Lesser Challenges For Luke Goedeke
July 22nd, 2023
Luke Goedeke
All-world Buccaneers right tackle turned left tackle Tristan Wirfs has told his great rookie indocrination story many times.
Into training camp came Wirfs fresh out of the 2020 NFL Draft and no spring practices because The Sickness had cancleled the world temporarily.
Wirfs lined up at right tackle and got worked over badly, he said, by edge rushers Jason Pierre-Paul and Bucs sacks king Shaq Barrett. The way Wirfs tells it, he went home at night demoralized and wondered if he could cut it in the NFL.
History, of course, reveals Wirfs kicked ass on a Super Bowl champion that season. Wirfs gives a lot of credit to those early lessons from JPP and the dizzying array of moves and speed unleashed upon him by Barrett for toughening him up to become a stud rookie who became an All-Pro a year later.
Enter Luke Goedeke as the Bucs’ right tackle for the 2023 season replacing Wirfs. A second-round pick last season, Goedeke was inconsistent at left guard, got benched and hurt (foot) and then thrived in his shot at right tackle in the Bucs’ meaningless season finale against pass-rush challenged Atlanta.
Goedeke looked so damn comfortable at right tackle (his college position) that the Bucs were inspired to upgrade at left tackle with Wirfs (hopefully) and give Goedeke a starting shot after considering him a guard out of college.
But when training camp kicks off Wednesday, Goedeke won’t have the benefit of beasts like JPP and Shaq coming after him full force. Shaq is coming off Achilles surgery and will need time to get back in football shape; JPP is unemployed after playing for the Ravens last season.
Instead, Goedeke will get a steady dose of rookie third-round pick YaYa Diaby, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Anthony Nelson.
That’s not exactly the master’s degree program Wirfs was thrust into back in 2020.
Joe prays to the football gods that now-healthy T.J. Watt, the Steelers’ game-wrecker edge rusher, plays in the preseason opener against the Bucs. He lines up on the left side of the defense and is exactly the kind of seasoning Goedeke needs.
That glorious preseason game is just 20 days away. TWENTY!
2-hour flash poll is closed.
July 22nd, 2023 at 2:07 pm
Only issue with Goedeke at tackle is that his arm span is slightly shorter than you’d want, however his arm length is OK. To be clear, I don’t know what that particular mismatch means, but those are the numbers.
Any info about if he put on weight or not? As a tackle in 2023, he’s on the light side unless he added weight, but his frame and build should mean he could have easily bulked up a bit.
July 22nd, 2023 at 3:05 pm
Wirfs had one of if not the best season I have ever seen from a rookie OLineman.
Tristan is almost certainly a future HOFer unless he gets seriously hurt.
Goedeke will never be that kind of superstar – but Luke is highly likely to be a good solid player up front for the Buccaneers for many years to come.
When it comes to highly drafted Offensive lineman – In Licht I trust!
July 22nd, 2023 at 3:15 pm
Remember the old Patrick Swayze Roadhouse movie…
I love to see a group of offensive lineman take over a game like bunch of bouncers at the “Double Deuce”…
That being said, I’m sure Goedeke and everyone else in the offensive line room is ecstatic about being able to play a little more smash-mouth football as opposed to passively pass-protecting 80% of the time…
July 22nd, 2023 at 4:09 pm
Luke Goedeke played right tackle in college and they moved him to guard like all linemen positions are swappable?! Now when they put Luke Goedeke in the position he’s best in and he magically performs better? Horrible job by the Bucs decision makers
July 22nd, 2023 at 4:13 pm
Good call. Not worried about the W here just the lessons. But, don’t get our prospective starter, whichever it may be, hurt.
July 22nd, 2023 at 4:17 pm
Goedekes isn’t the first college tackle to switch to guard in the nfl isn’t anything rare so take it easy experts
July 22nd, 2023 at 4:18 pm
It wasn’t a horrible decision because no way was he better than Wirfs at RT and even Smith at LT in a normal year.
Showing they wanted him to play guard means they want to get the best 5 guys on the field. So he didn’t cut it there, and they move him.
Still one of the best 5 in their minds obviously.
He might just excel in run protection and hopefully he can pull just fine.
We know Mauch can so that doesn’t concern me.
July 22nd, 2023 at 4:34 pm
@Jack Marpet, Cappa, Hainsey, and Ryan Jensen all started at tackle in college before transitioning to guard or center at the pro level. Not so far fetched now, huh?
July 22nd, 2023 at 4:39 pm
Maybe I’m mistaken, to me it seems an easier switch from tackle to guard if you can stay on the same side of the ball. Last year moving LG to the left guard spot was a mistake! Some guys can make tbat switch fast. He couldn’t. He needed a lot more reps to make that work. He should be more comfortable at right tackle. Imo.
July 22nd, 2023 at 4:42 pm
cont. Hopefully we don’t see something similar with Cody moving from Left Tackle to right guard.
July 22nd, 2023 at 5:14 pm
Dude is a back up at best
We passed on some players to draft him…..
July 22nd, 2023 at 5:15 pm
They coming to take us away…HaHa
They coming to take us away Hee Hee
July 22nd, 2023 at 5:25 pm
I’ll be happy to see those nice young men in their clean white coats coming to put on the game. Ha haaaaa!!! They don’t let us change the channel ourselves at the funny farm.
July 22nd, 2023 at 5:27 pm
Love the funny farm song reference. LOL!
July 22nd, 2023 at 5:31 pm
I wonder how many times this franchise needs to fail before they stop drafting players then moving them to different positions
July 22nd, 2023 at 5:34 pm
A Bucs Fan Says:
July 22nd, 2023 at 4:34 pm
@Jack Marpet, Cappa, Hainsey, and Ryan Jensen all started at tackle in college before transitioning to guard or center at the pro level. Not so far fetched now, huh?
You got me there, but my opinion was based off Joe’s articles reporting that Bucs fans hated Luke Goedeke because of his performance as a NFL left guard when he played Right tackle in college. I don’t believe in trying to put a square peg into a round hole and I think it’s asinine for people to think “if he can play right tackle in college then he can play any position on the offensive line in the NFL”.
July 22nd, 2023 at 5:54 pm
I want Goedeke to do well, but something tells me he is going to struggle mightily on the right side. He just doesn’t have the physical traits or the technique to play at a starter level.
July 22nd, 2023 at 5:56 pm
I have no idea if Goedeke will be a starting-caliber Right Tackle in the NFL, I hope he is, but if not, maybe Brandon Walton or somebody else is. I also HOPE that the days are gone of the Bucs trotting an O-Lineman out there every week when it’s clear he can’t get the job done (Caleb Benenoch of years past and Goedeke at LG last year come to mind).
July 22nd, 2023 at 6:03 pm
Missing on Hainsey and Luke cost us a run last year
July 22nd, 2023 at 6:06 pm
Yanno, in years past we really had no hope. Brady was even considered over the hill till he became unbeatable after the 2020 bye week.
Now we have at least a little hope. Maybe we will be disappointed again. Maybe we won’t. Why be miserable and hopeless now? They’ll be plenty of time for counting when the season is done.
July 22nd, 2023 at 6:29 pm
The Ravens did not find where to play Ryan Jensen until his fourth season when he finally moved to Center and earned a big paycheck.
I think Goedeke will be fine if not excellent, he’ll be adequate. Otton won’t help much but if Ko Kieft gets a shot at H back he can be devasting blocker who FINISHES!
Just as important will be if rookie Cody Mauch is the”real deal” and CAN make the move from tackle to right guard the Bucs might have something. As Ryan Jensen said he and Mauch are going to eff some people up. The point is we go from last year’s “gentlemanly” OL to a mean nasty OL!!! And again if Kieft is an H back the Bucs suddenly have three nasty guys who love to FINISH their blocks and p!ss people off.
Who is not in favor of a MEAN, NASTY OL?
July 22nd, 2023 at 7:08 pm
I’d be okay with below average at this stage
We are awful
July 22nd, 2023 at 7:09 pm
Stortebucfan, I second that motion.
July 22nd, 2023 at 7:25 pm
I have nothing against Goedeke. I just feel we could have got him in either the 3rd of 4th round.
I sure hope he justifies Licht’s confidence in him this year.
July 22nd, 2023 at 7:35 pm
@Stpete Jensen had to wait his turn becauae the Ravens had pro bowler Yanda and 2nd round pick Osemele at the guard spots while they had just traded and signed former Buc Jeremy Zuttah to a five year deal to start at center the year he was drafted.
July 22nd, 2023 at 7:44 pm
Jack about half of the guards in the NFL were actually tackles in college.
It is not just a Bucs thing.
Most of those college tackles move over for the same reason that Goedeke was moved. Not great length. That arm length and full wingspan length.
Donovan Smith who was a good college tackle but nothing special in college as a tackle, made it in the pros because he had that superior measurable length that all the NFL teams are looking for.
Also, somebody last year kept acting like LSU guard, Ed Ingram, would have been a better pick for us. Time will tell but Ingram despite playing guard his whole career was a less than average guard last year for the Vikings by accounts.
Again, time will tell but overall the Bucs have had more success than most teams in picking offensive lineman and developing them.
July 22nd, 2023 at 9:34 pm
Jack Clark Says:
July 22nd, 2023 at 4:09 pm
Luke Goedeke played right tackle in college and they moved him to guard like all linemen positions are swappable?!
——-
Licht pretty much, exclusively, drafts offensive tackles. Smith, Marpet, Cappa, Wirfs, Hainsey, Luke, Cody, all are tackles. As Licht has said, tackles are your most athletic guys, and they often play on an islands, and for the most part, playing guard is an easier position. The only real downside you have doing this, is that you rarely get those road graters at tackle as they have to be able to move better. But Licht’s history of success says he knows what he’s doing.
July 22nd, 2023 at 10:07 pm
Missing on Luke G, Hainsey, JTS, Logan Hall, Darden, Britt, Trask, we’ll the whole 21 draft class, cost us Bradys last year. We normally hit a player every 3rd draft which is good.
July 22nd, 2023 at 10:56 pm
ABucsFan
I certainly take your point especially when you combine it with the fact that Jensen was a 6th round draft pick and dumped his rookie season and then resigned to the practice squad. 6th round draft picks don’t generally get the benefit of the doubt and have to EARN their way or get a break when the guy ahead of them goes down and the team is desperate. So yeah talent ahead of him certainly had something to do with it.
But that’s largely MY point. Jensen played tackle his first year getting into 1 game, par for the course for a 6th round practice squad player.
The next season he was moved to G playing in 11 games and starting 6. Then he got moved back to tackle the following season and played in only 7 games starting just 3, half the number he started at tackle the year before.
Finally he got a chance at Center and the rest is history. I suspect the Ravens didn’t totally give up on him because of his mean streak and tenacity.
The point being is that guys here are writing off Buc players with 2-3 years of experience, some of them getting moved around and forced to play out of position because the OL was devasted last season losing 60% of their starters before the first snap of the year. People were asked to do whatever was required. I suspect that’s what happened to Jensen. First tackle…then guard..then back to tackle and then FINALLY center. That’s exactly what could have happened to Goedekke last year with the Bucs. Perhaps he’ll find his niche at RT. I realize that many here are more comfortable with believing the Bucs will suck, some like me still have some optimism.
July 22nd, 2023 at 11:00 pm
Well after reading these comments. I guess I don’t need to watch the season since we are going to be so bad. Damn, and I haven’t missed a season yet. What am I going to do for the next 6 months. All this extra time I’ll have now. Thank you crystal ball having, doom n gloom seaking, know if all Debbie Downers. Thank you. GO BUCS!
July 23rd, 2023 at 12:28 am
Switching from the right side to the left is a major transition. You stagger your feet differently and put the opposite hand down. Goedeke stated this was an issue for him, will exceed everyone’s expectations next year.
Depth at the position is a huge concern though
July 23rd, 2023 at 6:51 am
Joe I do believe in the often misused steel sharpens steel adage.
Hope we can turn the glass eater in to the GLASS EATER!
Go Bucs!
July 23rd, 2023 at 8:22 am
Let’s see if Jensen is able to play with that knee he declined to have rebuilt. If not, Hainsey at least has a year under his belt at the Center position. Why is it taking so long for the Bucs to sign Mauch?
July 23rd, 2023 at 9:13 am
“Missing on Luke G, Hainsey, JTS, Logan Hall, Darden, Britt, Trask, we’ll the whole 21 draft class,”
You CAN’T pronounce a draft pick, esp a lineman, a “miss” after one season. As for Hainsey, playing out of position, dude was better than ok last year
July 23rd, 2023 at 10:03 am
@DJB – lots of second round picks were taking a long time to sign because agents have been trying enhance guarantees. Especially for their final year of the contract in which most 2nd rounders don’t have any guaranteed money left. Each guy also wants a little more cash guaranteed than the player drafted behind him so it bogged down the process this year. In fact up until last week the six draft picks in front of Mauch were unsigned too. Since most have signed in the last three-four days now unless there’s something unforeseen Mauch should be signing soon.
July 23rd, 2023 at 2:12 pm
Good point Darden will be a star
July 23rd, 2023 at 3:52 pm
@destin Johnny
You said it bro.
Hainsey and Goedeke definitely cost us a run last year.
Worst running attack in the NFL.
One of the 10 worst rushing attacks in NFL history.
Trask: 2nd round pick.
Hainsey: 3rd round pick.
Goedeke: 2nd round pick.
If we had drafted a a guy who actually played center instead of Hainsey, who was a RT im college, we would have had a true backup for Jensen.
Instead, we replaced the best center in the game, Jensen, with the worst center in the NFL: Hainsey.
They reached on Trask in the 2nd. We didn’t need Trask. We had Gabbert and Griffin.
We reached on Hainsey in the 3rd.
Guess what I always call for in the 2nd round?
OG/C
Why? Centers are rarely drafted in the 1st round.
So you can always find a top 3 college center in the 2nd.
Or a top 5 guard.
Trask, Hainsey, and Goedeke and Darden!
July 23rd, 2023 at 7:19 pm
Teach 100000%
The wild thing is when the GM gives us no talent
Everyone blames the coach when the team is awful.
I’m a huge tide fan and Nick clearly can coach
But come on, Having the number one class for 11 years straight makes it easy to coach.