Talent Upgrade In Charlie Heck
March 16th, 2025
New Bucs offensive lineman Charlie Heck.
Former Bucs reserve offensive tackle Justin Skule was on the street for weeks before the Bucs put him on their practice squad in 2022.
The 2019 sixth-round pick of the 49ers looked to be done after tearing his ACL before the 2021 season.
But, as has been common practice, Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht had a sharp eye for O-line potential and made Skule a rehab project, and he delivered well last season at left and right tackle after a brutal first game filling in for Luke Goedeke.
Now Skule is in Minnesota and some Bucs fans are nervous.
Change is always unsettling, but the Bucs did get bigger, more athletic, more experienced and, Joe presumes, more talented at the position by signing free agent Charlie Heck this week.
Heck measured a whisker under 6-8 at the NFL Scouting Combine in 2020, and he was 311 pounds with a 28-inch vertical leap. He was a very big man running a 5.16 40-yard dash.
Drafted by the Texans in Round 4, Heck was well known in Houston for remaking his body. He transformed into a much leaner 308 pounds and was the Texans’ starting right tackle in 2021.
A year later, Heck lost his starting gig under a new coaching staff (Lovie Smith) and then stuck around for another Texans coaching staff in 2023 before playing for the Cardinals and 49ers last season.
Simply put, Heck, 28, has a lot more experience (23 starts) than Skule and seems to be more talented.
Heck is the son of Chiefs offensive line coach and 12-year NFL lineman Andy Heck, so he’s got a pedigree. And Joe wonders what Charlie Heck could achieve in Tampa with what might be the best O-line coaches he’s been around and the best linemen he’s worked alongside.
The Bucs coached up Skule, and they might coach up Heck to his likely untouched ceiling.
March 16th, 2025 at 3:43 pm
Heck yea
March 16th, 2025 at 3:54 pm
He will have a heck of a time with us
March 16th, 2025 at 4:24 pm
No more puns, please
March 16th, 2025 at 4:41 pm
Give em Heck!
March 16th, 2025 at 4:41 pm
Well, why the Heck not give him a try
March 16th, 2025 at 4:53 pm
You know Jason Licht isn’t screwing around when he goes out and signs a new backup tackle within hours of losing the one they had. Given that, plus the addition of some key veteran depth, plus one rockstar passrusher, it seems they regard this season as their serious Superbowl push.
March 16th, 2025 at 4:56 pm
Makes you wonder why he dad hasn’t signed him? Chiefs haven’t exactly been littered with tackles.
March 16th, 2025 at 4:59 pm
If we’ve learned anything, it’s that you need a good backup offensive tackle. We have very good tackles, but if one goes down, it really sets the team back.
March 16th, 2025 at 5:13 pm
I wouldn’t consider him an “upgrade” over Skule.
More like a lateral to slightly downward move…
Skule had a horrific game against Detroit but played OK the rest of the games he played.
March 16th, 2025 at 5:14 pm
Need still more depth on D-line and LB. Too many injuries costing our starters chunks of the season. While we’ve improved we are still vulnerable to repeats of that. Hopefully someone else who’s shown an ability, at least in spurts, to get to the QB, will shake free. While it happens sometimes I’m leery of counting on a draft pick to seamlessly make the leap.
March 16th, 2025 at 5:14 pm
The key word there is “talent” upgrade. Performance upgrade, not so far.
The grades from Heck’s play on the field have always been worse than Skule’s were last year.
So, he comes in as a step backwards. But, the potential certainly seems to be there. If the Bucs accomplish the refinement that they have set out to achieve, and that they have achieved with others, Heck could become a tremendous upgrade.
And, maybe the coaching staff will get some credit? I doubt a bookie in Vegas would cover the odds on that one!
March 16th, 2025 at 5:34 pm
Heck may be a quick replacement/minor upgrade over Skule and kudos to Licht and Co. on this signing but the Bucs also have a hole at back-up center. There are a couple thirty something vets who have always lacked power available in FA and a handful of projects available later in the draft so this has the potential to be a problem if Barton gets hurt. It is proper that Hainsey moved on to somewhere where he can earn a starting position but as far as I can see recently released Patriot David Andrews is the best option. He is only 6’2″/300 and is coming off shoulder surgery so one of the lackluster centers in the draft may be the best way to go. That is what the Pats seem to be doing. Andrews started nearly every game for most of a decade there after coming in as a UDFA and being pressed into starting week one. He’d be an asset as a mentor to Barton even if he never sees the field. He is old, small and broken but seems to be the best available to fill that roster hole unless Licht and Co. can find a small school gem in the draft or swing a trade.
March 16th, 2025 at 5:41 pm
Is he actually a swing tackle? Nothing in the article suggests he can play both sides of the line. Only saw RT mentioned. If he has no experience playing both sides not sure how he could be considered an upgrade.
March 16th, 2025 at 5:47 pm
Licht has some sensors and like a google earth cam. Yep let’s check this new prospect, in some other world. He’s got that covered lately for sure. Nice little piece of info Joe, and I hope we don’t have to go through any troubles on the way to the big dance, lol!! Papa Roach has an old song that should be played at home games. We’re not nameless we’re not faceless we were born for greatness is how it goes. Our oline needs it haha. Remember the Titans is the defensive motto. There’s a lot of the Brady bowl in tact including coaches. Let’s Go Bucs!!!!
March 16th, 2025 at 5:53 pm
He is signed as their swing tackle. He played LT his senior year at NC.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports. Heck likely will serve as the team’s swing tackle, replacing Justin Skule, who is joining the Vikings.
March 16th, 2025 at 6:36 pm
Sounds like a heck of a player.
Jokes aside at that 6-8 frame he sounds kind of lean at 310 lb. I would love to see him at about 20 lb more and he might actually be a bit of a beast
March 16th, 2025 at 6:38 pm
Oline ??? In Licht we TRUST!
March 16th, 2025 at 6:59 pm
I hope so but he graded out really bad, but it’s a new team and new system so who knows. Skule did pretty good minus that one game and had a decent year.. Heck has some decent pass blocking in years 2020-2022. I trust Licht and co with though. Look at what they found in Bredeson.
March 16th, 2025 at 7:02 pm
Good article. This is an upgrade.
March 16th, 2025 at 7:05 pm
So Heck’s total experience playing LT was one year at NC? Otherwise he has played exclusively on the right side? I’m just trying to figure out where the “swing tackle” thing came from. For him to be an actual upgrade (as JBF suggests) then he would have to be an actual swing tackle. Or is this merely a projection and if so based on what? I don’t see any mention in the JBF article.
March 16th, 2025 at 7:22 pm
Just run the damn ball!!!
March 16th, 2025 at 7:54 pm
As long as we don’t bring Donovan Smith back.
March 16th, 2025 at 7:55 pm
Yes – an upgrade.
4th rd selection vs Skule being a 6th
Bigger and more athletic body
More experience, more snaps, more starts
That said – I don’t want to see him take 1 live game snap this year – unless its in garbage time of a blowout Buccaneers win….
March 16th, 2025 at 7:58 pm
Heck of a signing if you ask me.
March 16th, 2025 at 8:00 pm
I’m sorry, but despite all the positives that I hear noted on this website on Skule post-Lions disaster, I just don’t remember this guy settling in at all. I think they stopped leaving him on an island in protection. I also think our short quick passing game didn’t leave him having to hold the block for very long. But he accounted for more sacks than just what he gave up against Hutchinson.
I kept asking myself, that I know backup tackles are hard to find, hell starters aren’t easy to find, but there wasn’t (1) tackle on any of the other 31 other practice squads that was better than Skule?
March 16th, 2025 at 11:31 pm
The Bucs have a few more opportunities to acquire a better swing tackle. They still could improve their lot in the draft or possibly UDFA and after final cutdowns. And finally some teams practice quad.
I believe they think Carberry can squeeze out all the talent in Heck like he did with Justin.
March 17th, 2025 at 3:27 am
Awwww Heck !!! Love ya Heck man !!!
March 17th, 2025 at 3:35 am
Hoping that our starers stay healthy and Heck gets paid to sit Joe. Pedigree is right. His Dad was a tough dude! Hope you are right about the coaching for Charlie.
We fans are not wrong to be worried Joe. We Were stacked on the O line…. Then Marpet retired, Cappa bolted and tough guy Jensen went down.
We had Hainsey, Goedeke a rookie, Stinnie who had three good games here, and Leverett. Poor depth as it turns out. Particularly Stinnie and Leverett.
I give both Hainsey and Goedeke a pass because they both worked their asses off and got way better. BTW Skule was here for part of that.
Go Bucs
March 17th, 2025 at 3:49 am
I am also interested in a couple of guys we stashed last year.
The Big German, Lorenz Metz and Silas Dzansi both giant men, both swing tackle candidates to me. Hope Coach Carberry can work on all of our swing tackle guys and ease our worries.
Go Bucs!
March 17th, 2025 at 12:38 pm
Puns will be brutal if he fills in and gets skuled
March 17th, 2025 at 7:04 pm
I’d like to think he trash talks in pg. “Your wife over cooks chicken.”