Bucs name Graham Barton as starting center

The Bucs make their 2024 first-round pick an official starter.

In a move that will surprise no one, the Buccaneers named first-round pick Graham Barton as their starting center.

Barton supplants Robert Hainsey, who has been the Bucs’ starting center since 2022 following Ryan Jensen’s career-ending knee injury during training camp. Drafted in 2021, Hainsey played tackle in college but transitioned to center after joining Tampa Bay, a move mirrored by Barton who played left tackle for Duke since 2021.

After boasting the league’s worst run offense last year, the Bucs sought to upgrade at center by drafting Barton in the first round, which made his ascension to the starting lineup not only inevitable but imminent. His elite blend of size and athleticism could help make him one of the league’s best centers, but he faces a difficult development path from college tackle to NFL center.