Buccaneers Offensive Line Taking Shape

Something that Buccaneers fans are dying to have addressed may not be as much of a need as once thought with the return of J.R. Sweezy.

Scott Reynolds of the Pewter Report dropped a bit of a surprise Wednesday night when he announced that J.R. Sweezy had been given a full bill of health and was cleared for football activity. Sweezy, a big free agent acquisition for the Buccaneers last year, missed the entire 2016 season due to an undisclosed back injury. Now, it appears that Logan Mankins‘ replacement is ready to go.

There are still plenty of questions surrounding Sweezy’s return, not the least of which is his effectiveness coming off the injury. After that, there seems to be questions about where he fits in.

The Buccaneers are still trying to re-sign Joe Hawley, however it seems the “Ali Marpet to Center” rumors are heating up. As Reynolds pointed out in his story, it’s an idea that has been in the minds of Jason Licht and Dirk Koetter since Marpet was drafted. Koetter told Reynolds more about it Wednesday;

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"“Ali and Evan Smith are both options [at center]. We’ve always felt that it was a possibility long-term that Ali could end up at center but when we had two proven starting-caliber centers, two guys that have started a fair amount of games in their career in Joe and Evan, we just felt it wasn’t in our best interest for these last two years anyway. That all ties back into [versatility and competition] so either one of those scenarios could happen.”"

Marpet could very well translate to a top-tier center in the NFL, but it’s certainly not easy to consider moving a guy who played at a Pro Bowl level – despite not being voted there – at guard. Kevin Pamphile was one of the best linemen on this team, so does he lose his job to Sweezy? It’s a fluid situation that will become more clear as we get into free agency and the draft and see what the Bucs do to address the line – if anything at all.

Hawley seems likely to return. He wants to be in Tampa and Koetter loves him, but the Bucs have to put the best eleven players on the field and if they feel Marpet in the middle and leaving Pamphile and Sweezy at guard is the right move, Hawley would still provide leadership and depth for the line in 2017.

Next: John Ross To The Bucs In Mock Draft

There will surely be more to come on this as it develops, but the 2017 Buccaneers are beginning to take shape – and we aren’t even out of January yet.