Buccaneers’ Offensive Line Gains High Ranking Ahead of 2025 originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and general manager Jason Licht have had a clear focus on improving the offensive line over the past couple of seasons.
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Quarterback Baker Mayfield has posted back-to-back career seasons since arriving in Tampa Bay, and that’s thanks in large part to the protection the offensive line offers.
Last season, the Bucs boasted one of the league’s best rushing attacks in the NFL.
The drafting of Bucky Irving helped, but so did taking Duke’s Graham Barton in the first round to offer protection in the middle of the offensive line.
Pro Football Focus believes Tampa Bay has the sixth-best offensive line in the game.
“Second-year improvements in back-to-back seasons have helped turn the Buccaneers’ offensive line into a top unit,” PFF wrote. “Right tackle Luke Goedeke in 2023 and right guard Cody Mauch in 2024 developed into standout blockers, and now center Graham Barton will look to follow suit in 2025. Having arguably the best pass-blocking offensive lineman in the entire NFL surely helps this group, as left tackle Tristan Wirfs’s 94.1 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2024 led all offensive tackles.”
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The improvement of the rushing attack has been evident, but it’s not just Irving who has had success. Rachaad White, who was the team’s primary rusher in 2023, when the team ranked last in some statistical categories, had a good year.
And the scary part is, Barton is getting better. He showed some struggles during his rookie campaign and, individually, was not graded very high. But with experience under his belt and with guys like Goedeke and Wirfs playing alongside him, the unit will look to improve in 2025.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.