Cody Mauch Could Move To Left Guard
April 27th, 2024
Interesting chatter from assistant Bucs general manager John Spytek this evening after the conclusion of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Asked about uncertaintly at the left guard position and the competition there, Spytek said the entire interior line is an unknown, including a chance rookie first-round pick Graham Barton could play guard. Meanwhile, Buccaneers GM Jason Licht said Thursday that Barton would play center.
Spytek noted the Bucs remain fond of Robert Hainsey, the starting center of the past two seasons and, of course, he mentioned the free agent signings of former Eagles guard Sua Opeta and Giants center/guard Ben Bredeson. Both are experienced starters.
Tampa Bay also drafted guard Elijah Klein in Round 6, the refrigerator out of the University of Texas El Paso.
Then Spytek stunned Bucs nation by saying there’s a chance second-year guard Cody Mauch could relocate from right guard to left guard, adding that he played left tackle in college.
Do the Bucs think Mauch would be more comfortable on the left side?
Is anything Spytek said tied to looks the Bucs got of Opeta and Bredeson in early conditioning at One Buc Palace?
Has offensive coordinator Liam Coen fully scouted the O-line and made firm assessments?
Very intriguing commentary by Spytek.
“Who’s going to rise to the occasion?” Spytek said. “I mean, you know, who knows how it’s going to shake out. And the fact that we can move these different parts different places, you know, we’ll just let the guys compete. And we’ll plug-and-play the guys that do the best wherever it is — cutting out the bookend tackles right now — and the rest of it is who wants it the most. And we’ll be excited to see that competition.”
April 27th, 2024 at 8:00 pm
If he’s more comfortable on that side, flip him.
Also I still assume Hainsey will be moved to guard, and he was a RT in college, so moving Cody might be part of that plan to move Hainsey to RG. I think Hainsey will do quite well at guard if they do move him.
April 27th, 2024 at 8:06 pm
You Absolutely have to watch the interview with the UTEP guard on the Bucs YouTube channel.
Cody better be ready for competition!
April 27th, 2024 at 8:09 pm
Yes. I’m sure the way Opeta and Bredeson bench pressed upset the apple cart of the interior offensive line!
April 27th, 2024 at 8:09 pm
Rod…..sounds like a good plan
April 27th, 2024 at 8:26 pm
Suddenly the oline feels like a positive and not a negative thing
April 27th, 2024 at 8:39 pm
JL has already said where he wants Barton, so that’s that imo. How’s it going to be with the other though? Will they all have to work on both guard positions in the off season to try and get a leg up? That would seem somewhat counterintuitive considering that each side has its own technique and placement. Hand work. Pretty much everything. Right?
Maybe they are saying which side do you want to try for or assigning sides and saying do what you can in the off season for that selected side. I’d rather work on one side and be best at it rather than being a hybrid going into training camp.
April 27th, 2024 at 8:44 pm
Bucs will find a way to put the best five on the field.
Mauch is a given to start somewhere along with Barton on the inside. We shall see what Klein and Hainsey can do with Opeta and Bredeson.
April 27th, 2024 at 8:49 pm
Man, I’ve shook my head every offseason for the last 4 years. Why do they keep moving these OL players! I was yelling last year about moving Mauch to RG from LT! What the hell was wrong with keeping a rookie on the side he knows and having him at LG? Now they want to flip him sides again! Stop the cross training bologna, fine to train at multiple spots but stick to one side of the line. Am I over blowing this? Gotta be able to move left and right anyway so the footwork doesn’t change much ? I feel like I am taking crazy pills! Exclamation mark!!!!
April 27th, 2024 at 8:56 pm
Why were they so adamant about Mauch playing on the right last year? It’s not like we had a stud set at LG. Just odd that they now consider putting Mauch on the left, seems that would’ve been an easier transition in his rookie year.
April 27th, 2024 at 8:59 pm
Why are so many people convinced Hainsey will be better at Guard? Centers are usually the smallest, lightest guys on the oline and often get the benefit of double-teaming DTs. If Hainsey didn’t have the strength or anchor to succeed at C, what in the world makes you think he’ll do better at G?
April 27th, 2024 at 9:00 pm
I know if it was me, I would be one side dominant. Some guys are more ambidextrous than others. But I think some guys need to stay on their dominant side.
April 27th, 2024 at 9:06 pm
Elijah Klein looks like a center.
Id bet on him at Center, Barton and Mauch at Guard
Wirfs and Godeke at tackle.
Im ok with that. Hate two rookies on the line, but they’ll be an improvement on Stennie and Hainsey.
They may start Bredeson at Center, just to have an experienced guy in there, but
I watched film on Klein. Hes a center. Might be a starter.
April 27th, 2024 at 9:09 pm
Hainsey will never see the field again for the Bucs unless there’s an injury. You can write that down in red sharpie marker.
April 27th, 2024 at 9:14 pm
OK – many of us weren’t the only ones seeing the Bucs matadors getting gored like they didn’t have a cape.
Thank you Jason Licht!
April 27th, 2024 at 9:22 pm
I’m with Munch.
He looked promising at guard and if playing on the left is more comfortable, move him now. Hainsey will fight for the right guard spot with SUA.
The best part is overall they got bigger and nastier, which was sorely needed.
The versatility theme remains, they have a lot of guys that play multiple positions, which is always beneficial.
April 27th, 2024 at 9:34 pm
They did the same thing to Marpet back in the day. Moved him all up and down the line. He ended up doing very well on either side, but who knows if Mauch can and will do the same.
April 27th, 2024 at 9:44 pm
gotbbucs is right. He’s a backup .. been saving that sharpie. Barton is out C for sure. Love love love our draft apart from the RB at this point. The G and TE and FA signings .. Our team is loaded with no weaknesses, providing Otton continues to blossom. Those who wanted a LB .. we took SirVocea for a reason. LVD, Britt, Him, and whoever wins 4th spot .. is more than sufficient for this Year. NFC Champs here we go ……..
April 27th, 2024 at 9:49 pm
Kalen Deloach was a game wrecker for FSU–he was that good! Todd Bowles will know what to do to get the best out of him. Glad he is a Buc! Go Noles and Go Bucs!
April 27th, 2024 at 10:16 pm
Sounds like there will be 6 players competing for 3 spots –
-Opeta
– Bredson
– Hainsey
– Mauch
– Barton
– Klein
It will be interesting to see who rises to the top…
April 27th, 2024 at 10:21 pm
@ Rod
I don’t mind your game plan but what makes you believe that Hainsey can play RG better than he played Center?
Goedeke is 20 lbs bigger and got rag-dolled playing Guard. I just don’t see Hainsey being any better than Goedeke or Mauch which is scary bad.
April 27th, 2024 at 10:36 pm
Hearty Dickerson: Centers are usually the smallest, lightest guys on the oline and often get the benefit of double-teaming DTs.
Ryan Jensen was 6’4” and 320+ lbs. He was bigger than both Marpet and Cappa.
April 27th, 2024 at 10:47 pm
A commitment to upgrading a dreadful oline clocking worst rushing attack two years in a row at least shows a glimmer of hope for the future, albeit a little late and reactionary. This is where high round whiffs like JTS and Logan Hall really kill a team that says they want to compete year in and year out. Brady was saddled in his last year and Mayfield this season with a nonexistent rushing attack that consequently has terrible downstream impact on the rest of the offense and ultimately team success.
This felt like a little more of a responsible draft than some of the ones we’ve seen hang JTS/Hall albatrosses on the neck of the franchise.
April 27th, 2024 at 11:16 pm
Agree saskbuc.
April 27th, 2024 at 11:49 pm
Thats what I thought last year.
Mauch should play LG because he was already used to the left side.
Not only that – Stinnie was better on the rt side – and they made him the LG…
Year before that – they made Goedeke – a RT for 3 years in college – play LG…
WHY??????
Took 3 years to get Marpet into his proper slot – LG. Guess where Ali played in College – LT….
WTF is wrong with leaving guys on the side they are used to playing when they first come into the league???
Its hard enough to adjust to switching from Tackle to Guard. Why compound the difficulty of that transition by also making the player switch to the opposite side they are used to playing?
Makes no sense – and it never seems to work out – so STOP IT! GEEZ
April 27th, 2024 at 11:53 pm
Pickgrin: Wirfs move to Left Tackle didn’t work out?
April 27th, 2024 at 11:59 pm
While I agree Mauch should’ve played Left Guard last year, it’s not the that big of a deal. How many times have you heard the Bucs brass saying they want “versatile” O-Linemen? Do you know what that means? Being able to play multiple positions on the offensive line.
April 28th, 2024 at 1:10 am
Whatever Joe Michigan…
You are just being contrary.
The Wirfs situation was totally different and I said he should move to LT before there was even serious talk of it…
Made no sense whatsoever to put Mauch on the right side last year – immediately after seeing how much RT Goedeke struggled on the left side as a rookie.
I said it from day 1 last year. Mauch needs to play LG. WHY move him to the right side? Stinnie had already shown he could play OK at RG. So lets have him compete at LG instead… SMH
If the whole thing was to make over the hill Fieler comfortable since he had already been playing LG the previous 3 years – then that is the most damning excuse of all. Because Fieler had already played RT for a few years previous…
If anyone should have been switching sides – it should have been the veteran who had already done it! Feiler and Stinnie should have both been at RG last year.
Mauch should have been LG from the getgo – and if they do move him to that spot this year – it will be another step backward for him before he can get back to taking steps forward.
Just annoying they are now talking about it in year 2 – when it was sooo obvious LG was the correct spot for Mauch the day he was drafted….
April 28th, 2024 at 2:10 am
The chinese fire drill with the O line needs to stop.
April 28th, 2024 at 7:40 am
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed listening to Spytek. He “gives good press conference”.
I hope his wife and family are so happy in Tampa that they pressure him to never leave!
Selfishly, I hope.
He’s a stud.
April 28th, 2024 at 8:45 am
I believe Marpet would have been just as successful if he had remained on the right side. Center was not his best position.
Go Bucs!!!
April 28th, 2024 at 8:52 am
Two new OL coaches plus a new OC mean new decisions.
April 28th, 2024 at 10:03 am
This makes a LOT of sense to me, so put the guys where they are most comfortable. As Pickgrin noted Goedecke thrived when he went over to the side that he was used to playing. Maybe Mauch will as well.
“Pickgrin Says:
April 27th, 2024 at 11:49 pm
Thats what I thought last year.
Mauch should play LG because he was already used to the left side.
Not only that – Stinnie was better on the rt side – and they made him the LG…
Year before that – they made Goedeke – a RT for 3 years in college – play LG…
WHY??????
Took 3 years to get Marpet into his proper slot – LG. Guess where Ali played in College – LT….
WTF is wrong with leaving guys on the side they are used to playing when they first come into the league???
Its hard enough to adjust to switching from Tackle to Guard. Why compound the difficulty of that transition by also making the player switch to the opposite side they are used to playing?
Makes no sense – and it never seems to work out – so STOP IT! GEEZ”
April 28th, 2024 at 10:44 am
“The chinese fire drill with the O line needs to stop.”
Largely agree “ReturnGruden” but in fairness to the Bucs thanks to the luck of health and lack of injury the Bucs did play the same entire OL all last season.
But it will be nice when everything settles down and guys know their positions before the season starts.
As for moving around and what it can cost the individual players while management tries to figure it out…AGAIN Jensen moved ALL over the Ravens OL his first 3 years and blossomed when they finally settled on Center.
April 28th, 2024 at 11:21 am
I believe that every single one of the Eagles Offensive linemen last year played a position different than they had the senior year of their college career.
Moving around an offensive lineman to fit your particular position need or scheme is really not that unheard of.
It is no different than a college cornerback having to adjust to playing corner in the NFL. In some cases, I think the OL prospect has an easier adjustment.
April 28th, 2024 at 11:44 am
Who will rise to the occasion of Baker holding the ball too long and not getting to his second read, instead opting to run like a fullback because he’s a leader of men.
April 28th, 2024 at 6:22 pm
Cody should have been at LG in the first place.
April 29th, 2024 at 10:56 am
Would not be surprised to see Mauch split camp reps at C and RG with Klein getting some reps at RG. Barton will double at LG and C. I think this Only because Jason said he likes Mauch for a center, and this gives us more options to find the best 5 on the O line. Barton can play guard or center. Hainsey is in this mix as well. The three interior spots are truly a camp competition. We include the two FA signings in it of course.
This will for sure be a much higher level true competition for the three interior spots than we have seen in the last two years. That should result in a much better O line overall.
And Jason still has not culled through the coming veteran cuts.
Go Bucs!
Go Bucs!
April 30th, 2024 at 12:11 pm
This gives the Bucs a ton of flexibility
LT – Wirfs/Walton
LG – Mauch, Bredeson, Opeta
C – Barton, Hainsey, Bredeson
RG – Klein, Haisney, Opeta
RT – Goedeke/Walton
May 2nd, 2024 at 11:42 pm
As an O-lineman, and an O-line coach, everyone is making WAY too big a deal about the side. In most practices, they practice both sides. You want your best 5 on the field, and while there are some differences between IOL and Tackle, they are not that big. A good lineman can make the switch from R to L or vice versa without a lot of trouble. Some even do it in the game. Some offenses in high school and college have a ‘wide side’ and a ‘short side’… and the kids swap sides every play depending on which hash the ball is on.
May 3rd, 2024 at 11:29 pm
Here is a 2024 Bucs Depth chart
May 4th, 2024 at 7:13 pm
Idk why it is that people think that Hainsey sucks as a starting center then advocate moving him to LG, or RG. Explain to me why you think he’d be better at G than he was at C. I think he was just overwhelmed by opponents due to not being big enough, strong enough, or good enough to play on the OL so far. It was good to see him w/ Wirfs at the facility working out together after the draft when Barton got there, however if Hainsey hasn’t gotten considerably stronger and just better overall than he’s been, even last year, then I imagine that was one of the only times we’ll see those 3 guys on camera working out together close to a football field..