Buccaneers activate OL off of IR

The Bucs opened September on a high note but took an early hit up front when right tackle Luke Goedeke aggravated a foot injury against the Texans and was ruled out the rest of the night in Houston.

He’d also been dinged in Week 1, a rough start for one of Baker Mayfield’s key protectors, and Charlie Heck had to step in while Tampa Bay sorted the right edge of its line.

On Saturday, the cavalry finally arrived. Tampa Bay activated Goedeke from injured reserve to the 53-man roster after a clean week in the building, per the team’s official release.

The club opened his 21-day window on Monday, listed him as limited on Wednesday and Thursday, then upgraded him to full on Friday. With medical sign-off Saturday, the Bucs pulled the trigger, making him eligible to face the Patriots on Sunday.

The move ends a six-game absence that began when Goedeke re-aggravated the foot in Week 2. Placed on IR on Sept. 18, he was required to miss at least four games; the team opted for caution and let him clear six while Heck held down RT.

Getting Goedeke back stabilizes both phases: he’s been a consistent pass-protector and a tone-setter in the run game, and his presence allows OC Liam Coen to call more of the wide-zone and play-action staples that depend on firm edges. Against a New England front that can muddy protections, that matters.

Saturday’s activation also syncs with how the organization has valued him. Just before the season, Tampa Bay and Goedeke agreed to a four-year, $90 million extension with $50 million guaranteed, a bet that he and Tristan Wirfs give the Bucs one of the NFL’s premier tackle tandems.

In the near term, the checklist is simple: keep Mayfield clean, get Bucky Irving back on schedule, and cut down on long-yardage asks that stressed this offense while Goedeke was shelved. If he exits Sunday healthy and the right edge looks like itself again, Tampa Bay’s second-half ceiling gets noticeably higher.