In addition to re-signing their own players, the Bucks will add outside talent during the offseason to help improve a roster that won the NFC South and ultimately lost in the divisional round of the playoffs. I would consider that. There are several areas where talent can be injected. The Interior offensive line is one of them. So it’s no surprise that Pro Football Focus cap analyst Brad Spielberger noted that the Bucks could be a landing spot for several pending free agent guards. Recent articles.
Bucks could pursue veteran guard in free agency
Seahawks G Damian Lewis Photo Credit: USA Today
Coach Spielberger has three guards who could arrive in Tampa Bay to fill the left guard spot next to Pro Bowl left tackle Tristan Wirfs: Minnesota’s Dalton Risner, Seattle’s Damian Lewis and Detroit. highlighted Jonah Jackson.
Spielberger’s reasoning centers around the concept that the Bucks upgraded pending free agent Aaron Stinney to start the season, but took over the starting spot from Matt Feiler midway through the season. Stinney and Feiler struggled at times in 2023, which was one reason why most of the pressure quarterback Baker Mayfield faced came from under the middle.
Below is part of Mr. Spielberger’s article, which specifically mentions Mr. Risner.
“The Buccaneers are set at both tackle spots and have promising young players in right guard Cody Mauch and center Robert Hainsey, but removing weaknesses from a young and currently very cheap unit would go a long way. It’s possible. Baker Mayfield improved against pressure in 2023, but reducing the amount of inside pressure he faces could be huge for his continued growth on offense. right.”
Bucks could be looking to address multiple spots on the line
It wasn’t just left guard that had issues throughout the year. On the other side, rookie right guard Cody Mauch has had his ups and downs. His overall grade at PFF (including playoffs) for the year was his 43.9, which ranked him 47th out of 56 guards who qualified. He posted a run block grade of 37.6 and a pass block grade of 52.1.
Bucs RG Cody Mauch and QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR
But Mauch had more reasons to struggle than just being a rookie. He changed positions (from tackle to guard), sides (from left to right), and level of competition (from FCS to NFL). With his entire offseason working on his technique and increasing his volume, there’s a good chance Mauch will make a huge leap in play in his second year.
Center was also a precarious position for the Bucks’ offense, as backup Robert Hainsey was thrust into the starting role for the second straight year during training camp. This was because starting center Ryan Jensen was placed on injured reserve again due to a knee problem.of The former Pro Bowl center recently retired.so the future of Tampa Bay’s center position is up in the air.
Hainzuh ranked 16th among qualifying centers with a PFF grade of 50.2. He struggled against bigger, stronger defensive tackles. This is a common theme with centers in the NFL, and it’s usually a prerequisite for defenders lining up across from the center at nose tackle.
With Stinney set to become a free agent, it’s possible the Bucks want to address both the guard and center spots, possibly securing one spot as a free agent and finding the second spot in April’s NFL Draft. Being sexually active is not out of the question. It remains to be seen whether they will target a guard in free agency or a center in the draft, or vice versa. But when free agency opens on March 13th, we’re sure to hear about Tampa Bay acquiring several interior offensive linemen.
