Todd Bowles Opens Up On Offensive Tackle Jobs
March 28th, 2023
The head coach speaks!
First, there will be no decision on Tristan Wirfs moving to left tackle until after the NFL Draft.
Joe asked Bucs head coach Todd Bowles about that today during a private sitdown at the NFL Annual Meetings in Phoenix.
Yes, the Bucs continue to consider moving their All-Pro right tackle to the opposite side of the offensive line. But Wirfs has not been told it’s happening, Bowles said, or that he should even get ready or start studying.
Simply put, the Bucs are waiting until after the draft.
So who might play right tackle? Well, second-year guard/tackle Luke Goedeke’s name is firmly on the table.
Bowles had a twinkle in his eye today when Joe asked about Goedeke at the NFC Coach’s breakfast at the swanky Biltmore resort.
Goedeke played well at right tackle in his start against the Falcons in Week 17, Bowles said. But Coach, what about Goedeke’s arms being too short to be an NFL tackle, as in less than 33 inches long?
“Bowels said that while Goedeke has short arms for a tackle (32 1/4 inches), in this case they’re not too short because “he does have the height and he does have the fight.”
It’s clear the Bucs love the edge Godeke brings and believe he matured.
“Luke started out learning. I think he’s a very physical football player. I think he’s going to help us this year. He’s going to play somewhere on the line,” Bowles said. We really like him at guard and then he showed he can play tackle at the end of the year. So epending on how the draft and the rest of the free agency goes, we’ll kind of find one of the two spots for him. But it’s good to have the versatility.”
As Joe wrote after various private chats at the NFL Scouting Combine, expect Goedeke and center/guard Robert Hainsey to be starters this season. Where? That’s unclear.
March 28th, 2023 at 12:44 pm
Mentioning the draft twice when being asked about a stalwart of a RT and a rookie who was in the mix for a job at LG, def means( to me at least ) whether we stand pat or trade out that we’re targeting the OL day 1 and/or 2, which is no surprise, but the wait and see will be about how the overall big board shapes out. Great questions Joe.
March 28th, 2023 at 12:46 pm
It’s like they say about QBs: when you have two, you have none… when you have two linemen that aren’t great at any one position, you have none.
March 28th, 2023 at 12:48 pm
Based on Licht’s record drafting offensive lineman, I think Luke is still going to end up being good. Be it at guard or tackle.
ALSO, just in case you didn’t see this Joe, BSPN has some a former GM, Mike Tannenbaum, doing a mock draft, where he takes Hooker at #5 overall. So assuming this guy isn’t just trying to be a sports shock jock, it means the hype has started on him behind the scenes.
Might as well go ahead and trade for Lamar.
March 28th, 2023 at 1:12 pm
I will say Jason Licht record on drafting O-Lineman has been impressive, but not so great for D-Lineman.
Unless Licht is willing to draft high for a Tackle this year, then I dunno if it’s even worth it unless Licht sees another Diamond in the tall grass like a Cappa or Marpet…..cause that was just amazing how he got both.
So far, Tristan Wirfs has been the best O-Lineman the Bucs has ever drafted and I hope Licht hits another one outta the park this draft for O-Lineman.
March 28th, 2023 at 1:17 pm
Munch,
They’re not trading for Lamar. It ain’t happening. They’re not paying any QB 40+ million guaranteed this year, especially one who has only 1 playoff victory and is known more for running than passing, and didn’t even show up for his team’s playoff game. That’s not leadership. He can’t even speak English.
March 28th, 2023 at 1:26 pm
Godeke is a Glass Eater. He said so himself, LOL
March 28th, 2023 at 1:30 pm
sasquatch – First off, when a player is traded, you can redo their deal and if it’s a sign and trade deal, the Ravens would eat part of the cap hit. Second off, what’s with these mentally weak people that think other men need to ‘lead’ them? It’s just flat out embarrassing. Third off, half this team can’t speak english as they ‘ain’t got time for dat’. Fourth off, he didn’t show up for the playoffs? I don’t know, maybe that’s because he was injured.
Finally, yes, I know the Bucs aren’t going to do something meaningful that would keep them in the playoffs for years to come. Not when you have Todd Bowles coaching this team. No, they’re going to go 6-11 for the next 2-10 decades while they wait for another HOF QB to fall into their laps who plays on a greatly unvalued contract, and who they don’t have to trade any lottery tickets to get.
March 28th, 2023 at 1:32 pm
Hooker has a first-round skill set and is already able to run. There is a good chance he will be drafted before the Bucs first round pick.
March 28th, 2023 at 1:36 pm
I’m picturing Joe walking around this breakfast like in the Hunger Games, when Katniss sees how everyone at The Capital lives it up.
March 28th, 2023 at 1:46 pm
Yeah, Bucs want to see whats behind door #1 with the draft and hoping they can get a player they want, but if not, door #2 with Wirfs moving to LT and Goedeke playing RT is an option. I’m feeling like they will draft an OT though, maybe two even.
March 28th, 2023 at 1:55 pm
We’ll probably have to draft a center too @Mike, we’ve got Jensen & Hainsey. With Bob also being a front runner to fill one of the open guard spots on either side of Jensen. So we’ll at the least need a player to be a contingency plan at C should either Hainsey or Jensen or both get nicked up between now and week 1. It’s not like it cannot happen. OT would be a top priority in terms of our need overlapping with the value of OLmen, but def think we’ll be adding a 5-man OL worth of prospects to invite to rookie camp post-draft. We’ve got 4 OTs, 4 OGs, and only 2 legit Centers on the roster as of today.
March 28th, 2023 at 1:59 pm
You really LIKE Goedeke at Guard??????? Whatever you were watching Bowles it was not Gedonkey at Guard-He was bloody horrible last year-maybe Ok back at his familiar position of RT-Maybe….
March 28th, 2023 at 2:11 pm
Goedeke was not good last year but he also was not worse than average for a rookie offensive lineman.
Pretty much all of the rookies that played last year on the offensive line got beat just as much as Goedeke per snap percentage.
Based upon the excellent coaching ability of our offensive line coaches, I expect a good season from Goedeke.
March 28th, 2023 at 2:18 pm
Goedke was absolutely awful last year. He was a complete liability. It was coaching malpractice starting him. He caused the QB to have PTSD the whole season. My biggest issues with the coaching staff has been their personnel decisions. Film junkies and analytic nerds all agree he was one of the worst guards in the league.
Look, I’m not expecting Goedeke to be the next John Hannah, but he wasn’t even serviceable.
March 28th, 2023 at 2:36 pm
Right Guard. He should’ve been at right guard last year. Moving him from college right tackle to NFL left guard was a stupid idea.
March 28th, 2023 at 2:37 pm
Joe “Tpdd, why oh earth would you try to fix something that ain’t broken by moving Wiefs?” Todd to Joe, “The correct English, Joe is “Isn’t Broken”
March 28th, 2023 at 2:58 pm
“We really like him at guard” until we saw him play.
March 28th, 2023 at 3:05 pm
When I see it I’ll believe it, but I don’t see the Bucs moving Wirfs to LT. There are 5 decent natural LT’s in the draft. The Bucs won’t tell anyone the truth about their intentions prior to the draft so until then there will be a lot of intentional misinformation.
March 28th, 2023 at 3:07 pm
Rod Munch Says:
March 28th, 2023 at 1:30 pm
What do you mean, re-do the deal? It’s not like Baltimore is gonna eat a chunk of the deal just to facilitate a trade. And the Bucs aren’t going to get any kind of discount. It’s just delusional to think we could get this guy without serious long-term cap consequences.
Ever notice what every coach looks for in a QB? Leadership. What was Brady? A leader. A QB who can’t handle a leadership role is not going to win championships. The doesn’t mean the other guys are “mentally weak”… It just means there are guys who play the role of field general. That’s what every team wants.
I have a different literacy standard for the QB position.
There were plenty of reports saying he could have played, but refused to because he didn’t want to risk messing up his 40 million payday. Even so, he didn’t even travel with the team and hang on the sidelines in a playoff game. Do you think Brady or Mahomes or Burrow would be sitting at home watching his team’s playoff game?
This is a major red flag. #diva
Lamar wouldn’t do that.
I think the team has proven it will do things to keep competitive for years to come. This is a transitional year.
March 28th, 2023 at 3:15 pm
@Buc4ever
The NFL draft is like that old cartoon “Wacky Races” smokescreens, oils slicks, snickering dogs, and bad driving.
March 28th, 2023 at 3:32 pm
The next five years will transitional years, Licht didn’t do squat before Brady.
March 28th, 2023 at 4:06 pm
Allbuccedup Says:
March 28th, 2023 at 3:32 pm
He built the roster that made Brady want to come here and won a SB with it.
March 28th, 2023 at 4:24 pm
KingLDavid54 Says
“It’s like they say about QBs: when you have two, you have none… when you have two linemen that aren’t great at any one position, you have none.”
They would be wrong on both counts.
Many instances throughout NFL history when backups came in and did fantastic.
Tom Brady was even one.
March 28th, 2023 at 4:26 pm
Allbuccedup Says
“The next five years will transitional years, Licht didn’t do squat before Brady.”
Well, that’s entirely wrong.
Aside from Bruce Arians, who came before Brady, he also built a top Offensive line, an exceptional secondary, and pretty much 90% of the superbowl team.
And he’ll do it again.
March 28th, 2023 at 4:29 pm
Bucsfan13 Says
“Goedke was absolutely awful last year. He was a complete liability. It was coaching malpractice starting him.”
Can’t blame the coaches for that one…injuries piled up and they had no other options.
The experience will end up being beneficial for the player though.
March 28th, 2023 at 4:31 pm
Rod Munch Says:
“Finally, yes, I know the Bucs aren’t going to do something meaningful that would keep them in the playoffs for years to come. Not when you have Todd Bowles coaching this team. No, they’re going to go 6-11 for the next 2-10 decade…”
Well, this I actually do not agree with.
I don’t expect much this year, but next year things should start getting better…after they fire Bowles.
We’ll have our pick of coaches, since the cap will be better and the whole Bruce Arians thing made the Bucs look like a desirable place.
March 28th, 2023 at 5:15 pm
Allbucedup is hitting the pipe if he really thinks Brady built the whole roster when he came n then won a Super Bowl with it while coaching and playing QB.
March 28th, 2023 at 5:41 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai – I’d love to be wrong in feeling negative on Bowles, and if I am wrong, I’ll gladly take the verbal beating.
With that said I didn’t start out as a Todd Bowles hater. I thought he’d be perfectly acceptable last year, all he had to do was not screw anything up. I absolutely said nearly all the teams issues are because of Leftwich, and I still very much believe that.
But that game in Cleveland completely turned me. That was was cowardly, awful, terrible, limp wristed of an ending of a game as you can have. You’re afraid to let Tom Brady throw the ball when you have like a min left and you’re at the 40? That’s a fireable offense. Yes, I know Leftwich is an idiot and I wouldn’t trust his calls either, but you also have Tom Brady out there – and to take the ball out of his hands.
I’m just telling you, that game turned me 100% negative on Bowles. That was compounded by, at the end of the season, the offense is finally in a grove in that Panthers game, then you have a great opening series vs the Falcons — SIT your starters right then at that moment! They’re in sync, they feel good about themselves, there’s nothing to gain by continuing to play them. Instead, he leaves them in the game, things with the starters bog down, and you just lost a ton of momentum going into that playoff game.
But hopefully getting rid of Leftwich really does fix everything. But I find it impossible to believe that, even with as stupid and useless as Leftwich is, that getting rid of him is a bigger upgrade than the downgrade that comes from going from Tom Brady to Baker Mayfield. I mean Leftwich was truly God-awful, and I hate him, but was he that bad? I guess we’ll see.
March 28th, 2023 at 5:49 pm
sasquatch – When a player is publicly saying they want to be traded, sometimes it’s just to get more money, sometimes it’s because they really want out. If Lamar really wants out, then the Ravens are going to have to do something or just throw away their season not knowing who is going to be their QB. When you have a team in a pickle like that, yes, to facilitate a deal, they can eat salary cap money if it means getting a better deal. From the Bucs side they just have to get past THIS year, next year, if the cap is going up $60m, then every starting QB is going to be making $40m a year. That’s just how it works.
As for Lamar, what in the world makes you think he’s not a good player and not a winner? He’s literally got a .700 winning percentage, with very little talent around him outside of TE, and also on teams with suspect defenses. You’re nuts if you don’t think he’s a winning QB.
Also saying ‘rumor says’ he was healthy and held out from playing – how about some solid sourcing on that from somewhere that isn’t fake news.
Again, the Bucs aren’t going to do this because they’re the Bucs. They got lucky once with Brady, and that’s all we’re going to get. It’s remarkable you have people around who are OK with being losers because they think it’s 1982 and the only way to win a game is running it up the middle with a QB who knows his place and doesn’t leave the pocket.
March 28th, 2023 at 7:43 pm
All you guys hating on Todd Bowles need to evaluate his HC performance here (1 year) separate from his DC performance (over 4 years). Do any of you REALLY believe that the Bucs would’ve won a SB in 2020 without Todd Bowles running the defense for BA? Or that we’d have done as well as we did (13-4) in 2021 without him running the defense?
Last year the defense slipped a little (allowed 358 points in 2022 versus 352 in 2021 & 355 in 2020). That’s pretty consistent defensive performance IMO, despite the fact that our defense had a lot of new faces & injuries last year. I wasn’t thrilled with some of his HC decisions, but I’m willing to give him a pass on 2022 because of the late notice he got on assuming command AND not having the opportunity to create his own staff. He’s inherited an awful salary CAP situation, but so far I like the moves that he & Licht have made, presumably together. Just wish that some folks would stop all the bitching, let the hand play out, and see what we’ve got. HOPEFULLY we’ll all be pleasantly surprised.
March 29th, 2023 at 2:31 am
It’s easy
Real simple
Bloweszo.
March 29th, 2023 at 2:37 am
I think we draft OT regardless. Other than Wirfs, who do we have under contract? Josh Wells, injured, UFA. Walton played well in spots but not sure he is able to play both sides like Josh did. If we can land a starting LT in the draft and maybe a vet willing to backup ala Jason Peters.
March 29th, 2023 at 9:06 am
Here is the starting offensive line next year, as long as everyone is healthy.
LT Rookie – Harrison, Mayfield, or Duncan.
LG Hainsey
C Jensen
RG Goekede
RT Wirfs
Depending on if we trade out of the 19th spot, I’d draft two LT. One earlier to start at LT and another to compete at LG with the idea of Jensen retiring after this year. We don’t know if he can even play the entire season. Then Hainsey moves to Center and we have a groomed LG for the future.
March 30th, 2023 at 4:00 am
Stopped reading after I stopped laughing…. Todd Bowles opens up….LOL