“He Got A Bad Rap Up There”
January 15th, 2025
So how much will Bucs left guard Ben Bredeson earn when his contract expires in two months.
Will it be $8 million per year? $10 million? More?
Bredeson turns 27 next month and is coming off an injury-free year that saw him be a key cog in a punishing Bucs running game and a strong offensive line.
As an inexpensive 2024 free agent signing by Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht, Bredeson has to get at least an “A-” grade.
While Joe knows the Bucs won’t go crazy with Team Glazer loot for Bredeson, they certainly want him back to return their beastly young offensive line intact next season.
Head coach Todd Bowles gushed over his left guard on the Buccaneers Radio Network.
“He brought toughness, consistency. Coming in from the Giants, you know, he got a bad rap up there,” Bowles said. “But he came in, he held down the left guard spot for us. Had a heck of a year. Fit right in with the guys. The chemistry those guys had along with the leadership he brought in was unbelievable.”
Bredeson has always intrigued Joe because of his interesting background.
A a fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Bredeson was one of a whopping 10 University fo Michigan players drafted that year including four offensive linemen. In Round 1, the Saints grabbed center/guard Cesar Ruiz. He signed a massive contract extension in 2023.
After Bredeson went to the Ravens in Round 4, Michigan guard Michael Onwenu went off the board in Round 6 to New England. He signed a super fat three-year contract extension.
Ten picks later in Round 6, a Michigan offensive tackle went off the board, John Runyan, Jr. The Packers moved him to guard and the dude didn’t miss a start and played very well. He got a huge multiyear deal in 2024 free agency.
Bredeson is about to join his brothers in wealth.
January 15th, 2025 at 10:31 am
If I remember correctly, and that is a big if, didn’t the Bucs bring in two guards to compete? The other guy looked like he was winning the starting job and then got hurt and went on IR. I thought Bredeson was behind the first guy. He worked out really well. Am I wrong on this?
The Bucs brought in Sua Opeta from the Eagles for a lot less money than Bredeson to compete for the left guard job. Opeta blew out his ACL in July. Too early to determine who was ahead or behind. Regardless, Bucs aren’t looking for Opeta to start next season.
January 15th, 2025 at 10:49 am
Really interested to see how Klein looks next year. You can’t teach that kind of size. What’s he look like after a year in a NFL weight room?
January 15th, 2025 at 10:50 am
This is what happens when you bring in better coaches. I’m glad Canales took the OL-coach with him, Gilbert was with the Bucs for 4 years and i didn’t see much of an improvement on the OL. Now we have Carberry, whom Coen brought with him and suddenly the OL is making strides. Even a cheap Giants pick up is playing good. Wirfs is an All Pro, Goedeke is playing better and our rookie center looks like a veteran.
This is the progress i would like to see on the defensive side of the ball, eg. OLB, DB coaching.
I’m not sure to pay Bredeson that kind of money, i think 7mil is the limit. Why don’t sign Opeta to a cheap one year deal again – he was slated as the starting guard bevore his injury. I could also see Klein as a starter next season.
January 15th, 2025 at 10:50 am
Didn’t see much out of him to get a second contract with the Bucs. He gets beat often and was the weakest link of the offensive line. Rather get another vet for cheap or go through the draft for a LG
January 15th, 2025 at 10:58 am
Why fix something that not broken? Bucs already know what they have in Bredeson. Who knows about this Opeta guy. He wasn’t “slated” to start.
Klein has to seriously hit the weight room this winter. Just from the eyeball test, he doesn’t even look like an offensive lineman. More like a long snapper or maybe a fullback. LOL
If you guys saw Klein in person, no way you’d think he’s an NFL offensive lineman. Maybe that’s why he fell in the draft? Joe knows looks can be very deceiving so Joe is keeping an open mind about Klein.
January 15th, 2025 at 10:58 am
He was still the weak link on the line. Going to have to pay Goedeke soon. Bredeson is unfortunately probably a guy you have to let walk. Let Klein and another cheap vet battle it out for that spot. Unless of course Bredeson can be brought back for cheap again.
January 15th, 2025 at 11:01 am
Pay Da Man!!!!
January 15th, 2025 at 11:17 am
I think you offer Bredeson a 3 years 18 – 21 million dollar contract. He’s a solid starter.
January 15th, 2025 at 11:21 am
“The chemistry those guys had along with the leadership he brought in was unbelievable.”
Continuity is always valuable but even more so among the 5 OL and in this case toss in their QB.
I do not suspect TL will ask Baker what to do but I wouldn’t be surprised if Baker is lobbying to keep his “boys” in tact as a group. Wouldn’t wish to mess up those Davis Island gatherings. Clearly these six men, the five OL and QB are more than comfortable in sharing the same trench. When you have guys you’d want in your trench in combat they’re keepers. I like the entire UNIT.
January 15th, 2025 at 11:26 am
Offensive line is the least of the Bucs’ worries. We need to get Godwin under contract. Evans, Godwin, and McMillan make for a mighty impressive starting WR group. Focus should be DE, LB and CB, not necessarily in that order.
January 15th, 2025 at 11:28 am
The average NFL OG makes $3.5M/y. Bred is average. Slightly better sandwiched between Wirfs and Barton. Bred doesn’t have much of a market beyond the Bucs. You can draft a guy like Bred in the 4th or 5th round.
Crystal Ball says, Bred gets 3 years @ $20M.
January 15th, 2025 at 11:30 am
“After Bredeson went to the Giants in Round 4”
Bredeson was drafted by the Ravens.
January 15th, 2025 at 11:35 am
There needs to continue to be a competition for that spot this offseason. He wasn’t bad, but he was still the weak point on that offensive line.
January 15th, 2025 at 12:06 pm
Keep Bredeson.
Our O-line stayed pretty healthy this year, save for Luke’s concussion and Tristan’s leg injuries.
More importantly, they play well together.
Baker has their backs, and as we saw in one late-season game, they’ve certainly got his.
And the continuity will only make all of them better individually and as a unit.
That doesn’t mean there can’t be competition, and if someone outperforms Bredeson in training camp, they should get the job.
Offer him a team-friendly deal that also tells him his contributions are noticed and appreciated. JL is good at working magic like that.
January 15th, 2025 at 12:07 pm
Agree with @gotbbucs, Bredeson is the weak line so we need competition there. Bring back Bredeson and have him compete with Opeta, Klein, and a monster rookie. Watching the HUGE Philly OL, considered by many to be the best, the Bucs are actually small.
January 15th, 2025 at 12:19 pm
We will have enough cap room to do whatever we want so if we decide to keep him its because we like what he’s done he wont be allowed to leave over money unless someone throws something insane at him which I don’t think would be the case.
January 15th, 2025 at 12:26 pm
Joe – what happened to Royce Newman? We picked him up after Green Bay cut him, and he was a healthy scratch this year. He played mostly RG for Green Bay, but also LG. His contract is expiring. What’s the story about him?
January 15th, 2025 at 12:35 pm
I personally think that he drafted. Elijah Klein to be our future left guard, I think. that Ben Bredesen was really. a very mediocre at best talent and often was the weak link on this line. I think he is a replaceable talent and would not have even gotten this starting job if the. other guard we signed in the off season had not gotten injured. I would not give him more than $5 million a season as I would rather see that money invested in signing a. good defensive player in free agency and or making sure we resigned Chris Godwin assuming he is healthy.
January 15th, 2025 at 12:37 pm
The problem with getting a guard in the draft is we also need 2 corners, 2 ILBs, and edge for the first 5 picks. I would use the last 2 picks on a DT and speedy WR/Punt returner. If we get one of these via FA say the Edge, then we could get a LG to compete with Bredeson and Klein.
FA dollars must however be saved to resign Chris. Suggest the same contract and dollars that Mike got. 1A and 1B.
January 15th, 2025 at 12:40 pm
bredeson is a keeper…pay him…mauch is the problem…too light and no balance….
GO BUCS!!!!
January 15th, 2025 at 12:46 pm
sign bredeson…if for some reason you know you are just not going to pay goedeke the big bucks…
but if def keeping goedeke you say bye to bredeson…
hoping to fill the void with opeta, klein…or maybe a luke haggard or the 6 foot 9 foreign practice squad behemoth…
i’m not even sure if “shnitzel behemoth” or haggard are still with the practice squad actually…
but left guard seems like a fairly pluggable position…
don’t get me wrong…i like ben bred…and continuity is everything up front
January 15th, 2025 at 1:34 pm
He’s gotta knock off the false start penalties (3) and holding (5). Our entire O-line with the exception of Cody Maich needs to be better in this regard as well. Other than that, he played well. Wouldn’t mind him back to compete with Elijah Klein with Ben obviously being the incumbent starter.
January 15th, 2025 at 1:34 pm
This requires some hard thought.
I definitely want the Bucs to keep Brederson. He behaved as a professional, and he played as a professional. And, he may be better in his second year in the system playing beside the same players. He should get a paid as such.
But, did he play so well that his position would be essentially guaranteed? If not, how much can the Bucs justify paying him? And, how much can the Bucs afford to pay him? If he and his agent decide that he is going for the biggest payday they can get, the Bucs may be wise to show restraint if someone is outbidding them.
Until he was injured, Sua Opeta was reportedly winning the position battle with Brederson. If Opeta is now healthy, the Bucs should be able to resign him to another inexpensive contract. And, how is the rookie coming along? And, the Bucs usually have a keen eye on the marketplace for talented and affordable players. What are the other options?
Even if her is resigned, Brederson might well be in a camp battle. His experience in the system and his experience on the field with the Bucs first team are assets for him in such a battle. But, he still might not win the camp battle.
I hope that he is back, paid fairly and affordably, and that he is even better in his second year playing with the starters in the same system. But, if the Buc find or discover that they have a player who is even better, that’s football.
January 15th, 2025 at 2:34 pm
Good comment Vanessa – agreed.
January 15th, 2025 at 2:59 pm
This dude is just a guy. He can be replaced easily. He’s not good.
January 15th, 2025 at 3:18 pm
Can he play center. Barton had mistakes that cost us toward the end of the season. I would like to see him at his more natural position.
January 15th, 2025 at 4:33 pm
Can use another reserve G that can play tackle to solidfy Oline depth at some point; that and another say 4th WR and Offense is fully sound.
But exactly if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. After David and Godwin, Brederson and Edge ought to be our FA priorities. Rest of needs can be addressed in Draft, and a few supplemental signings. I like our ole formula of Drafting rest of Defense, then plugging in a Rice or a JPP to get us the trophy. With a top 5 Defense back, this Offense wins a Super Bowl over the Chiefs easily. D 3 impact starters on each level away from Victory in Santa Clara
January 15th, 2025 at 5:51 pm
bob in valrico. Yes He Can! Starting NFL center for the Giants. Helped a bunch with Barton this year. Valuable leadership. Let’s hope he’ll work a team friendly contract. We’re good on the OLine, depth is also good. That is if we keep Hainsey and Skule. Pay Godwin and Goedeke and the offense is good. Now draft 2 or 3 linebackers and beg LaVonte to stay and help transition them.
January 15th, 2025 at 7:54 pm
8 to 10 mil for Brederson? You have to be joking. Weak link for sure. 4 to 5 mil tops. Rookie or FA to replace him easily for that kind of money. Put Hainsey in if need be. Too many other needs than waste that money on barely decent. Someone asked the other day why we didn’t sneak or tush push. Answer Brederson. Mauch still gets a pass but prove it year coming up for him.
January 15th, 2025 at 8:27 pm
If you could keep him for around $5-6m, I’d do so, but the Bucs have a ton of money tied up in the line and I don’t know they can spend $8m-$10m on him, certainly not when Licht is the best in the NFL at finding offensive lineman.
Speaking of which, if Ben does get paid, Licht can use that as motivation when he pitches other guys – that come to Tampa for a year on a cheap deal, and you’re going to get paid by someone the next year. That’s a legit pitch that he can use.
January 15th, 2025 at 9:09 pm
Bucs only have six picks in this year’s draft, not seven. They do not have a sixth round pick.
January 15th, 2025 at 10:43 pm
“intact next season”
I think that is key Joe, But overpaying for Bredeson would set a bad precedent.
BTW I think a B+ is a fair grade. Alot of the pressure was coming on pass blocks from his area. Having said that I think after the fiasco of left guards we have had the last couple of years? Get it done Jason. Give Mr Hainsey some cash too. Do not let him get away.
Go Bucs!