assemble their roster.
The Bucs had an enormous want at left guard too, and appreciated the nasty, aggressive enjoying model of Boston School’s Christian Mahogany on tape. However Mahogany the individual didn’t mesh with what the Bucs wished in a locker room and offensive line room match.
Different groups possible felt the identical method as Mahogany carried a third- or fourth-round grade on movie, however fell to the underside of the sixth spherical the place the Lions took an opportunity on him.
Tampa Bay drafted UTEP’s Elijah Klein later within the sixth spherical, and he’s deemed to be a greater match with the Bucs’ tradition. Whether or not or not Klein has the expertise to reach Tampa Bay stays to be seen.
But it needs to be famous that Jensen was initially a sixth-round decide by the Ravens out of Colorado State-Pueblo again in 2013, so that you by no means know.
FAB 3. Bucs Partaking In Dangerous Technique Defending Baker Mayfield
In my first SR’s Fab 5 column in April, I detailed why upgrading the middle and guard positions in Tampa Bay have been so essential this offseason. The Bucs had simply signed quarterback Baker Mayfield to a three-year, $100 million contract and Pewter Report simply had NFL Movies analyst Greg Cosell on the Pewter Report Podcast explaining how strengthening the inside of the pocket was a should.
Bucs RG Cody Mauch – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
“You simply spent some huge cash on Baker Mayfield, who’s an excellent thrower of the soccer, however he’s a sure sort of quarterback,” Cosell mentioned. “He might be profitable as that sort of quarterback, as we all know, nevertheless it’s very exhausting for him to achieve success if the depth of the pocket will not be managed and brought care of.”
Mayfield is a shorter quarterback at 6-foot-1, 215 kilos, which is on the coronary heart of Cosell’s concern about Tampa Bay’s inside offensive linemen. In Mayfield’s first season with the Bucs, he had rookie proper guard Cody Mauch, heart Robert Hainsey and a mixture of getting older journeyman Matt Feiler and backup Aaron Stinnie at left guard. Too many sacks and pressures allowed and never sufficient push within the working sport was the results of that trio up entrance.
“I’m not telling Jason Licht what he ought to or shouldn’t do, however I feel when you will have Baker Mayfield you clearly simply laid out a ton of money for, it’s a must to be certain that the middle and guard place are taken care of,” Cosell mentioned. “Now you don’t want three All-Professionals, however that may’t be a weak spot in your workforce as a result of then your quarterback can’t operate. And also you simply gave him some huge cash with the expectation that you just’re going to get into the playoffs and have a superb season.
“He’s a smaller man and he’s not essentially nice when there are our bodies round him,” Cosell mentioned of Mayfield. “He must be protected, ideally within the center as a result of the middle and the 2 guards – they management the depth of the pocket. And he wants the depth managed. The tackles management the width of the pocket. He wants the depth of the pocket managed as a result of he’s simply over 6-feet [tall]. It’s a must to be sure to maintain that so he does have clear sight strains.
“The opposite factor is that he’s a step thrower. Some guys don’t have to step into it. He’s a step thrower, so he completely wants the depth of the pocket dealt with as a result of he must step into his throws.”
Bucs OL Graham Barton – Picture courtesy of Duke
The drafting of Graham Barton within the first spherical is anticipated to improve the middle place by way of measurement and expertise. However Barton won’t solely be a rookie this season. He may even be enjoying heart for the primary time since his freshman season when he began 5 video games.
Nearly as good and as athletic as Barton could also be, this won’t be a seamless transition because it was when the Bucs drafted Iowa proper deal with Tristan Wirfs to play proper deal with in Tampa Bay as a rookie. Wirfs was simply probably the most pro-ready of the ten offensive linemen Jason Licht drafted previous to the choices of Barton and sixth-round guard Elijah Klein this yr. Wirfs performed like a Professional Bowler out of the gate and helped the Bucs win Tremendous Bowl LV throughout his rookie season.
Ali Marpet, a second-round decide in 2015, was a detailed second by way of his pro-readiness. Barton must modify from transferring again to heart after three years of enjoying left deal with at Duke. He’ll additionally must work with quarterback Baker Mayfield with line calls on the line of scrimmage. Barton may have quite a bit on his plate as a rookie as he transitions to enjoying within the NFL.
Bear in mind, the Bucs moved Marpet from proper guard to heart for the 2017 season. Marpet performed okay in his new place, nevertheless it was clear that he was a greater guard than heart, and the workforce signed Ryan Jensen to snap the ball in 2018.
Barton is anticipated to switch Hainsey, the Bucs’ beginning heart the final two years who’s coming into a contract yr in 2024. Hainsey, a veteran, allowed 33 pressures, together with 5 sacks final season in line with Professional Soccer Focus.
Can Barton be anticipated to give up fewer pressures and sacks as a rookie?
Bucs G Sua Opeta – Picture by: USA At present
In response to PFF, Mauch, final yr’s second-round decide, surrendered 57 pressures, together with a team-high eight sacks in 2023 whereas making the transition from enjoying left deal with at North Dakota State to proper guard within the NFL. How significantly better will Mauch be in his second yr as a starter?
Stinnie and Feiler allowed a mixed 44 pressures, together with three sacks final yr. Who will emerge at left guard?
Newcomers Sua Opeta and Ben Bredeseon aren’t the solutions in terms of defending Mayfield, both. Each are identified for his or her run blocking versus their cross safety. Opeta performed in simply 9 video games and allowed 25 pressures, together with three sacks in Philadelphia.
Bredeson, who is anticipated to compete at heart or at left guard, began 16 video games throughout the inside offensive line for the New York Giants final season. His numbers have been on par with Hainsey, surrendering 39 pressures, together with 5 sacks.
If it’s Klein, the rookie sixth-round decide, whowins the left guard job, is it very best to have two rookies and a second-year proper guard in entrance of the Bucs’ $33 million quarterback?
Expertise doesn’t all the time trump expertise. And who will Barton must lean on subsequent yr on the line of scrimmage – a second-year proper guard nonetheless looking for consistency after making the leap from North Dakota State? Or a newcomer at proper guard – probably a rookie if Klein beats out Opeta and Bredeson?
The one detrimental in terms of drafting offensive linemen and beginning them immediately – even actually proficient ones – is that arrive within the NFL as rookies with an terrible lot to be taught.
FAB 4. The Potential Peril Of Open Competitors Alongside Inside O-Line
When Tampa Bay signed free agent left guard Matt Feiler and drafted athletic offensive lineman Cody Mauch within the second spherical final yr, the Bucs did a wise factor. They regarded on the expertise they’d on paper alongside the offensive line and determined to begin the 5 most proficient linemen.
Bucs RT Luke Goedeke, RG Cody Mauch and C Robert Hainsey – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
The Bucs deemed that Tristan Wirfs would transfer to left deal with, Luke Goedeke would transfer to proper deal with and Robert Hainsey would keep at heart for continuity’s sake. Feiler would begin at left guard and Mauch would begin at proper guard. That was the beginning lineup on the primary day of OTAs and it by no means modified all the best way as much as the season opener.
Tampa Bay’s offensive line was removed from excellent final yr, nevertheless it did permit Baker Mayfield to cross for 4,000 yards and make the Professional Bowl, and the workforce to discipline a pair of 1,000-yard receivers in Professional Bowler Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
The Bucs didn’t have an open competitors at both guard spot. And though Aaron Stinnie finally took over for Feiler after an harm in Week 7, he wasn’t a lot of an improve. Tampa Bay’s “set it and neglect it” mindset alongside the offensive line allowed that unit to construct continuity all offseason and into coaching camp and the preseason, and there’s one thing to be mentioned for that.
Let’s not neglect that continuity aided Wirfs in his transfer to left deal with and Goedeke in his transfer to proper deal with. Wirfs and Feiler spent months working collectively on combo blocks and choosing up twists and stunts on the left aspect. Goedeke and Mauch developed an analogous chemistry on the best aspect after months of practising collectively.
However this yr the Bucs will possible take a distinct method, in line with assistant basic supervisor John Spytek.
It looks like the workforce is aware of that first-round decide Graham Barton and Mauch will begin, however will Barton think about because the beginning heart or will he man a guard spot? Will Mauch keep at proper guard or transfer to left guard?
Bucs G Elijah Klein – Picture courtesy of UTEP
Will newcomer Ben Bredeson emerge because the beginning heart or will he think about on the left guard battle? Is Sua Opeta the favourite at left guard and the way a lot of a shot will rookie Elijah Klein have?
“I feel the entire inside is sort of up for grabs,” Spytek mentioned. “I imply clearly Graham and Cody are going to issue into that someplace, you recognize? We clearly moved Cody from left deal with at North Dakota State to proper [guard]. I imply may we transfer him again to left [side]? We may, it relies on who feels snug the place. Graham performed heart and left deal with, however I imply, he play guard if it shakes out a sure method, clearly with Bredeson and Sua and Klein now. And we nonetheless like Robert Hainsey quite a bit. He’s performed numerous good soccer round right here … Brandon Walton.
“I simply I have a look at it from a standpoint of we’ve obtained nice competitors in that room, which I feel all the time elevates the extent of play of the gamers that matter probably the most. Who’s going to rise to the event? Who is aware of the way it’s going to shake out? And the truth that we may transfer these totally different elements totally different locations – we’ll simply let the blokes compete, and we’ll plug-and-play the blokes that do the perfect wherever it’s. We’ve sort of obtained the 2 bookend tackles proper now, after which the remainder of it’s who desires it extra? Who desires it probably the most? We’ll be excited to see that competitors.”
Competitors does carry out the perfect, however for a unit that craves continuity greater than most, the Bucs are taking a threat by having a revolving door in coaching camp and the preseason alongside the inside offensive line as a substitute of starting the method of cohesion alongside the O-line proper out of the gate by merely wanting on the expertise and naming 5 starters as they did a yr in the past.
However the Bucs knew what they’d final yr with roster holdovers like Stinnie, Walton and Nick Leverett. That’s not the case with newcomers like Opeta, Bredeson and Klein.
Bucs OL Graham Barton – Picture courtesy of Duke
If I needed to guess proper now, the highest three inside offensive linemen in Tampa Bay by way of expertise and skill will probably be Barton, Mauch and Hainsey. Given the truth that Hainsey is actually only a heart because of his lack of measurement and might’t play guard, I feel the best lineup for this yr could be Barton at left guard, Mauch at proper guard for the sake of continuity with Goedeke and Hainsey at heart.
Not very best for the long-term, as I feel Hainsey is replaceable. However for this yr’s Bucs workforce, they might have keep on with Hainsey, who will probably be motivated by the truth that he’s in a contract yr, snapping for another yr if he’s one of many high three inside linemen – although they actually need Barton to take over there.
Possibly Opeta, Bredeson or Klein show me flawed and one in every of them winds up being a greater left guard than Hainsey does at heart. Then, a kind of three would line up subsequent to Barton, who would play heart, and reverse Mauch at proper guard.
All eyes will probably be on the inside offensive line competitors, which might’t actually start in earnest till coaching camp when the pads come on.
FAB 5. Behind The Scenes Of Pewter Report’s Draft Protection
I wished to drag again the curtain a bit and let you know the way Pewter Report’s mock drafts and Bucs Greatest Bets got here collectively this yr, in case you have been questioning. As you might know, Pewter Report does 5 official Bucs mock drafts annually – one pre-Senior Bowl in January, one post-Senior Bowl in February, one post-NFL Scouting Mix in March, one in early April after which a last one throughout draft week in late April.
Tulane QB Michael Pratt – Picture by: USA At present
Throughout our pre-draft positional previews, Pewter Report picks two gamers whoif Tampa Bay was going to draft from that place in Rounds 1-3 it will be this participant, and if the workforce was going to pick out somebody in Rounds 4-7 it will be this participant. These are our Bucs Greatest Bets.
Our aim is to attempt to determine the gamers the Bucs are fascinated by so these followers who learn Pewter Report could be extra educated than most in terms of the draft. We really hit on 4 Bucs Greatest Bets final yr – guard Cody Mauch, exterior linebacker YaYa Diaby, tight finish Payne Durham and huge receiver Trey Palmer – which established a brand new file. Pewter Report has hit on three a couple of occasions, however by no means 4.
This yr Pewter Report hit on two – offensive lineman Graham Barton and defensive again Tykee Smith. And we got here oh-so-close to tying final yr’s file and nailing two extra Bucs Greatest Bets in working again MarShawn Lloyd and quarterback Michael Pratt. The Packers picked Lloyd one spot forward of the Bucs within the third spherical and chosen Pratt one spot forward within the seventh spherical.
Listed below are some fascinating notables about a number of the Bucs draft picks and the way they factored into Pewter Report’s draft protection.
• With our first mock draft in January, it’s principally like throwing darts at a dartboard as a result of it’s earlier than the school all-star video games and any athletic testing on the NFL Scouting Mix or professional days. Paradoxically, we had Alabama exterior linebacker Chris Braswell going to the Bucs at No. 26 in our first mock draft.
Alabama OLB Chris Braswell – Picture by: USA At present Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023.
However once we noticed Braswell on the Senior Bowl, it was clear that he was actually a second-round cross rusher together with the likes of Western Michigan’s Marshawn Kneeland and Penn State’s Adisa Isaac. Had we identified that the Bucs had Braswell in for a High 30 go to, we’d’ve possible changed Kneeland with Braswell as our Bucs Greatest Guess. Tampa Bay had Kneeland in for a High 30 go to and likewise had a proper go to with him in Indy.
• I imagine Pewter Report was the primary media outlet to hyperlink Graham Barton to the Bucs at No. 26 again in our second mock draft on February 8. We had Barton to the Bucs in our second and third mock drafts and possibly would’ve had him going to Tampa Bay in our last two mocks as effectively. We simply didn’t assume he could be there when the Bucs have been on the clock. Neither did basic supervisor Jason Licht.
We had Barton as a Bucs Greatest Guess at guard, and I feel he’s finest suited to play left guard. However Tampa Bay sees extra worth in him at heart. Given his elite athleticism, Barton may excel at both spot, actually.
• It needs to be famous that we had Tampa Bay drafting an offensive lineman in our final 4 mock drafts this yr. We had Barton as the primary decide in our second and third mock drafts, Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton within the fourth and Oregon heart Jackson Powers-Johnson in our last mock.
Once more, we simply didn’t assume Barton would fall to No. 26. However since February, we knew that the workforce was prioritizing inside offensive line within the first spherical – not edge rusher.
Georgia S Tykee Smith – Picture by: USA At present
• Georgia defensive again Tykee Smith was a third-round decide in Pewter Report’s third mock draft, and we additionally had Smith in our Pewter Report All-Protection Bucs Mock Draft, which is a enjoyable little train we did within the weeks main as much as the draft. Smith was additionally our Bucs Greatest Guess at security and we simply knew he was a Todd Bowles-type DB.
• Along with simply lacking out on Bucs Greatest Bets in Lloyd and Pratt, we additionally missed out on tight finish Devin Culp, the workforce’s seventh-round decide. Pewter Report had Culp as a seventh-round decide in our third mock draft, and I initially had him as a Bucs Greatest Guess at tight finish on Day 3.
However once I discovered that Illinois tight finish Tip Reiman got here in for a High 30 go to together with Ok-State’s Ben Sinnott, I modified my thoughts and listed Reiman because the Day 3 tight finish as a substitute of Culp. Massive mistake. Had I identified that Culp, who had a proper interview with Tampa Bay on the Mix, had additionally are available in for a High 30 go to, I might’ve stored him as a Bucs Greatest Guess. Nonetheless, we’re thrilled to nail two Bucs Greatest Bets, because it’s fairly exhausting to do.
