Left Guard The Lone Problem?
June 20th, 2022
Bucs dinged by a mystery man.
The Bucs are among the favorites to make a Super Bowl run. Tom Brady will do that for a team.
And in the past few years, the Bucs have done a masterful job of team building. But in looking at a drawback for each team, someone at The33rdTeam.com believes the biggest (lone?) blemish for the Bucs is not addressing left guard this offseason.
Mistake: Leaving the Left Guard Spot Uncertain
… … Aaron Stinnie — who played just 91 offensive snaps last season — will compete with rookie Luke Goedeke for the starting spot. Assuring that a soon-to-be 45-year-old Tom Brady has a clean pocket is of utmost importance in Tampa, and the Buccaneers will be left starting an unproven player on the interior after having to make some tough financial decisions in free agency.
Joe thinks the Bucs did address the left guard position. Aaron Stinnie, some forget, was solid when he started the final three games at right guard in the 2020 postseason, which ended with the Bucs hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
And the Bucs drafted a left guard (Luke Goedeke) in the second round. Joe isn’t sure how that’s not addressing a need. Was drafting Antoine Winfield or Logan Hall, both second-rounders, not addressing a need at the time?
Joe understands how folks might look at the Bucs roster and wonder about left guard. But Joe thinks Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht has built plenty of street cred and has earned the benefit of the doubt on offensive line decisions.
June 20th, 2022 at 5:37 am
I’m not worried about that.
June 20th, 2022 at 5:38 am
33rdTeam who??? Proving anybody with a keyboard can write stupid stuff.
June 20th, 2022 at 6:01 am
And hainsey too who wasnt built in his legs last year playing mostly tackle in college.
You got 3 guys competing for one starter spot which all 3 would want that starter spot. The best will win the spot
The bucs took goedeke in second. Moved up to get. Pretty sure they would hope he wins the job
June 20th, 2022 at 6:04 am
Oh and those guys will go up against hall, vea hicks and nacho. Some gholston and tryon
They will learn very fast what is needed to be ready to play
June 20th, 2022 at 6:44 am
Pretty sure, actually I’m certain JL knows what he’s doing when it comes to the Oline.
June 20th, 2022 at 7:30 am
No Joe , the Bucs did not draft a Left Guard. The Bucs drafted a Right Tackle they hope can transition to playing Left Guard at the NFL level. Things happen a lot faster at Guard than tackle and the technique is counter intuitive to what Goedeke has learned during college. Hopefully Marpet can give Luke some personal one on one tutoring which could be most useful. Still surprised that Bucs passed on All-Sec true left guard Ed Ingram of LSU in the draft.
June 20th, 2022 at 7:34 am
Only real weakness I see is inside LB. David is coming off injury, and is not going to be around much longer. The talent level falls steaply from there. We have 3 viable RGs, but some question marks if David goes down. Even the secondary we bolstered with Neal, and Logan, but inside LB looks like a weak spot to me.
June 20th, 2022 at 7:54 am
Maroons of the 33rd team.
June 20th, 2022 at 8:16 am
When the 33rd team’s opinion becomes a story its a slow news cycle.
June 20th, 2022 at 8:16 am
Stinnie was fine during the SB run and if the rookie beats him out that’s even better. When it come to O-line I trust the team’s evaluation of what they have.
June 20th, 2022 at 8:29 am
Our OL depth looks to be really solid, regardless of who wins the LG spot, you’ve got to think should disaster/bad play strike we’ve got a replacement on hand as well. I really have no dog in that race, maybe the best potential & effort win.
June 20th, 2022 at 9:09 am
Agree with you Joe. I don’t think left guard is the problem. Goedeke, Stinnie or even Hainsey can be solid there, if not pretty good. I think our biggest weakness, right now, is backup OT. You saw what happened when Wirfs went down in the playoffs. We need to sign or trade for sone veteran depth at backup tackle, in my opinion.
June 20th, 2022 at 9:29 am
If Goedeke beats out Stinnie for LG, then we’ll be just fine…..because Stinnie is more than adequate.
And until TBBF sees it’s not, our pass rush is our weakest spot.
June 20th, 2022 at 9:29 am
not worried at all
June 20th, 2022 at 10:28 am
@bucsfan1976 nailed it
June 20th, 2022 at 10:49 am
I too was surprised that the Bucs passed on Ingram, who is a TRUE Left Guard, not a Tackle like Goedeke they are trying to convert to Guard.
Ingram played in a much better conference, and was a standout at his position.
June 20th, 2022 at 11:28 am
THE BUCS BIGGEST HOLE IS … LVD’s backup.
Nkobe Dean, instead of Luke Goedeke, should have been the pick. LVD would have coached him up and we’d have a great succession plan at WILL. Guards are available everywhere in the draft and FA.
June 20th, 2022 at 11:46 am
Ali Marpet didn’t play guard until he arrived at the senior bowl the year he was drafted.
Alex Cappa also projected as an NFL tackle in his scouting reports the year he was drafted, but got paid pretty good money to play G in Cincy.
Aaron Stinnie was a defensive end as a rs sophmore in college before being moved to tackle his junior year.
Robert Hainsey played RT at Notre Dame, got projected pre-draft as a C, but is getting reps to be a guard in his 2nd year.
Ryan Jensen, also played tackle at CSUP and projected more as an interior OLmen for not having the athleticism pro tackles need, BUT being a vicious short burst, phone booth player that can find guys success as pro interior linemen.
That said, our front office-in terms of OLmen-knows what they want in the style of player and how that can lend itself to on-field results.
That said, I think our front office and coaching staff know what they want out of
June 20th, 2022 at 11:47 am
Totally agree that ILB and LB is a major weakness depth wise. Bucs shpuld have kept their pick at 27 and taken Devin Lloyd(best LB in draft to shore up that weakness).
June 20th, 2022 at 11:48 am
@Chris: I trust Licht with OL.
I suspect what they like about Goedke is his innate bad-assedness. You can’t coach that.
I’d say LG is overall in decent shape, especially cap-friendly, and very deep.
June 20th, 2022 at 11:49 am
The Bucs biggest hole…
…is knee-jerk Casual Fans.
June 20th, 2022 at 12:03 pm
When the best player in a particular position group that the team needs to fill a weakness in that position group is passed on-that is questionable decision making by the team. A REAL fan and with astute knowledge of the game points out questionable decision making , while a wannabe NFL fan just rubber stamps every decision and says that’s great.
June 20th, 2022 at 12:23 pm
@BFS1976: The draft is a total crapshoot. Licht has *earned* my respect in drafting OL. Bigly.
Nobody can determine a weakness until Opening Day. Until then, it’s all Liar’s Poker and media fapping for clicks and attention.
June 20th, 2022 at 12:49 pm
If it was my decision, Shaq Mason would be playing left guard and Goedeke would play right guard.
June 20th, 2022 at 1:11 pm
Along as we have brady..I would look good at oline..initial blocking is needed he will have it out his hands to fast to let efficiency be seen.
He makes Donovan Smith look good.
I’m worried for Smith no more marpet to clean up your mistakes. I honestly wonder why Smith foot work with speed rushers is so bad.
June 20th, 2022 at 1:27 pm
LB was a terribly weak group after David and White , and without David and White they were horrible. Take a look at the Jets game from last season. David and White were out , and the Jets ran it down our throats for 150 yards and none of that was from the QB. David has had the Lisfranc injury since well before the draft , so addressing that need in the draft should have been a no brainer and that is why passing on Devin Lloyd at 27 and allowing Jax to move up and take said LB smacks of a lack of vision. Lloyd will be a starter for 10 years barring injury , his highlight film is electric.