Jason Licht, Todd Bowles, and the rest of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers organization have made it clear that, publicly at least, there is no thought to tanking in the upcoming season to help a rebuild.
And the realities of the NFL, particularly with the number of player contracts that are structured around performance-based incentives, tanking is a near impossibility.
But even with their eyes on the prize this season, the Bucs seemingly face a steep slope to being playoff contenders again. In order for that to happen, the team needs improvements from players that let them down in last year’s underwhelming campaign.
The three players who the Buccaneers most need to perform better than their 2022 selves are:
Luke Goedeke, OT
Goedeke’s first season in Tampa Bay was an abject disaster. Drafted with the 57th overall pick, the expectation for Geodeke was that he could step in and fill the hole on the interior line that was left by the departure of Alex Cappa. But Goedeke, a college tackle – not guard, looked overwhelmed at the physicality of the position.
His tenure as a starting lineman for the Buccaneers in 2022 lasted only seven games. Now, the expectation is that he will be returning to the starting lineup, in a much more important role. With All-Pro Tristan Wirfs moving to LT, Goedeke’s college position at RT is open for him.
If the Buccaneers are to be at all competitive in this upcoming season, Goedeke must play better at tackle than he did at guard. Otherwise, the Bucs will be hard-pressed to find a way to pass the ball effectively – severely limiting the offense’s one big strength at receiver.