Heading into free agency the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were focused on finding things they didn’t have, but are being forced to pivot and replace pieces they’ve lost. Adding Haason Reddick and re-signing Chris Godwin were huge moves, as was signing punter Riley Dixon, but over the first three days of free agency the Bucs have lost some depth in key areas.
Notable among the departures were Robert Hainsey and Justin Skule. Neither were starters but the Bucs relied on both over the last few years to help plug holes on the offensive line, something they did well enough to earn jobs elsewhere in the league.
Skule signed with the Minnesota Vikings while Hainsey reunited with Liam Coen in Jacksonville. All five starting jobs on the line are secure, but losing two key pieces of depth is an unfortunate turn of events.
It’s one the Bucs are already working to fix.
Buccaneers sign veteran tackle to replace Justin Skule
Hours after losing Skule to the Vikings, Tampa Bay struck a deal with veteran tackle Charlie Heck. It’s a one-year deal with $1.6 million, but the Bucs are hoping his ability as a swing lineman pays off in the long run.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler was the first to report the move.
OT Charlie Heck signing a one-year deal with the #Bucs, per source. Veteran help across the line.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 14, 2025
Heck spent four seasons with the Houston Texans before bouncing between the Cardinals and 49ers last season. He ended up getting some starts late in the year for San Francisco as they were attempting to stay alive in the playoff hunt, and he comes to Tampa Bay as an experienced backup option.
Tampa Bay kicked off this week of free agency by getting a three-year deal done with Ben Bredeson, which is a testament to how well the team has scouted unassuming talent. Nothing about Bredeson leapt off the page in terms of being a top tackle on the market, and he came to the Bucs with an opportunity to earn a starting role, not a promise to get one.
He earned that job in training camp and ended up playing himself into a long-term deal and an important role on the line. That bodes well for the move with Heck, who arrives under similar circumstances but with a chance to have a big impact behind Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke.
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