Two Major Areas Where Graham Barton Must Improve
February 20th, 2025
Graham Barton opens up.
After 1,000-plus snaps last season, Bucs center Graham Barton has a microscope on his performance — and that’s not just about what happens after the snap.
Speaking on SiriusXM NFL Radio this week, Barton noted the two areas in which he must improve significantly.
He says he has to be more steady in his play and do a better job of mastering defenses.
“Just being out there and being able to communicate with confidence and be able to, you know, play a consistent four quarters. Those are the two big areas that I want to continue to improve on,” Barton said.
“Just learning a new position, not coming up to the line of scrimmage and getting a defensive front that might be unfamiliar … I want to be able to confidently know what I’m seeing, what I’m looking at, and be able to get everyone on the same page in a timely manner.
“I think that’s the most important job for a center. [It’s] something I look forward to improving on. And that just comes through, you know, watching film, studying different defenses, understanding the defensive coordinator you’re playing against and their tendencies … and where on the field and what situations they like to do it in. I think that’s honestly the most important thing.”
Barton added that consistency and understanding defenses were his two greatest NFL challenges after the Bucs made him their first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
He went on to talk about how NFL defensive coordinators “throw you off,” especially rookies.
Barton had an excellent rookie year and has all the mental and physical tools to make a significant sophomore leap next season. Still, 22 years old, Joe expects Barton to get stronger and play faster, as well.
February 20th, 2025 at 11:40 am
Move him to guard and move Hainsey back to starting center. Ben is the weakest link.
February 20th, 2025 at 11:43 am
F that. Hainsey is a severe liability at center.
February 20th, 2025 at 11:52 am
Move Hainsey to Center? NEVER!
Rewatch 2023 vs Eagles. An Eagles 245 lbs ILB literally knocked Hainsey on his butt to record a safety. He’s not strong enough to start in the NFL.
Regarding, Barton.
He’s got all the tools- strength, speed, technique. He got exposed later in the year but those were rookie mistakes. Baldy did a lot of tape analysis on Graham. When he’s on, he’s Pro Bowl caliber. He’ll be awesome next year.
February 20th, 2025 at 11:54 am
Barton is gonna be great in year 2. Him and Wirfs are gonna anchor that line for the next 10 years.
February 20th, 2025 at 12:00 pm
It’s interesting that he’s only talking presnap stuff and not technique like so many media types like to talk about. With a year of experience behind him and training with Wirfs, he’ll be great next season.
February 20th, 2025 at 12:12 pm
He will definitely improve and he already did fantastic as a rookie.
Jeff- you are out of your mind. Hainsey is a great back up but nothing more. He is hitting FA
February 20th, 2025 at 12:34 pm
The OL is perfectly fine….re-sign BB and I trust JL draft skills for OL (not kickers)
February 20th, 2025 at 12:59 pm
Needs to reduce his penalties.
February 20th, 2025 at 1:02 pm
Would have liked to have seen him start out at Center. But now that’s he got a season under his belt he is that much further ahead. Always liked the player just concerned moving him to Center to start his career. Thought he did pretty well. I’m (most definitely) no expert but probably just as qualified as those dorm-room dwelling goofballs over on PFF. I’d give him a a C+ overall on the season. Factoring in his rookie status probably land him somewhere around a solid B. Fully expect him to go on and have an outstanding career as the man in the middle. Bucs rule.
February 20th, 2025 at 1:06 pm
**Start out at guard.
February 20th, 2025 at 1:20 pm
Snap accuracy is the obvious attribute he didn’t mention. Baker will need to prod him on that.
February 20th, 2025 at 1:27 pm
No doubt the dude has the physical traits and mental acumen to be successful. He already understands what he needs to do to improve his play. The o-line should rock this year!
You know how refreshing it is to be so optimistic about the Bucs these past few years. A far cry from where we used to be. I was always optimistic but never expected things to pan out. Things are different now.
February 20th, 2025 at 1:28 pm
Jeff,
You consistently say the most ignorant sh!t on this site. That is quite an accomplishment sir.
February 20th, 2025 at 1:38 pm
Last year, the well respected Mike Martz at 33rdTeam, spoke about Barton. He gave an excellent in-depth analysis on why Barton will make a great Guard, but NOT a Center. The expression… You an’t force a round ball through a square hole. Bucs coaching needs to view this video.
February 20th, 2025 at 1:47 pm
Anyone questioning where Barton is going as a center is an abject moron. He has garnered nothing but respect from the people who actually watch football and make it their business. Martz, who has long since been obsolete in the NFL, said this “last year.” After a very successful rookie year what would Martz say now?
Doesn’t matter. Jason knows.
February 20th, 2025 at 2:01 pm
@KrisKringle the Bucs should pack it up and just let him make all the choices since he’s always right. I don’t know why a team hasn’t scooped him up and fired their entire staff.
February 20th, 2025 at 2:13 pm
Agreed he’s good and has a great future. I think he also must improve on snapping the ball, getting it precisely on target every time. I only saw a few games, but especially in the late ones, he tested Baker’s catching radius from time to time. Obviously, it’s a mechanical issue related to his moving to the center position. Not intellectually challenging, just needs practice, practice, practice. I have no fears he will not do it.
February 20th, 2025 at 2:22 pm
Learning a new position on you rookie year is a huge task
Kid gonna be a beast got the tools and the will
February 20th, 2025 at 2:28 pm
Ask yourself, why did the Duke coaching staff start him at Center his first year, and then switch him out to Tackle? Steelers 2nd round pick Zach Frazier had a better year at Center. The kid is great. but I’m tellin’ ya…. Barton has a low ceiling at Center. Sorry everyone, but Jason is not God, other organizations draft smarter.
February 20th, 2025 at 2:46 pm
Experience only comes with time & reps… Barton will get better but has a solid foundation to build off of. That bodes well for the future.
If the FO resigns Bredeson & no unforeseen major injuries occur, the Bucs OL group has a real shot at being a top3 unit in all of football again in 2025 (#3 in 2024 – as per Pro Football Network).
Wirfs / Bredeson / Barton / Mauch / Goedeke form a solid upper tier OL unit regardless of fan perception & and are all young enough to have gas in the tank to continue improvement during this window of opportunity in the NFC South.
I think NO / ATL / CAR are all 2yrs away from a roster building perspective, though all should show improvement next season…Making Grizzard’s transition to OC/Play-caller such a wildcard to foreshadowing Bucs 2025 outlook.
February 20th, 2025 at 3:35 pm
For his first real season of ever playing center, I thought he was fantastic for a rookie. With a full offseason coming up for him, he will only get better. In my mind he needs to hit the weight room and rock up a bit and take steps to cut down on penalties. He’s got the ability to be a great one.
February 20th, 2025 at 4:14 pm
Kringle – most stop digging when their hole gets too deep.
You just went for a bigger shovel. Did you not watch a Bucs game this season? The offensive line was easily best performing OL group ever for the Bucs.
February 20th, 2025 at 4:31 pm
Sorry everyone my grandsons a real dip spit
February 20th, 2025 at 5:01 pm
Thankfully coach is really developing the young talent to all be superstars. It’s part of the big plan that few see. But you know the ones who do. Go Bucs!
February 20th, 2025 at 5:06 pm
might have gone further with Hainsey last year but we had no choice. big picture had to start the rook. not worried a bit though
February 20th, 2025 at 5:21 pm
Barton improved tremendously throughout the year – in particular from early in the year when people were whining about Cody getting beat, but then when you went back and watched the ALL22, what you saw was the Bucs were running a ton of double team blocks, and where as on TV it looked like Cody was getting beat, it was actually that he was supposed to get help that wasn’t there.
Said it at the time, watching the tape, this was by far the most complex offensive line play I’d ever seen from the Bucs – and it would just take time to learn. Also noted in that game vs the Eagles any worries about Cody should be over as he was one-on-one manhandling Jalen Carter.
Anywho, we all saw as the year went along and the line figured out the scheme, the play improved dramatically. The Bucs really have a chance to perhaps the best offensive line in football as soon as next year.
February 20th, 2025 at 7:30 pm
“Jeff Says:
February 20th, 2025 at 11:40 am
Move him to guard and move Hainsey back to starting center. Ben is the weakest link.”
………………………………………………………..
Ben is better than MOST of the guards in the NFL, will only improve
February 20th, 2025 at 8:54 pm
This might be news to some. If your team scores more points than your opponent while your team gives up fewer, in the same game, you usually win.
I know.
This is a worthy dissertation subject.
February 20th, 2025 at 9:03 pm
Beeej —
BB has a physical limitation — his very short arms. They won’t get longer, and will place a ceiling on his play. Last year the G position, the blocking schemes and the other guys on the line did a lot to maximize performance from the LG position. There’s a bunch of money and draft capital invested in OL already so it seems the Bucs have bigger fish to fry than marginally improving a good unit. But let’s not get carried away: BB and the team are making the most of his limited ability.
February 20th, 2025 at 9:39 pm
There appears to be some support for making Hainsey a starter again. This probably comes from the fact that he did have one solid start last season when Barton was hurt in New Orleans. However, keep in mind that he did well against a Saints team that was in turmoil as far as the coaching staff went and was basically a bottom feeder although they do seem to play the Bucs tough at Ray-Jay. Hainsey had a good game but looking back at his overall time as the starting center and you can note the glaring deficiencies in his overall game. If he can land a deal which makes him a starting center for someone else, well, that will be good for him and his family. In Tampa, he should simply be a competent back up who can spot start a game or 2 in a pinch and do some mop up duty if the Bucs are boat racing someone or are getting boat raced.
February 21st, 2025 at 10:34 am
Graham will be even better in the next two years. He did have his share of penalties and learned from them. Going forward we will see much more from this kid. Wishing him a long future with the Bucs.
February 21st, 2025 at 2:34 pm
Barton was literally in his first year starting as a center, and got that first start against NFL level defenses, he did just fine despite the obstacles. He is going to be very good. How quickly all of you forgot that you hated on Goedeke and Mauch, who had bad rookie seasons but came back as good starters. Now the rookie plays okay and fans are still hating? Wtf