Bucs RT Luke Goedeke Agrees To Contract Extension

Luke Goedeke's Non-Linear Path To Success

This development is quite the redemption arc for Goedeke. After a standout college career at Central Michigan as a right tackle, the Bucs moved him to left guard in 2022 as a rookie. He did not take to the transition well and struggled through the first half of the season.

Poor play and an injury eventually led the team to benching him after Week 7. Late in the season after the Bucs locked up the NFC South division title, they gave Goedeke a Week 18 start at right tackle. It was his best performance of the season and a glimpse into what was to come.

Goedeke finished that season, including a Wild Card start at left guard, with a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 46.7. His pass block grade was identical, and his run block grade was 47.8.

The team opted to give Goedeke a fresh start in 2023 by moving him back to his natural position of right tackle. This helped the Bucs facilitate the transition of right tackle Tristan Wirfs to left tackle. This was a calculated risk by Tampa Bay's leadership as there was no guarantee Wirfs could continue to play at his dominant level with a side-switch, plus Goedeke was considered by many to be a lost cause already. The move paid off beautifully on both fronts.

Wirfs not only continued to play as one of the top tackles in the NFL, but after a year to fully get used to the switch in 2023, he entered the argument for best offensive tackle in the league. The conversation currently rests between him and Lane Johnson among most analysts. As for Goedeke, he enjoyed an incredible bounce back season. He played 19 games including the playoffs and saw his PFF grades improve across the board. The arrow was pointing considerably up for him as he entered his third year in the NFL.

This past season, he was able to overcome an early-season concussion to post his best season to date. In 10 of his 14 games, he allowed one pressure or less. He gave up just 17 pressures and three sacks all season, posting an incredible 98.1 pass block efficiency and a 3.0% pressure rate allowed. Goedeke also teamed up with right guard Cody Mauch to form one of the most devastating run block double teams in the league. Their development and chemistry helped the Bucs run game become a top five unit.

PFF noted the improvement in Goedeke's play with the best grades of his career, awarding him a 74.2 overall grade, a 75.7 run block grade and a 76.8 pass block grade.

Bucs Building A Formidable Offensive Line

Luke Goedeke and Tristan Wirfs aren't the only two players on the Bucs' offensive line who are giving the team hope. Mauch had similar struggles during his 2023 rookie season. But much like Goedeke, he made a giant step forward in 2024.

His development was so pronounced I made the argument that he was playing at a Pro Bowl caliber level. If he makes a similar year-three jump, the Bucs could have three upper-echelon players along their front.

Center Graham Barton provides hope as well. Tampa Bay took him in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. While things weren't perfect for him, he more than flashed high-end play and athleticism, giving Bucs fans plenty to be happy about for the future of the team's offense. The Bucs also like left guard Ben Bredeson, who signed a three-year contract this offseason.

All five linemen noted are now under contract for multiple seasons. Goedeke's extension now puts him under team control through 2029. Wirfs signed a long-term extension last season that made him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history and keeps him in Tampa Bay on the same time horizon.

Mauch still has two years left on his rookie deal but could make a case for an early extension next offseason. Barton is under contract through 2027, and the Bucs have a fifth-year option to hold onto him through 2028 that they can exercise after 2026.