Reinforcing the offensive line this offseason was one of the Bucs’ biggest priorities. After losing Aaron Stinnie and Nick Leverett in free agency and Matt Feiler not expected to be re-signed, the team replaced them by signing veterans Ben Bredeson and Sua Opeta.
Hearing from head coach Todd Bowles and general manager Jason Licht at the NFL Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, both sounded bullish on Bredeson and Opeta making an impact and perhaps being starters in 2024.
But does the team have another move up its sleeve?
Todd Bowles Discusses Bucs’ New OL Moves
With left tackle Tristan Wirfs, right guard Cody Mauch, and right tackle Luke Goedeke all locked in as starters for next season, the left guard and center position remain up for grabs.
Matt Feiler and Aaron Stinnie filled in at left guard last season but neither impressed, and were placeholders rather than anchors at the position. Robert Hainsey, a two-year starter, held down the center spot by starting every game, but as he heads into the final year of his rookie contract, the team could look at finding an upgrade and a long-term solution.
Needing to add some depth, the Bucs decided to bring in Ben Bredeson and Sua Opeta on one-year deals. Head coach Todd Bowles likes both of them joining an offensive line room with room for improvement.
“I really like both guys that we have,” Bowles said. “Bredeson from the Giants, he’s played all along the offensive line but if you leave him in the same place he’s a very good player. The one we got from Philly is a huge-size guy, he’s started in some ball games. Losing Leverett and Stinnie obviously, we get some guys that are fighting for a starting spot.”
While swapping out offensive linemen makes the room younger and offers more upside, it does bring up the question of how much better the team got upfront when comparing 2023 Pro Football Focus grades of what the Bucs had to what they have now:
Aaron Stinnie: 56.5 offense grade, 53.7 pass block grade, 58.9 run block grade
Matt Feiler: 54.7 offense grade, 65.0 pass block grade, 52.2 run block grade
Sua Opeta: 52.9 offense grade, 57.9 pass block grade, 50.2 run block grade
Ben Bredeson: 42.1 offense grade, 42.4 pass block grade, 41.4 run block grade
Take these PFF grades how you will, but the point is that while the team has added two new offensive linemen, it does not necessarily preclude a bigger move from being made. With more stability and an opportunity, perhaps Bredeson and Opeta offer steady play.
Still, the door remains open on using a high draft pick – or two – to get a Day 1 starter.
“It doesn’t mean we won’t add any,” Bowles added on the team making more offensive line moves after these signings. “We can add any if we get some, but those guys we really like that we signed.”
Bucs GM Jason Licht Says That Each Will “Compete For Starting Jobs”
At the moment, Ben Bredeson and Sua Opeta are quality “backup plans” if the Bucs’ 2024 NFL Draft board does not fall how Tampa Bay would like.
Regardless of how the next month plays out, general manager Jason Licht is optimistic that they are ready to come in and compete and make the most of a chance to earn some playing time.
“If anything, [each are] great depth pieces, but they are going to compete for starting jobs,” Licht said. “I think Ben can compete to start at guard or center, Sua at guard. Both are really smart players, both are bigger guys, both have a lot of strength. Both are going to get opportunities here that maybe they didn’t have, well in Sua’s case. Especially with us, because there’s opportunity. Glad to have those guys.”
When looking at both new additions, there are aspects of each player’s game that are intriguing.
For Bredeson, his versatility is second to none. Last year with the Giants, he had to fill in at left guard, center, and right guard. Three of his best games last season via PFF were when he started the season at left guard and in his fourth game playing center after settling in. It’s hard for an offensive lineman to get in rhythm when constantly switching positions, and Todd Bowles did make a great point in that keeping him in the same place will help his game.
Opeta is more of a wild card, as he spent the first four seasons of his career primarily as a backup for one of the best offensive lines in football in Philadelphia. Due to injury, he did start six games for the Eagles last season at both guard spots. With more of an opportunity, he could start at left guard, or at worst, hold it down in a pinch until a yet-to-be-drafted rookie develops enough to take over.
Licht did mention at the NFL Scouting Combine in late February when discussing Tampa Bay’s offseason plan that the trenches are always an area he is looking to add depth. How things shake out over the next month will say a lot about Ben Bredeson and Sua Opeta’s roles going forward.
“Always looking to build the trenches, always looking for depth, always looking for upgrades,” Licht said then. “I think that’s something that we’ll definitely be looking [for] not just in the draft, but free agency, through camp, and whatever avenues we have. We’ll always be looking there.”
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