Bucs Re-sign Sua Opeta
March 25th, 2025
Sua Opeta (left) with fellow guard Ben Bredeson.
Joe is getting Aaron Stinnie vibes.
Remember when Stinnie, a postseason/Super Bowl hero at guard during the 2020 season, blew out his ACL in a worthless 2022 preseason game?
The Bucs stood by him and Stinnie started 11 games at left guard for Tampa Bay in 2023.
Enter Sua Opeta. Who?
He was signed a year ago to battle for a starting left guard position with Ben Bredeson. But like Stinnie, he trashed his knee last summer and never saw the field. Today, he was re-signed by the Bucs.
Signed by the Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2019, Opeta played both guard spots there and has 10 career starts.
Joe has no contract details, but Joe doubts Opeta got much guaranteed cash. And he likely signed at or near league minimum.
Nice depth/competition signing for Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht. The Bucs sure like to stick with their guys.
March 25th, 2025 at 3:21 pm
Smart move. The guy knows the system and should go all out to make Bredeson even better.
In Licht We Trust!!!
March 25th, 2025 at 3:25 pm
I know nothing was ever official, but wasn’t the word out of training camp last year that he was ahead of Brendeson for the starting LG position before he blew out his knee?
March 25th, 2025 at 3:29 pm
I had wondered why this had not already happened. Reportedly, he was winning the camp battle with Bredeson before he was injured. I wonder if he was waiting to see if he had a better shot at starting somewhere else. Definitely a smart move!
March 25th, 2025 at 3:32 pm
He’s gonna start and be a beast. He was buried in Philly due to a pro bowl front line
March 25th, 2025 at 3:38 pm
He might have beat out Bredeson last year But Bredeson is a different animal now. Good to have them both.
March 25th, 2025 at 3:41 pm
If there is one thing that our GM specializes in it is building a strong O-line.
It’s unfortunate Opeta got injured in training camp last season but i’m glad he is back and if our GM trusts him to help this team win games than so do I…
March 25th, 2025 at 3:43 pm
I thought he was clearly beating out Bredeson until he got hurt.
This is an under the table GREAT signing that I was hoping would happen. This Line is Deep now with Heck, Opeta, and Klein. We do probably need a backup Center.
I seriously doubt OG anywhere in this draft.
March 25th, 2025 at 3:45 pm
Jason Licht continues to build depth on each side of the ball. With that, I can see him trading down #19 to pick up an additional pick. If so, look for 4 picks for the D and 3 picks for the O.
March 25th, 2025 at 4:03 pm
And with that, you can expect no OL being drafted, which is fine.
8 roster slots are solidified, OL has solid depth.
I don’t think there is any issue at WR, TE, and RB as is stands either. Offense is basically set before the draft and we should feel good about it. I feel great. Defensive BPA should set us up well!
March 25th, 2025 at 4:06 pm
Here’s the plan…
If Barton goes down with an injury this season, Bucs slide Bredneson as a backup center, then Opeta as the LG…
Who am I kidding, if Opeta is truly back from injury, he will give Bredneson all he can handle at LG during OTA’s and TC. He was winning the battle last off-season before his injury soooooooo 🤷🏻♂️
Opeta’s a monster and much more physical than Bredneson. I expect it to be a battle for the spot….
March 25th, 2025 at 4:14 pm
smart move…i remember sua taking 1st team reps before he got injuried
GO BUCS!!!!
March 25th, 2025 at 4:19 pm
Now we don’t have to waste a draft pick on the OL. Bredeson is the backup C. Opeta is the backup guard and Heck is backup T
March 25th, 2025 at 4:25 pm
Guys guys guys…Opeta is not going to win the LG spot. The contract Bredeson signed assures that he starts. Remember, there is still an owner that signs the checks, and a GM and Head Coach that needs to keep the owner happy.
March 25th, 2025 at 4:28 pm
It’s surreal to have an Oline like this. These are uncharted waters for Bucs fans. What a luxury. The Texans had to blow their whole Oline room up it was so toxic. Every young stud quarterback is in dire need of an OL. If they’re lucky they’ll be rolling with half of one this season. The Bucs have a full stable of true hosses. Every one of these boys are huge and good at football too. Goedeke may be the best trash talker in sports on top of it all. Good times.
March 25th, 2025 at 4:37 pm
Bucs fans should remember that all the talent on the squad is because we have a relatively cheap QB. After another strong year. Baker will want to be in that top group of $50M+ QBs and the Bucs should decline loudly. Get a good QB and assemble a great team, don’t be Joe Burrow, 2 WRs and a punt team.
March 25th, 2025 at 4:54 pm
yeah very nice move…
there goes drafting an OL guy…they might skip the oline this year…
possibly will sign a couple undrafted free agents licht could be eye balling as long term pieces tho
March 25th, 2025 at 4:57 pm
only question now is back up center…
and that would be bredeson…
looks set…………and as i said in the past we have a few good pieces floating around on the practice squad too…
line looks deep and good for a solid year
March 25th, 2025 at 5:05 pm
Drafting Defense and a WR
March 25th, 2025 at 5:23 pm
Slacker Says:
March 25th, 2025 at 3:32 pm
So he’s going to start over the incumbent to whom they just gave a 3 year contract? Okay. 👌
March 25th, 2025 at 5:25 pm
This does not affect draft plans much. If there’s an olineman they like on day 3, they’ll take him unless there’s an equal or better defensive player available.
March 25th, 2025 at 6:11 pm
adam from ny Says:
March 25th, 2025 at 4:57 pm
I read elsewhere that Klein had begun taking some snaps at C.
March 25th, 2025 at 6:14 pm
Another jem for Jason.
March 25th, 2025 at 6:15 pm
If opeta would outplay bredeson in camp, you think he’s backing up bredeson just because of a contract? Pretty sure talent trumps a contract.
The problem, if you want to call it that, is there isn’t enough full-go practice time any longer for a veteran coming off a major injury to convince a coaching staff that he’s better than an incumbent starter by Week 1. It would have to be a ridiculously unique situation for the Bucs to pass on maintaining the continuity of the O-line. Opeta is a 2025 backup.–Joe
March 25th, 2025 at 6:34 pm
Smart move again! They saw enough to sign him and play him before the injury. If he is healthy he will at the very least be depth. Worst case he doesn’t make the Team w minimal impact. What’s not to like?
I’m rooting like hell for Opeta.
March 25th, 2025 at 6:40 pm
I want Edge CB LB WR
March 25th, 2025 at 7:14 pm
Joseph C Simmons Says:
March 25th, 2025 at 4:25 pm
Guys guys guys…Opeta is not going to win the LG spot. The contract Bredeson signed assures that he starts. Remember, there is still an owner that signs the checks, and a GM and Head Coach that needs to keep the owner happy.
^^^^^^
Yeah, like when Devin White was making a lot more than KJ Britt, yet got benched?
March 25th, 2025 at 7:36 pm
I like the signing. That means the draft is more and more D.
The only O-positions are maybe WR or TE on day 3. Edge, ILB, CB x 2, DT, S are the needs if available.
My preferences
1st: Trade back 5 or 6 positions/Bucs 1st and 7th picks for their 1st, 3rd and 6th rd picks; then take an Edge or ILB in the 1st rd
2nd: Edge or ILB you didn’t take in the 1st rd
3rd: CB and DT
4th: WR
5th: S
6th: CB
March 25th, 2025 at 8:05 pm
BUCS SELECT ——-> TYLER WARREN, TE
YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST.
March 25th, 2025 at 8:20 pm
Trask To The Future Says:
March 25th, 2025 at 8:05 pm
Baker Mayfield is the first former Buccaneer to be elected President. YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST!!!
And thus ends our discussion of absurd predictions..
First of all, Warren isn’t making it to 19… If he did, could it happen? Maybe. You heard it here first.
March 25th, 2025 at 8:42 pm
If somehow Licht manages to have 8 picks. I would like to see us take a CB,ILB, OLB, DT, S, TE, WR, and C/G.
March 25th, 2025 at 11:04 pm
All defensive draft, guys. This was always the hope. Now, it’s locked as the plan.
“Best available” as Jason always says, of course, but if the best available isn’t a defensive guy, I’m sure Licht finds a trade partner to fall back in the draft to the optimal spot to draft the “best available” defensive target.
March 26th, 2025 at 2:02 am
Can mostly just see who falls to us. ILB feels like the only glaring weak spot with a couple other preferred positions. Onkt positions I wouldn’t really want to draft would be qb, rb, tackle. Otherwise bpa leaning heavily on defense and an ilb early. Get the guys who will be studs for us years for many years
March 26th, 2025 at 2:13 am
Expected this one. Good for O line depth and, as Joe said good for the Glazer wallet. He was supposedly ahead in the LG battle prior to his injury. Still a bit worried for center and swing tackle depth though. I hope they have a dude in Klien and they should give him snaps in camp at center and guard me thinks. Charlie Heck is the leader ATM for swing tackle but I see some competition there in camp. Adequate backup for Wirfs or Goedeke? Not sure they should bank on that. We still have the big German Metz, Huge Silas Dzansi, and Luke Haggard…but.
Go Bucs!
March 26th, 2025 at 3:00 pm
IIRC, he was winning that starting guard job before the injury, right? Or at least team officials sounded high on him up to that point… Assuming the injury is fully healed, I like this.
Maybe draft a developmental G/C in the middle rounds this year (or sign a backup with C experience).
I’m also curious to see what we have in Klein…