Brian Baldinger: Bucs Offensive Line Will Be OK
August 30th, 2022
Rookie guard Luke Goedeke
It’s going to be a process.
That’s basically what former Colts offensive lineman and current NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger said about the revamped Bucs offensive line.
Baldinger simply reinforced what Joe had heard. The line will be better as the season transpires. That stands to reason with Robert Hainsey making his first NFL start at Dallas (hopefully).
Same goes for probable rookie left guard Luke Goedeke.
Call it on-the-job training.
In a Twitter video that Baldinger likes to do, he broke down a few plays from the Bucs’ final preseason game Saturday at Indianapolis. The offensive line wasn’t a trainwreck like many wanted you to believe, or some hoped would be the case.
That gave Baldinger hope the Bucs will survive without Ryan Jensen.
.@Buccaneers most of the players who took the field with Brady v @Colts will be the players he huddles with in 2 weeks v @dallascowboys Lots to work on before the opener. Learn the new names #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/MXIBrOCtcu
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) August 29, 2022
August 30th, 2022 at 4:55 am
Hainsey and Goedeke held their own, mostly–Goedeke especially is very raw, and he admits to feeling awkward playing “backwards” on the left side. On-the-job training with the help of the excellent Harold Goodwin is the way to put it.
August 30th, 2022 at 5:49 am
No matter what is said, this O line is a massive question waiting to be answered, beginning in Dallas. Let’s hope they have the answers in 2 weeks, let alone the rest of the season.
GO BUCS!!!!
August 30th, 2022 at 6:38 am
Sure Baldie thinks they’ll be fine but Stelle69 on JBF comment board says the new guys blow. Where’s your article on that?
August 30th, 2022 at 6:44 am
Baldie be knowing.
August 30th, 2022 at 6:47 am
What better training could these O-linemen get than working against the best defense in the NFL? Go Bucs.
August 30th, 2022 at 6:52 am
I know “fans” have the correct opinion as usual 😂 and it’ll def be a process, but between Baldinger’s comments on O-Line and Riddick’s comments on our D-Line, I think (health abiding) we are gonna be just fine in both areas
August 30th, 2022 at 6:59 am
We all saw TB12 protected just fine, but Indy wasn’t blitzing.
I am wondering, will Hainsley call the protection schemes like Jensen did, or will Brady take on that job?
August 30th, 2022 at 7:01 am
Can they please fix that finger? Am I the only one missing Kay Adams???
August 30th, 2022 at 7:05 am
No. But she does work for something called “FanDuel TV” network weekday mornings.
August 30th, 2022 at 7:42 am
My concern is the depth void left by losing 2 starters & not replacing them…..I suspect we will pick up at least 1 between now & Dallas.
August 30th, 2022 at 7:55 am
WE NEED TO SWING A TRADE. PERIOD.
August 30th, 2022 at 7:55 am
WE NEED TO SWING A TRADE…NOW!
August 30th, 2022 at 7:57 am
WE NEED TO PULL OFF A TRADE AND NOW. PERIOD.
Package a WR and draft pick. do it, and do it now.
August 30th, 2022 at 8:10 am
OK is good enough
For now, it will have to improve as the season progresses
August 30th, 2022 at 8:13 am
Kay Adams hit free agency and cashed in–McAfee got a $120 M contract.
August 30th, 2022 at 9:24 am
@Lunchmeat. Brady has always handled the protection calls. He’s done so since his time in NE. He’s very good at identifying the Mike and blitzes and getting the line in the right protection call. Whether they hold up is a different story.
We need to look at our offensive line through the context of this season. This is an all in SB or bust season. Developing Goedeke this year should not be a priority. We have a difficult schedule. We can’t take any losses while he’s learning on the job. He’s obviously not ready for the job this year. This guy got manhandled against the Colts, and he didn’t impress in joint practices. Hainsey didn’t fair any better. We need a proven veteran at the LG position, preferably a tough guy. Our line has been soft without Jensen. Hainsey is injury prone and soft as tissue.
On that deep out to Julio against the Colts, did you see how far Brady dropped back from the shotgun position? He dropped back further than he has in games. It was because he didn’t trust the line. Brady is very precise in his drop backs. It’s one of the reason how he helps his tackles. That throw was tougher than it had to be because he dropped back further.
Last thing, it’s absolutely coaching malpractice if they don’t bring veterans in for the C and LG position, especially LG. Leverett was getting blown off the ball all game against the Colts. He actually caused Hainsey’s injury because he got beat so badly that fell on Hainsey’s ankle. This whole in house philosophy is based on stubbornness. It’s like why they won’t fire Keith Armstrong because of some so-called loyalty to him.
August 30th, 2022 at 10:36 am
Lunchmeat,
Recently, on the NFL’s Top 100, one play on Brady’s segment at #1 really caught my eye. They showed a clip of lining up for a play, and Vaughn was lined up to Brady’s left. Brady directed Vaughn to his right. Guess what happened? A blitzer came free between RG and RT, and Vaughn blocked the blitzer.
IF Brady did not instantly know exactly what blocking scheme the O-Line was in, he would never have known where the free blitzer would be. Whether it was Jensen who called the protection or Brady, it doesn’t matter. The issue is that both Jensen and Brady worked together.
Brady’s role on that play? Just by his football IQ and quick-thinking, saved his own skin and saved a potential sack (or worse) and saved his team from a negative play.
Getting back to your point, how long it will take our new center to call protections is an unknown, but rest assured, Brady will ensure the proper calls are made in tandem with the center.
August 30th, 2022 at 12:19 pm
The first trait everyone always says about R. Hainsey is that he’s intelligent. High FB IQ. He’s gonna be fine.
Bf13
I get that the Bucs are all in but I don’t agree that they shouldn’t develop Goedeke this year. I believe you may be able to find someone slightly better than him for week one but Goedeke would surpass him with experience by mid season. Goedeke’s ceiling is going to be much higher and come playoff time he’s going to have (hopefully) 17 games under his belt. Playing like a vet.
August 30th, 2022 at 12:31 pm
D Rok right on! Read it and agree. Only problem is OL should have been priority past several years while drafting to protect Brady. Not much help now, and NO ONE giving up good OL now. Gonna have to give up something huge to get any OL worth having, IF deal even available??? Creed Humphrey went one pick before Trask, how does a trade up for that OL pic look now? Thats why Bucs have scouts, but GM needs to be aggressive. I just think Licht a little to lac on reaching for a DII or DIII OL reach pic and praying to get Marpet like result. Hainsey and Goedecke are going to have TB12 on toes ALL year, hopefully not on back.
August 30th, 2022 at 2:24 pm
That play right there is what cost Johnson his position!! He failed to maintain his block
August 30th, 2022 at 3:10 pm
@ Sorryjack
I just watched that play and thought the exact same thing. You can’t half-ass blocking on those hot route screens.
August 30th, 2022 at 5:35 pm
Need some depth another o-lineman goes down we are in deep sh_t.
August 30th, 2022 at 6:25 pm
Bork
You realize they spent a lot of draft capital on the Oline in recent years. We drafted Goedeke, Hainsey, Wirfs, Cappa, Marpet, and Smith….all who were taken in the 1st-3rd rounds. Those are premium picks and way more than we have used in years past. No one could’ve predicted that Marpet would retire. Also don’t think the Bucs anticipated Cappa getting such a big contract, and didn’t have the cap to resign him and Jensen. They def didn’t expect Jensen to get hurt in training camp, esp considering few games hes missed in his career. Goedeke went to Central Michigan (which produced Joe Staley, Antonio Brown, Sean Murphy-Bunting, etc) they are a D1 aka FBS school….so Licht didn’t draft another small school guy. Marpet, who outside of Wirfs (assuming Tristan stays healthy for his career) is probably the best Olineman in Bucs history and was a DIII FCS guy. So you have a flawed argument.