“Pleasant Surprise”
May 28th, 2024
New Bucs guard Sua Opeta.
Two firm compliments in two weeks about a new Buccaneer gets Joe’s attention.
Yeah, spring practices in the NFL are basically dudes running around in underwear and helmets. No hitting aloud. Even a handsy shove will draw scowls and finger wags. It’s not real football, but things like explosiveness can come through, along with work ethic, focus and tactical and technical prowess.
Head coach Todd Bowles is trying to fill the open left guard position vacated when Aaron Stinnie signed with the New York Giants.
Bowles has options, and two are free agent signings. Former Giants guard/center Ben Bredeson and former Eagles guard Sua Opeta. Each is a young dude with starting experience.
Opeta, however, comes from an elite O-line program. Bowles praised his speed earlier this month and today he went further on the undrafted 27-year-old out of Weber State.
“He’s tough, you know, he comes off the ball. Excellent run blocker,” Bowles said after Day 4 of spring practices. “You can’t really see the pass blocking til the pads come on right now, but he’s tough. He shows up every day. He really gets off the ball. He’s been a pleasant surprise.”
Joe loves the enthusiasm, but how Bowles knows Opeta is an excellent run blocker is unclear.
However, if that’s what Bowles believes, then it’s a safe bet Opeta has a very strong shot be the starting left guard come September.
May 28th, 2024 at 5:02 pm
Prolly saw a lot of film on Opeta, backed up with what he sees in UF*
*Underwear Football, where even Jane can look like Tarzan.
May 28th, 2024 at 5:09 pm
I think he’s JAG. Every team needs a few.
May 28th, 2024 at 5:25 pm
Opeta is ridiculously strong….
If he can develop good chemistry between Barton & Wirfs, he’d be the starting LG…
If that’s the case, we should be running left a lot this season behind that group…
May 28th, 2024 at 5:30 pm
He was an instrumental part of “The Tush Push”
May 28th, 2024 at 5:41 pm
However the IOL competitions shake out, I’m really looking forward to how good our depth can be this can be on the interior. If Bowles says he’s a good run blocker I trust it, those defensive coaches spend a lot of time watching film just keying on how offenses operate.
May 28th, 2024 at 5:45 pm
Whoever earns the starting LG job will greatly benifit being between Wirfs, and Barton.
May 28th, 2024 at 6:29 pm
Just came across an interesting read in Player Profiler titled ‘Offensive Line Rankings and Tiers – End of Season’ (Jan 2024). I don’t know who Dan Fornek is, but it was a fun read. He listed (and named) 7 tiers for OLine rankings:
o Tier 1: The Elite Units (Lions, Eagles).
o Tier 2: Great Just Not Elite (Ravens, Falcons, Rams, Raiders, Broncos, Vikings, Colts, Cowboys).
o Tier 3: Good Seasons with Obvious Flaws (Chiefs, Bills, Packers, 49ers, Dolphins).
o Tier 4: Average and Forgettable (Commanders, Buccaneers, Bengals, Patriots, Saints, Steelers)
o Tier 5: The Walking Wounded (Browns, Bears, Texans, Titans, Chargers, Seahawks).
o Tier 6: The Arizona Cardinals (Cards).
o Tier 7: The Quarterback Killers (Panthers, Jaguars, Jets, Giants).
Of course, this was written in January, well before free agency & the draft. With Wirfs & Goedeke having a year’s worth of experience at their new positions, with Mauch coming back bigger (and hopefully stronger) at RG, with Barton being drafted for Center, and with at least 3 fairly good candidates for the LG position, I’d think that the Bucs are positioned to improve by at least 1 tier in Fornek’s rankings.
May 28th, 2024 at 8:00 pm
Opeta was a backup for the The Eagles, who was allowed to walk .
The Eagles didnt trade him, etc. they just decided to let him leave for nothing.
He was always a backup with the Eagles.
If they are trying to sell us on Sua Opeta, its because once again- for the 3rd straight year, The Bucs front office has decided to try an “get by” with a back up in the offensive line, along with a Rookie.
So far, that thinking has lead to 2 straight years of the worst running game in the league.
Our interior line will be a backup, a rookie, and a first year player.
Im sure some of you will immediately leap to defend this action by the Bucs.
Some will defend any action by the Bucs.
And hey, they won 2 NFC South championships in a row.
But by being a .500 team.
Teams that truly wanna win SuperBowls, can run the ball.
The Bucs say they wanna winna another SuperBowl.
But By marching out Backups and rookies, the Bucs are letting you know that they arent serious yet.
And thats why alot of Sports journalist arent taking them seriously.
They arent aiming for a Superbowl. They are happy just winning the South
May 28th, 2024 at 8:10 pm
Nobody is more physical in underwear football than Logan Hall. A beast/mauler.
May 28th, 2024 at 9:21 pm
Cost Tim – I agree with you – but starting caliber O Lineman don’t grow on trees. I am hoping we pull off some trade for a good guard. We spent our top pick on OL – so it’s not like we’re ignoring the issue.
May 28th, 2024 at 10:05 pm
74 Bucs fan,
Absolutely. And there are guys out there that solve our problems.
We are great at Tackle.
We believe Cody Mauch will be improved.
We gotta live thru Graham Barton’s growing pains.
So
We sign one more Guy. And I gotta guy that was playing at a probowl level.
Connor Williams. Center. Young monster. Recovering from a knee injury
He could be our permanent Starter at Center. Kid is a beast. Just gotta sign him.
Dalton Risner is a very good guard.
Others will be available soon.
Until we fix the line, we cant run. Running opens up the passing game.
One Starter away from the base of a great oline.
May 28th, 2024 at 10:14 pm
With Conner Williams it’s a question of did he recover? I think his was an ACL I jury too. Have to think he isn’t ready to play with doubts that he will ever play again, otherwise a team would have signed him already.
May 28th, 2024 at 10:45 pm
Todd saw no middle push.at.all and apparently has realized that running up the middle behind three matadors is a poor offensive gameplan. Pretty much, a quadriplegic camel would have been a better run blocker than the trio of capes on the inside last season.
May 28th, 2024 at 11:24 pm
Don’t rule out Hainsey as guard.
May 28th, 2024 at 11:44 pm
I saw some lesser Bucs site that said Hainsey is on the bubble.
He’s got the work ethic and versatility, he’s a depth piece at a minimum. No way he’s on any bubble. Unless he just decides to mail it in and watch videos of Kay Adams the next 4 months, which might be worth it.
May 29th, 2024 at 6:44 am
Bonzi,
Hainsey is weak, and has a thin weak lower body. He wears down quick, and gets driven back frequently.
He should have gotten bigger and stronger, but for whatever reason- he hasnt.
He looks smaller today, than he did in his rookie season.
Until he dedicates to the weight room, and builds up those legs, hes gonna struggle at every position
May 29th, 2024 at 7:45 am
Bengals center retired……maybe we can pick up a 4th or 5th round pick for next year…..looks like Hainsey may be a backup.
May 29th, 2024 at 8:23 am
I’m sorry Joe, but it’s hard for me to take anything from Bowles at face value anymore. He has repeatedly put things out that were either blatantly untrue (CG last year) or just plain ridiculous (Diva White is my best player). Mostly to try and make sure his ass is covered.
You can see run blocking prowess without hitting anyone? That’s quite a trick Todd. More Bowles BS folks. I will believe Opeta can play when he shows me. Also through your wonderful camp notes once the pads go on.
Go Bucs!
May 29th, 2024 at 12:42 pm
Praise one guy to motivate three.
May 29th, 2024 at 4:00 pm
Capt. Tim, the Bucs have been up against the cap the last couple years. Tough to say they haven’t been putting resources to the right spots. I don’t disagree about the run game but they have been working to fix it this offseason. I don’t view the line the same as you. Barton was first IOL off the board for a reason, he is an instant upgrade. Then 3 more solidified starters and 3 guys with starting experience battling for 1 spot. That’s night and day from this time last year.
Also safe to say the opposing DL won’t be able to pin their ears back every down expecting pass or an RB coming right to them up the gut. Seems like Coen will have everyone on their toes. Haven’t seen them in action but I am confident this is the best OL the Bucs I’ve had since SB 2020.
May 29th, 2024 at 8:58 pm
I can never recall us having this much talent & depth on the OL. I know that’s not saying much, kind of like saying we’ve never had good QB play for any consistent period. But with all of the just plain not good players and outright reaches (Holding, #76 being the most overrated IMO, followed by Jeremy Can’t Block). This feels like the first time EVER we could have a cohesive talented unit of four quality starters and a fifth that would have been a starter on most of our old teams. Super (ha) excited to see what our RBs and QB can do with more freedom to operate at the line.
May 29th, 2024 at 8:59 pm
I can never recall us having this much talent & depth on the OL. I know that’s not saying much, same as saying we’ve never had good QB play for any consistent period. But with all of the just plain not good players and outright reaches (Holding, #76 being the most overrated IMO, followed by Jeremy Can’t Block). This feels like the first time EVER we could have a cohesive talented unit of four quality starters and a fifth that would have been a starter on most of our old teams. Super (ha) excited to see what our RBs and QB can do with more freedom to operate at the line.
May 29th, 2024 at 9:53 pm
2020. Easy.
A.Q. Shipley came off the bench when Ali Marpet missed a couple of games and shut down Aaron Donald in one game.
We all know how Aaron Stinnie seamlessly replaced Alex Cappa when he got hurt and was lost for the season in the playoffs.
May 30th, 2024 at 1:52 am
Respectfully, those are small samples of fill-ins, with a QB who made even Holding #76 look good (or at least better than he was). Our OL wasn’t taking over games the way this one has the *potential* (UF caveat acknowledged) to do. When did we last have a full compliment of players who can be a force and consistently win the battle up front?
Our DL has definitely done so during certain years but the OL? While I’ve been a Bucs fan since moving here in ‘86 you know the history far better than I do; which seasons has the OL been the difference makers (in a positive way)?
An example or two of how next man up worked out isn’t to me the same as the *potential* of this collection of players coming together and hopefully getting better and better making us a more balanced and formidable opponent as a full season plays out.
Sorry if I’m drinking the OL Kool Aid. I know it’s way too early but to me it has been a decades long wait
May 30th, 2024 at 4:04 am
“Buccaneer Bonzai Says: Don’t rule out Hainsey as guard.”
Eh, probably a back up at G. His best chance to start is probably still C.
LG will probably be Barton, Opeta or Mauch