While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have spent the past few years stockpiling interior offensive linemen, they have yet to settle on a direction to take the group. Their logjam at the position may keep the Bucs from prioritizing guards and centers in this year’s draft, but it should not keep them from drafting any at all.
In the nine drafts that Jason Licht has been the Bucs’ general manager, he has drafted an offensive lineman in seven of them, taking six players between the tackles. It is likely not an accident that over time Licht has used higher and higher picks on interior linemen, indicating his growing appreciation for the return on talent at the position.
Since 2021, he has used picks in rounds two and three to take Luke Goedeke and Robert Hainsey in an effort to inject youth and plan ahead for losses at the position. The retirement of Ali Marpet and Alex Cappa’s departure in free agency last year dramatically diminished the Bucs’ quality of play along the interior of the offensive line.
Hainsey was a serviceable center when starter Ryan Jensen missed the entire regular season with a knee injury, but Goedeke looked completely overwhelmed at left guard. The position was only stabilized when Nick Leverett took over for Goedeke following an injury.
Heading into the 2023 season, the Bucs are primed for a battle at both guard spots after trading veteran Shaq Mason to the Texans. Hainsey, Goedeke, Leverett and veteran Aaron Stinnie are all in the running, but none of them have proven that they can be stalwarts on the line.
The Bucs also have to plan for the future. Ryan Jensen is 31 years-old and is signed only through 2024. His chief backup Robert Hainsey is also due to be a free agent in 2024. Leverett and Stinnie are playing on one-year deals. The Bucs interior offensive line is on a two-year timeframe at best.
That is why another pick spent on the interior line is well within the realm of possibility. The Bucs have too many other needs to spend more than a Day 3 pick on guard or center, but with five picks over rounds five and six, there is opportunity to take a shot on the interior offensive line.
Here are the interior offensive linemen the Bucs could target in the 2023 NFL Draft: