Tampa Bay’s offensive line was supposed to be the stabilizing factor for an offense heading into 2025 with its fourth offensive coordinator in four years. With All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs expected to miss the start of the season following knee surgery, the Buccaneers’ offensive line now becomes a major question mark ahead of training camp.

While an offensive line is the sum of its parts, the loss of Wirfs, even for just a portion of the season, cannot be understated.

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The two-time All-Pro is arguably the best left tackle in the NFL and the centerpiece of Tampa Bay’s offensive line. Last season, Wirfs allowed just 13 pressures on 664 pass plays, making him the NFL’s most efficient pass protector per PFF. There is very little the Bucs will be able to do to replace the security Wirfs provides.

The Bucs signed former 49ers tackle Charlie Heck this offseason to be Wirfs’ backup, and now it appears he will be Tampa Bay’s starting left tackle come Week 1. There will be speculation that the Bucs may sign a more recognizable free agent, such as George Fant or Jedrick Wills, but such a move is unlikely and inadvisable.

There is a reason players like Fant and Wills are free agents at this point of the year, and Heck has already been working with the offense. Continuity is a key factor of success for an offensive line, and the Bucs will need all they can get in Wirfs’ absence.

If anything, Wirfs’ absence could prove to be an opportunity for undrafted rookie Benjamin Chukwuma. The former Georgia State tackle received the most guaranteed money of any undrafted free agent this year, an indication of his value to Tampa Bay. Still, Chukwuma is a raw prospect and will likely gain more from playing with the second team rather than competing for a starting spot.

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The rest of the offensive line will look the same as it did at the end of last season. Left guard Ben Bredeson signed a three-year deal to return to Tampa Bay this offseason. He played the best football of his career the previous year, playing next to Wirfs. The question is how much playing next to the NFL’s best left tackle influenced Bredeson’s performance.

Also returning are 2023 third-round right guard Cody Mauch and 2024 first-round center Graham Barton. Mauch broke out last year after an underwhelming rookie season, allowing just 19 pressures on 1178 pass reps, third-best among all guards per PFF.

The Bucs are counting on Barton to have a similar trajectory after a solid, if inconsistent, rookie season. Barton had nearly as many blunders as he did spectacular blocks. Training camp will provide a good measuring stick of Barton’s progress in assessing the ceiling the Bucs drafted him to reach.

Anchoring the line in Wirfs’ absence is right tackle Luke Goedeke, who has quietly become one of the NFL’s best right tackles. He also happens to be the Bucs’ best run blocker, a trait that the Bucs will count on with their best pass protector out.

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This would be an ideal opportunity for Goedeke to leverage his position for a contract extension. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Goedeke is poised to earn top right tackle money, something in the range of $20 million per year. Such potential earnings could encourage Goedeke to sit out camp until a new deal is signed, though his participation in the Bucs’ offseason activities indicates a holdout is not in his plans.

It would still be in the Bucs’ best interest to extend Goedeke before the season starts. His price tag is only going to go up the longer they wait. A new deal would also solidify the line ahead of what is likely to be a rough opening stretch for Tampa Bay’s offensive line.

The Bucs will dread further injuries to the line, in part because of the lack of experience behind their remaining starters. The veteran of the group, guard Sua Opeta, missed last season with a torn ACL. 2024 sixth-round pick Elijah Klein has the next most game experience with a whopping nine snaps. No other offensive lineman on the roster has regular season experience except guard Raiqwon O’Neal, who played special teams for Seattle in 2023.

There is some faith that undrafted rookie Jake Majors has the upside to be solid depth at center. The former Longhorn was a coveted free agent after the draft and should garner attention for his position on the depth chart during camp and the preseason.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs 2025 training camp preview: Offensive Line