Dave Canales Embraces The Organized Chaos Of The Offensive Line
May 11th, 2023
Dave Canales will enjoy working with this man.
The Bucs don’t know who their left tackle will be. They know about center. But right guard and right tackle? Also unknowns.
Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales isn’t sweating it. He’s used to chaos on the offensive line from his days in Seattle. And despite a lot of jockeying on Seattle’s offensive line, the Seahawks had winning seasons in 10 of his 13 seasons there.
So with so many questions now on the Bucs’ offensive line, Canales seems to be at home.
“Every year that I’ve been in the NFL – for 13 years – we’ve played with at least six different combinations of linemen,” Canales said. “Guys you thought you were going to have… this guard is out for a couple weeks and this guy has to play, the center is out so he’s got to move in, he goes there, you lose one of your tackles.
“The fortunate teams who play 17+ games with the same offensive line, I don’t know how many times that’s happened. I know Philadelphia’s offensive line was pretty healthy this year and they were fantastic. You’re so fortunate when that happens.
“I think we’ve got to train them all. We’ve got to make sure the guards are getting center work, just so we have all those options. I don’t have a clear timetable for that.”
Joe knows folks love to kvetch about the offensive line. Point taken. Still, Joe finds it comforting that Seattle hasn’t had a dominant offensive line in 10 years, since the days of Max Unger and Russell Okung, yet had many good offenses. Canales never had a Tristan Wirfs-like player.
This is one reason Joe is eager to see Canales’ offense when the regular season bullets begin to fly.
May 11th, 2023 at 4:47 am
I am also eager to see a change. Even with Brady at QB, this offense was a plodding, bumbling offense through too many first halves and sometimes into the third quarter of our games. If we can avoid the calling the same ineffective plays over and over again, it will be a step in the right direction.
May 11th, 2023 at 5:08 am
Seattle’s offensive line was in a constant state of flux and chaos, even in their glory seasons with the Tom Cable zone blocking scheme and Marshawn Lynch. Rah Rah Canales was there. The ridiculous Legion of Boom defense made those teams, while the offense often stalled, sometimes for entire first halfs before finally wearing opponents down in second halfs. OL went from McQuistan-Sweezy-Unger-Sweezy-Giacomini in their SB season to Okung-Carpenter-Unger-Sweezy-Britt, a slightly worse OL the following season (their SB losing season), which was a difficult one. The team went into decline after that.
“Good offenses”? Depends on the definition of good. The SB seasons were offensively sporadic, dominant when they were able to smashmouth. Wilson had some explosions but was not consistent. Nor was the receiving corps fantastic unless you consider Doug Baldwin great. THey depended on Wilson to carry the team post-glory years, but RW remained up and down, and his supporting cast kept shifting.
“Canales never had a Wirfs-like player”, nor did he have a Jensen, although Unger was good. Good? The guy was an All-Pro and Sean Payton traded a Saints legend for the guy. Made the Pro Bowl with both teams. –Joe But more importantly, Canales was not the OC, or the OL coach, so this discussion is a somewhat moot point. What’s more important is Canales’ handling of Russell Wilson.
May 11th, 2023 at 5:15 am
He says all the right things and I love his energy. He could end up being dynamic, even if he struggles at first he should be an upgrade at the least
May 11th, 2023 at 7:02 am
Rich people problems. We have some really good offensive linemen. most of whom can play multiple positions. It’s just up to the coaches to figure out who goes where to maximize output. The depth is impressive.
May 11th, 2023 at 7:20 am
Don’t know why we shouldn’t have a solid O line this year. Wirfs is Wirfs. Goedeke is a second round pick, he’ll make the jump in his second year. Jensen is Jensen. The new F.A. is 6′ 6″ 330 lbs, great vet addicion. Mauch? I’ll just say I trust Licht on this one. Add in Hainsey who is now battle tested, Stinnie, Everette, and I’ll throw Waldon in there too. A new committment to run the ball with bad intentions. I like it. Think we might surprise some experts.
May 11th, 2023 at 7:21 am
Contrary to what Joe implies, Canales is not saying that chaos is somehow OK or preferred, that a consistent group of accomplished offensive linement is not important to success. He points to the Eagles, who by the way won the NFC last season, having a very good consistent O-line contributing to their success.
Sure, a good coach prepares for the worst, but he also sure as hell enjoys the huge advantage given by a quality group playing together game after game. That is precisely what we had during the previous two years when we won a Super Bowl and our first division championship in more than a decade.
JBF keeps sniffing and dismissing accurate assessments of last years very poor offensive line performance, as if that was no big deal, that it was all due to the Offensive Coordinator (last time I checked, the OC does not line up and snap the ball, or block for runners and quarterbacks).
JBF has to maintain his obsession with blaming the OC for what the team itself failed to accomplish. So he then also has to downgrade and dismiss the poor O line from last year in order to support his fantasy that it was all Byron Leftwich’s fault. Leftwich was merely the sacrificial lamb, the fall guy – someone had to pay for the fall off in the GOAT’s last season in the NFL, and it was Leftwich, by both the media and the team itself.
May 11th, 2023 at 7:31 am
We have some fantastic depth on our Oline……with Hainsey, Leverette & Stinnie, Walton likely baking up.
May 11th, 2023 at 7:36 am
Put the best starting five out there. If having a veteran beefy left side of Wirfs, Feilers and Jensen works so be it. If needing to see if Goedeke and mauch can hold down the right so be it.
If not you can always have Leverett, Walton or Feiler play on the right side. And Hainsey is a forgotten man that can play guard in a pinch. And then there is Stinnie.
May 11th, 2023 at 8:32 am
Bucs have plenty of talent and a lot of versatility to field a good OLine this year.
The questions are – who plays where – who starts – and how long will it take for “the best 5” to get ‘comfortable’ playing together?
May 11th, 2023 at 8:37 am
He says that now haha
Feel sorry for
The guy
May 11th, 2023 at 8:42 am
We have the worst offensive line talent in the nfl
The funny thing is everyone will blame the qb the coach the backs
They never put the blame on the gm
May 11th, 2023 at 8:43 am
When you have a simpleton calling plays, that’s hard on the offensive line too. Leftwich had no feel for the game and no patience for the running game. He was completely over his head and it showed in every phase of the offense.
The only thing that worries me about this offensive line is the assembly and placement of the guards. Wirfs moving to left tackle is the right move, I have no question about that. The insistence to take rookie offensive linemen and make them switch sides when it’s not necessary bugs me. Matt Feiler started in the NFL as a right tackle. We drafted a college left tackle that they’re switching to guard. Why not let the veteran play right guard and ease the transition of the rookie by sliding him inside one position? Then your O-line from left to right is vet-rookie-vet-vet-sophmore, instead of vet-vet-vet-rookie-sophmore.
I understand Mauch is versatile and athletic, but they’re basing that entire assessment on a few Senior Bowl practices. Goedeke’s season last year should have taught them something, but I guess the arrogance is too strong.
May 11th, 2023 at 8:48 am
Destinjohnny Says:
We have the worst offensive line talent in the nfl
Wow – seriously? SMH
There’s about 25 teams that would LOVE to trade all of their OLine players for the group that the Bucs have.
May 11th, 2023 at 8:56 am
Side note… Mason got a 3 yr deak with Houston worth 36M$ ???????
May 11th, 2023 at 9:05 am
Gotbucs, Feiler has played left guard for the Chargers. I wou think he stays there.
May 11th, 2023 at 9:21 am
So having the worst run offense in the history of the nfl is giving nobody red flags?
luke and Robert and the guy is is playing left tackle who we don’t have and a Jensen coming off a major injury mixed in with having no depth has people excited?
May 11th, 2023 at 9:38 am
^^^
We certainly have plenty of depth on the offensive line, maybe you should go take a look at the roster/depth chart. We’ve got 8 guys who can compete for either OG spots and around 6-7 guys that can compete for 1 tackles spot, not even including the crop of UDFA OLmen we’ll have at rookie camp this weekend.
May 11th, 2023 at 9:49 am
What??
It’s okay to be a fan…….
Do me a favor go watch last years game tape
May 11th, 2023 at 10:17 am
If Canales were to miraculously get the offense to average 30+ points per game, it’s probably not enough for a winning record. Courtesy of you know who, everyone’s favorite football clown.
May 11th, 2023 at 10:22 am
“So having the worst run offense in the history of the nfl is giving nobody red flags?”
Didn’t realize it was that bad lol but appears that way, although a lot is just on the lack of rushing attempts. In terms of YPC we were at 3.4 which was the same as the worst team in 2021, and in 2019 there were two teams at 3.3 YPC.
So in terms of total yards sure but in terms of efficiency nah. Still horrible though lol, but that was an O-line that lost 3 core above-average or elite starters all at once in Marpet/JEnsen/Cappa. And then Smith got injured as well.
We have 2 proven studs in Jensen/Wirfs to start this year. It seems like Feiler at worst is proven average starter. After that we have Nick Leverette & 3 significant draft picks to fill 2 holes.
Goedeke will likely get a shot at RT since he allowed no pressures his one start there last year. Then we have Hainsey/Mauch/Leverett really basically competing for RG i guess?
May 11th, 2023 at 10:26 am
Gotbucs … comeon, stop it. The OC calling the plays has absolutely zero to do with losing most or all of the talent from the offensive lines that played three seasons with great performance for the very same OC who called all the plays during the Arians ere.
It’s the most obvious difference between seasons is when the talented O line of the previous three seasons simply disintegrated last year, three of the prior five starters lost the entire season, one of the starters playing injured all season and producing the worst record of any left tackle in the league, and the most talented member of the prior O line not playing 4 games and not playing 100% when he did play for the season.
Just how the heck is ANY OC in the league going to force an untalented line of scrubs to perform like the stars of the prior three seasons? That was the ONLY thing that changed .. same OC, same quarterback, and same skill players as the prior three super productive seasons, but not the same O line.
Get real, all of ya.
May 11th, 2023 at 10:33 am
Unlike Leftwhich it seems Canales has a plan and knows how to implement it. He knows what he wants the offenses identity to be. That is refreshing and the offensive players have to love it. No wonder the O line guys are excited.
May 11th, 2023 at 10:33 am
“Do me a favor go watch last years game tape”
This team has changed a bunch since January 16th, to the point last years tape is barely relevant to the projection of what the 2023 Bucs can be. New OC, new staff, new scheme, and new personnel all around the offense in ’23 and it’s only May.
May 11th, 2023 at 11:21 am
Luke and Robert arent on the team??
How about our new left tackle? wait
May 11th, 2023 at 12:11 pm
Making sure everyone is prepared and ready for the inevitable changes is a great attitude to have, I hope that thought takes hold, as Mike Tyson so eloquently stated, “ Everybody has a plan till you get punched in the mouth!”, You gotta be able to roll with the punches!
May 11th, 2023 at 1:59 pm
Two out of starting five are pro bowlers. One is all pro. Goedeke, and Mauch are going to be real good, both second round picks. Hainsey played a solid season at a new position, a 3rd round pick, is now battle tested. Stinnie is coming back, he started a S.B. game for us, and was outstanding. leverette, Waldon solid back ups. Yeah we have the worst O line in the league.
May 11th, 2023 at 2:49 pm
So this Joe understands you put your best lineman at the most important position? CRAZY.
May 12th, 2023 at 1:03 am
I really like Wirfs. I think he will prove to be a great left tackle.
But
Why do we think he is a great tackle?
Hes played on the right side. The talented DEs are on the LEFT side ofbthe line.
Wirfs plays against run stoppers, NOT pass rushers.
So how was the run blocking?
We are the worst in the league.
Obviously, Wirfs isnt killing it as a run blocker
So- I dont think we really know how good Wirfs is- intil he starts playingbagainst the best DEs in the league. Then we can start with the” Wirfs is fantastic “ talk.
May 12th, 2023 at 1:21 am
@Duane
Wow thought I was the only one to see this as the reality of last season.
Those who don’t believe that it starts up front with the big guys should really rewatch last seasons tape. Even Brady had no chance.
Allthough Leftnuts play calling was …inexplicable… to be kind. Bowles/Lefnut really did nothing as far a in game adjustments to help the situation.
May 12th, 2023 at 2:03 am
I have high hopes for the O line this year.
And I do expect it to be better than last year.
Wirfs, Feiler, Jenson, Mauch, and Goedeke/Insert RT here.
Left side to Jenson should be monster!
I love the Mauch pick but he is a rookie switching sides and position.
Didn’t we learn anything last year after the Goedeke thing?
Sorry but not alot of confidence in Goedeke… Hope the Glass Eater is pissed about last year and proves me wrong.
New offense and OC should help but getting the new offense up to speed for everyone is no cakewalk. Coaches better be putting in lots of overtime.
May 16th, 2023 at 10:14 am
Hey, why even play any of our 2023 games? All us fans “Know” just how bad we will be and how many losses we will collect, because we have the “worst” (enter term here). Nothing about this team is going to be worth watching let us just cancel our 2023 season. Why bother to show up on JBF to blast your ill will toward the team “you’re” a “fan” of? Oline sux Dline sux Rb sux Lb sux Te sux Wr sux K/P sux St sux Coaching sux Gm sux Owners sux…. It does grow old to daily see how many “fans” we do collect here on JBF….
Bring on the 2023 season, Line our team up against any other team in the NFL! It will always be LET’S GO!!!!! BUCS!!!!!