The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive line needed help coming into this offseason based on what we saw last year.
On top of left guard Ali Marpet's retirement injuries to starting center Ryan Jensen and guard Aaron Stinnie grounded the Bucs' offense before it ever got a chance to take off.
Evidence that the core belief it's hard to be a good offense with a bad line is still alive and well.
The good news, however, is once healthy Tampa Bay's line doesn't look like a terrible group. Still, we all thought they could use an injection of talent.
Which they got with their second-round selection of North Dakota State offensive lineman Cody Mauch.
"The Bucs unearthed Ali Marpet at D-III Hobart, so it's no shock they'd be open to taking Mauch, who was dominant at the FCS level," wrote NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah after the pick. "They still need a tackle, but Mauch can help fuel the run game immediately."
Mauch has experience across the line, but Jeremiah projects him as a Day 1 starting right guard who would likely be playing opposite Robert Hainsey on the left side with Jensen manning the middle.
Jeremiah sees just as much potential in the Buccaneers' third-round pick, edge defender YaYa Diaby, even if it might take a little longer to fully tap into it.
"Diaby was a virtual unknown in the scouting community coming into the 2022 college season, and he's a late bloomer after needing to take the long road to achieve college success," writes Jeremiah. "But he flashed some fascinating burst and has a chiseled frame that allows him to battle in the trenches. He'll be groomed for a pass-rush role in Tampa."
The Bucs have Diaby pegged as an outside linebacker and Mauch is expected to come in and compete as a guard.
Many thought the team would target a tackle early, but that hasn't been the case due to either confidence in their group or simply reacting to how the draft is unfolding.
Either way, general manager Jason Licht believes the team added two more difference makers on Day 2 of the NFL Draft, with Day 3 still to come.
Find David Harrison on Twitter @DHarrison82
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