Buccaneers’ Offensive Line Among The Elite

Going into the NFL Draft, there were plenty of Buccaneers fans that wanted to see the team address the offensive line in the first round. For that matter, there were plenty of draft experts that tied the Bucs to offensive linemen in the first round and listing offensive line as one of the Bucs’ biggest off-season needs. Personally, I was extremely vocal on Locked On Bucs that offensive line was not a need and it would be a wasted pick if the Bucs took, say, Vega Ionae with their first pick. Now, luckily Ioane went one pick ahead of the Bucs to Baltimore and the Bucs were able to land Rueben Bain Jr., so everything seemed to work out.

Musical Chairs 

The big thing was that so many people looked at what Tampa’s offensive line was last season and that wasn’t indicative of their talent or what we knew they were actually capable of because no one bothered to take a step back, take a breath, and think about the fact that the Bucs had nine different offensive line combinations over the course of the season. They were missing one of their starting guards for almost the entire season. Their center started the year at tackle. It was like a game of musical chairs and you just never knew when the music was going to stop.

Health Matters 

In 2024, with the starting five intact, the Bucs’ offensive line was one of the best and most consistent in the NFL and was anchored by the best left tackle in the NFL. Now, heading into 2026, that line is back together and not only should protection for Baker Mayfield be better but running lanes for Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell should be clearer than they were last season. Well, there are some that believe this Bucs offensive line is among the best in the NFL. Sharp Football Analysis sat down and evaluated all 32 offensive lines, grading them on various categories such as film, projections, and numbers and ranking them for the upcoming NFL season. The Buccaneers ranked fourth with a score of 86, trailing the Denver Broncos (100), Philadelphia Eagles (91), and Buffalo Bills (87). About the Buccaneers specifically, they said; “Tristan Wirfs remains one of the best tackles in the NFL, allowing just 2 sacks and 23 total pressures in 2025. The rest of the line dealt with injuries last year, but if the starters can stay healthy, this is an elite unit across the board.“

More Than Wirfs

Now, while Tristan Wirfs fell out of the top spot on ESPN’s Top Ten Offensive Linemen list, he’s still regarded as one of the best tackles in the game and if he’s healthy he’s the unquestionable top guy. However, it goes beyond just Wirfs. After the 2024 season, Wirfs and Luke Goedeke were named on of the top tackle duos in the NFL by PFF, Ben Bredeson got a big contract extension after being one of the top interior offensive linemen in the league, and Cody Mauch took a huge leap. The big question that I think a lot of people have is the growth and development – or lack thereof – of center Graham Barton. The issue with Barton was not having the opportunity to make that second year jump. The Bucs used a first round pick on him to anchor their line for the long-term, and while he had a decent rookie season it was the expectation that year two would bring an improvement in his play. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. He opened the season at tackle because of injuries then by time he returned to center he never had the support on either side of him that he should have. It was a constant change with Mauch and Bredeson dealing with injuries – so he was forced to tread water most of the season rather than make that jump that should have come.

Barton Time

When the Bucs are being forced to suit up guys off the couch or bring in parking lot attendants just to field a roster, that’s a problem for everyone. With the starting five together this season – hopefully, for the entire season – that leap for Barton could come to fruition a year later than expected. The line truly drives what the offense is able to do. They have to protect Baker in order to move the ball in the passing game, they have to open running lanes to keep the offense two-dimensional – and you could tell late in the year that Baker had lost trust in the guys tasked with keeping him upright. That can not happen if the team is going to be successful. The line has to perform to the level they did in 2024 – and to the level that Sharp Football Analysis believes they can in 2026. As we saw in 2024, when this line is in sync, the offense can be one of the most dangerous in the entire league.

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