Buccaneers free agency spotlight: Offensive lineman Justin Pugh

Could the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take a look at a versatile former first round pick to help their offensive line? In today’s free agency spotlight we take a closer look at Justin Pugh.

One of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ weakest spots last season was at interior guard where Evan Smith, Kevin Pamphile and J.R. Sweezy consistently struggled. On top of that, their lack of overall depth was exposed when they failed to replace veteran tackle Demar Dotson after he was lost for the season with a knee injury. Enter Justin Pugh, a versatile free agent that could help cure both issues.

Over the last five seasons Pugh has been a Swiss Army knife for the Giants, playing extensively at both left guard and right tackle, and even a game at left tackle. Whichever position needed help Pugh was there to fill in. Unfortunately he’s also struggled to stay healthy, which muddies the waters of his potential. Pugh is a bit of a blank canvas, despite being a veteran – injuries and constantly changing positions leaves us unsure of what he’s really capable of. Let’s take a closer look at how things have gone for Pugh over the last five seasons.

Justin Pugh’s Career

Pugh, 27, was taken 19th overall in the first round of the 2013 draft by the New York Giants and spent his rookie and sophomore professional seasons as a right tackle. In 2015 the Giants decided to move Pugh to left guard, his more natural position, and his quality of play jumped significantly. That carried over into 2016 where Pugh continued to be a fantastic guard, but in 2017 a wave of injuries to Giant offensive linemen forced Pugh to fill in at right tackle.

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Though it’s clear Pugh is a much better guard than tackle, this versatility and ability to play tackle in a pinch makes him very valuable, particularly for the Bucs who value cross-trained offensive linemen. While versatility is a big part of Pugh’s career story thus far, injuries are unfortunately also a character in the narrative. Pugh has played just one full sixteen game season in five years, missing eight games last year, five games in 2016, two games in 2015, and two games in 2014. Quad, concussion, knee (MCL), and most recently back are all areas where Pugh has been injured, which will give shopping teams a bit of pause.

Why the Buccaneers Need Him

If you ranked teams in terms of guard play in 2017, the Buccaneers would likely be dead last. With Ali Marpet learning the nuances of center, both of his flanks struggled to hold their own and the result was a team incapable of winning short yardage situations or scoring near the goal line. Though Peyton Barber had a few good games the Bucs run game was mostly ineffectual all season, almost exclusively thanks to their poor guard play. With no threat of running game Dirk Koetter’s offense is severely hamstrung, even when it has the abundance of passing targets that it did last year.

For these reasons you can expect Licht to make a guard a priority early on into free agency, and Justin Pugh is the perfect option. According to Pro Football Focus, Pugh has allowed 39 total pressures from the interior over the last three seasons, forth best amongst qualifying guards. Needless to say, the Buccaneers could sorely use that level of play. By plugging Pugh in between Donovan Smith and Ali Marpet the Bucs could suddenly transform the left side of their line into a real asset.

Beyond Pugh’s plug-and-play ability at guard, Tampa Bay could really use the potential depth he provides. Though he isn’t a very good right tackle Pugh still offers the experience and ability to play in a pinch, and Tampa could be in need of that with Demar Dotson’s age and injury history. The Buccaneers have talked ad nauseum about wanting their offensive linemen cross-trained and Pugh already has it taken care of.

What Will Pugh Cost?

Spotrac estimates Justin Pugh is in line for a four year contract worth $25 million, which shakes out to around 6.4 million dollars annually. This could be considered a steal for the Buccaneers. Pugh’s contract takes into account the significant time spent at right tackle and since he mostly struggled there he’ll be make less money than if he’d been at his strongest position of guard for all five years with the Giants. High-level guards like Ronald Leary, David DeCastro, and Kyle Long are making annual figures between nine and ten million, so six for Pugh is very reasonable. If he can be the elite player he showed flashes of the Bucs would be getting a lot of bang for their buck.

Will It Happen?

Justin Pugh is an ideal match for the Buccaneers for several reasons. He’s affordable, versatile, experienced, and likely has a chip on his shoulder to prove he can be a full-time guard at a high level. The Buccaneers have a serious need at left guard, and would gladly pay a six or seven million dollar annual salary for a 27 year old entering his prime. I would put the odds of this move happening at extremely favorable, and definitely think Bucs fans should keep their eyes glued on Justin Pugh’s status when free agency kicks off.

Next: Buccaneers free agency spotlight: Mike Glennon

What do you think about Justin Pugh, Buccaneer fans? Do you see Pugh as a potential fit? Sound off in the comments with your take on the versatile lineman, and check back tomorrow for a spotlight on safety Kenny Vacarro!