With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers now down ANOTHER offensive lineman, the team will now need one of their rookies to step up and perform in an effort to make sure the Buccaneers’ offensive line keeps the offense chugging along.
After being carted off the field during the Bucs’ preseason game with the Tennessee Titans, it is now confirmed that Aaron Stinnie’s season is over after tearing both his MCL and ACL.
Source tells me that it’s a torn ACL/MCL for Bucs guard Aaron Stinnie. Really tough break. He was very much pushing for that starting left guard spot.
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) August 21, 2022
This is truly something you never want to see, especially to a player and man like Stinnie. He is endeared in the hearts of Buccaneers fans after he filled in for Alex Cappa when the now-former Buccaneers guard went down before the Super Bowl run of 2020 and did so with great aplomb. Stinnie was also the favorite to take over as the starter full-time in 2022.
Such is life in the NFL, and now, it looks like the Buccaneers will need a rookie guard to step up in a big way and live the “next man up” mentality.
The Buccaneers drafted Luke Goedeke in the second round of this year’s Draft, and it’s easy to see why. To put it most simply, Goedeke is an absolute mauler. He is just plain nasty, and that should be music to Buccaneers fans’ ears. Goedeke has the kind of throwback attitude that every offensive line needs.
Even though Goedeke was a tackle with the Central Michigan Chippewas, the 6’5″, 310-pound Goedeke was projected to kick inside and play guard in the NFL coming out of college, which was precisely the plan the Buccaneers had.
His preseason action has been up and down, but he has shown flashes. That’s what’s to be expected of rookie offensive linemen getting used to NFL life though. He found himself in a position battle with the aforementioned Stinnie for that left guard spot, and now it appears that it’s his to lose.
Tom Brady is a marvel at getting the ball out quickly, but he still needs SOME form of protection, as does the team’s running game that they are expected to lean on more. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need Luke Goedeke to step up in a big way, and time will tell if he’s up to the task.