The Bucs Have Confidence In Robert Hainsey
September 8th, 2022
Practice reps make perfect.
So like it or not, on Sunday night Bucs fans will see a center who has as many career starts as Joe.
Many Bucs fans are nervous about Robert Hainsey. So yesterday Bucs coach Todd Bowles was asked about Hainsey going up against Vita Vea and Akiem Hicks daily in practice and if that helped Hainsey prepare for beasts in the middle the Dallas defense. Bowles believes it helped a great deal.
“I think it’s helped him all of camp,” Bowles said. “I think it’s helped him all camp [to] understand how to position blocks, when to use power, when to use speed.
“He’s a smart guy, he’s been getting a lot of reps at it, but it will be a challenge for him, no doubt.”
Now some Bucs fans, even to this day, cannot wrap their head around why the Bucs didn’t try to get a starting center. Well, aside from the prohibitive price tag — Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager wasn’t exactly in a desirable negotiating position — Joe believes Hainsey, who the Bucs groomed at center all last year in closed practices that only Bucs types got to watch, showed the Bucs something facing Vita Vea in practice through the season.
And if Hainsey proves in the next couple of weeks he’s not ready for prime time, then maybe the Bucs swing a deal from a garbage team for a center. That’s likely why Licht cleared cap space earlier this week, just in case.
Bowles didn’t throw cold water on the notion an offensive lineman could still be had when asked about the extra salary cap space, “It’s just to have money right now, but things open up and things happen after the first week, so it’s better safe than sorry.”
September 8th, 2022 at 5:50 am
Iron sharpens iron…
Going against this Bucs front seven everyday should shorten his leaning curve…”Hopefully” for the sake of the entire Bucs nation that holds true.
September 8th, 2022 at 5:53 am
Not as concerned about our starting OLinen as some seem to be. Durable Donnie is still the rock, and Shaq Mason has been a solid pickup. Our 3 younger OLinemen, Wirfs, Hainsey & Goekeke, have all been dinged up in Training Camp, but seem to be healing pretty well. The issue IMO is OLine DEPTH … Fred Johnson, Josh Wells, Nick Leverett & Brandon Walton.
Johnson’s got 3 years in the league, all with Cincinnati, and did get to start 8 games. Wells has 7 years in the NFL, 4 with Jacksonville & 3 with us; he’s started 17 games. But after that, Nick Leverett has 1 year (no games started but 60 offensive snaps), and Brandon Walton is a rookie.
Gotta suspect that we’ve opened up some salary CAP space lately because Bucs see a need for adding a more experienced, more versatile DEPTH player to our Oline. Would love to know what’s going on behind the scene. (I suspect there’s some scrambling going on).
September 8th, 2022 at 6:56 am
Hainsey will be fine. He was going to start if Jensen left in the offseason. On the other hand Goedeke is an undersized, unproven rookie that was put on skates a few times this preseason. He is who we should be watching closely.
September 8th, 2022 at 7:06 am
This is the most pivotal and important part of this team this year. If Hainsey or Leverett are ready then this team can win a Title. If not it could be a disaster
September 8th, 2022 at 7:47 am
This is going to be a disaster at center and left guard . This is the NFL and opponents will exploit this weakness relentlessly. Until Bucs can bring in proven talent we are looking at 6-11 type season
Bucs will probably have to line up a fullback for extra blocking protection on passes
September 8th, 2022 at 7:48 am
You know……a player has to start at one point…..I don’t hold it against then if they haven’t had a snap….
I’m rooting for Robert….
September 8th, 2022 at 7:54 am
Bucs fan
Luke Goedeke is 6′ 5″ and 312 lbs. Not undersized at all.
September 8th, 2022 at 8:02 am
Respect your opinion George but geez…
It’s not like we’re dragging two undrafted free agents in to fill these positions. Both of these guys were drafted in the top half of their drafts. Also, Licht has imo proven he has a good eye for draftable offensive line prospects…even small school guys like Marpet and Cappa had success here. I think the timing of the injury to Jensen allowed the necessary time and reps for these young guys. We will be fine (knocked on wood 😅)…
September 8th, 2022 at 8:56 am
I can imagine there was this same type of negativity from Patriot fans 21 years ago when Drew Bledsoe went down. “OMG, our season is doomed. Who is this friggin Tom Brady guy?”
People, the Bucs area of strength is in evaluating Oline talent. As Karen Rogers would say “Relax”. I will agree I am concerned about depth in our backups, but not our starters. It is not logical that the Bucs lost Jensen, Marpet and (possible starter) Stinnie and didn’t replace even one of them with a 2nd string backup guy. How this unfolds will be very interesting.
September 8th, 2022 at 9:25 am
hainsey really has beefed up to an nfl body…
maybe we re all in for a pleasant surprise with him filling in at center
September 8th, 2022 at 9:27 am
Brady will get them ready. He is already feeding them the bad press and what the pundits are saying. Huge motivation for them to prove the experts wrong. Will they make mistakes, yep, but they will learn and get better each week. Let’s see how they handle the crybabies.
September 8th, 2022 at 9:51 am
This reminds me a lot of Cappa’s situation previously. He needed to develop his lower frame and also get starting reps before he really developed. I see Hainsey on a similar path. He developed physically and mentally and now needs to starting reps.
September 8th, 2022 at 9:58 am
Hainsey’s been training hard at center for 18 months & impressing everyone.
Goedeke has raw talent but very green.
September 8th, 2022 at 9:59 am
I’m excited for the guy – hopefully he dominates.
He was a top 100 pick being developed by a team with excellent lineman not some rando
September 8th, 2022 at 11:12 am
Man, big gamble to make when protecting a 45 year old qb. They beeter be right or Brady is definitely done.
September 8th, 2022 at 11:36 am
I’m nervous about Hainsey and even more nervous if he goes down with injury again. We’ve got negative nothing behind him. Lack of depth, lack of insurance, is the scariest.
September 8th, 2022 at 12:28 pm
Hainsey needs to start doing Taekwondo like Jensen.
September 8th, 2022 at 1:59 pm
Just a few more days and it will be time for the Bucs to walk the walk. Enough talk, let’s see it.