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San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Justin Skule.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need reliable depth on the offensive line — this is 1 surefire way to get it.
The Buccaneers are bringing back a familiar face with former starter Justin Skule, who started 5 games for Tampa Bay in 2024 and spent 2025 with the Minnesota Vikings.
“Bucs are bringing back offensive lineman Justin Skule, a key backup from 2022-24 who played for the Vikings last year,” Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote on his official X account on Monday. “It’s a one-year deal for Justin Skule and Bucs. Familiar depth for offensive line, was missed last season as Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke were both sidelined with injuries.”
Skule, 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds, was a 6th-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2019 NFL draft — the same season the Buccaneers defeated the 49ers in their last Super Bowl appearance.
Bucs Last Memory of Justin Skule: Not Great
The last memory Buccaneers fans probably have of Skule isn’t great — watching him get absolutely picked apart by NFL All-Pro Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson in Week 2 of the 2024 regular season.
That day, Hutchinson had 4.5 sacks as former offensive coordinator and current Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen refused to double-team Hutchinson into it was almost too late.
Hutchinson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, spread the misery out among the Buccaneers’ offensive line, which was starting Justin Skule at right offensive tackle in place of the injured Luke Goedeke, who was out with a concussion.
While Coen and the Buccaneers eventually decided to put 2 men on Hutchinson, it didn’t matter. He beat 2 blockers for a sack of Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield early in the 4th quarter with the Lions trailing, 20-16. Hutchinson had 21 sacks through his first 2 seasons.
When the Buccaneers needed to get Hutchinson blocked, they found a way at the end of the game. The sack of Mayfield with 10:55 left in the fourth quarter was the last time he got to the quarterback.
Tracking Justin Skule’s Path to Bucs and Back Again
Skule was a 4-year starter for Vanderbilt before being selected by the 49ers in the 6th round in 2019, where he played in all 16 regular-season games with 4 starts as a rookie.
“Started 40 consecutive games in competitive SEC,” NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft evaluation in 2019. “Has experience at both tackle positions. Uses good landmarks in the zone blocking. Adequate balance to work through spin counters by rushers. Strong grip to cinch and secure. Will look for work to protect his quarterback. Keep his chin tucked and back flat in his past sets. Initial footwork and quickness to reach and seal.”
Skule was released by the 49ers right before the 2022 regular season as part of the final roster cuts and after sitting out the entire 2021 season with a torn ACL. He caught on with the Buccaneers on the practice squad and lasted 3 seasons before he signed a 1-year, $2 million contract with the Vikings in March 2025.
The presence of Skule could be even more pronounced in 2026 after starting tackles Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke both struggled with injuries in 2025 — Wirfs missed a career-high 5 games, and Goedeke missed a career-high 6 games.
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
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