Mystery Offensive Lineman Surfaces
August 5th, 2025
Discusses long forgotten OL.
There is a guy the Bucs were rumored to have signed last year who was supposed to battle for snaps at left guard. And Joe knows, for unknown reasons, a gaggle of Bucs fans are rabid fans.
Yes, even for a guy, Sua Opeta, who has never taken a real Bucs snap and last played a game in early January 2024.
(Joe suspects the PFF tribe wrote something good about the guard in question once. And we all know that when the PFF tribe gives its stamp of approval on an offensive lineman, by God, they better start clearing space for his bust in Canton.)
So Sue Opera Opeta surfaced for a rare public appearance on the practice fields of One Buc Palace today.
Bucs coach Todd Bowles was asked how quickly he could be game-ready.
“We’ll see what kind of shape he’s in,” Bowles said. “It’s been a long time. We’ll look at the tape today and see what he’s done and how much he knows.
“He missed a year and a half of football. This is really the first day for him in pads, and we’ll try to bring him along according to his speed.”
Joe knows some fans beg for Opeta to play left guard because someone not with the Bucs doesn’t like Ben Bredeson, even though Bredeson was a key cog in one of the NFL’s best offensive lines in 2024.
Joe isn’t holding his breath on this Opeta. First, he’s coming off major knee surgery a year ago. So how can the Bucs bank on him?
The second is obvious: Bredeson a cog of a great offensive line. Third is, Chucky loves Bredeson. Joe doesn’t believe in fixing something not broken and the Bucs’ offensive line, when Tristan Wirfs returns, is the opposite of broken.
August 5th, 2025 at 3:29 pm
I think he brings the depth on the line, he was supposedly leading the battle last year for the guard spot until the injury. Hope he’s good to go.
August 5th, 2025 at 3:32 pm
“Joe isn’t holding his breath on this Opeta. First, he’s coming off major knee surgery a year ago. So how can the Bucs bank on him?”
So why the hell did they resign him in the offseason? Then the Tristan Wirfs debacle. I’ll tell ya I have ZERO confidence in this Keystone Cops medical team.
August 5th, 2025 at 3:46 pm
I’m not sure why Joe is so triggered about Opeta. He was competing for LG last year – I’m not saying he was winning the battle but it sounded close. Just like any player who gets hurt, he should still get a chance to practice.
August 5th, 2025 at 3:49 pm
Besides a MLB (or 2), what do the Bucs need in next year’s draft?
The Bucs need depth at OL, DL, and QB. This team is going to be loaded over the next few years.
August 5th, 2025 at 4:21 pm
People were saying, maybe even Joe, that Opeta was smidgeon ahead of Bredson. My memory might not be exact. Sitting out a year probably was unhelpful. Can he play center?
August 5th, 2025 at 4:23 pm
Actually it’s good to hear that Opeta has finally suited up after a year and a half. He’s only 28 and he got some decent experience with Philly. Was never a starter but did get into 38 games with them, so he must have something going for him. Let’s see what it is.
August 5th, 2025 at 4:59 pm
Can he play center?
August 5th, 2025 at 5:12 pm
TBBF is still waiting….and hopeful that Carl Nicks’ toe will heal.
August 5th, 2025 at 5:24 pm
No one in the NFL has OL depth. And half of the OL’s in the league sucks.
August 5th, 2025 at 5:45 pm
Fred McNeil: Your memory is exactly like mine. I also believe it was written on this blog suggesting Opeta was slightly ahead in the competition for LG. He seemed to be slightly ahead when he went down with that injury. The job went to Bredeson and he took it and ran. He was pretty good last year.
Go Bucs!!
August 5th, 2025 at 7:45 pm
Is this the Joe that pitched a fit all offseason about signing a rando or cheap rookie to play LT instead of moving Wirfs? I saw Bredeson get pancaked at least three times last year. Hey, we don’t need Ebuka, we already have 3 starters, right?
August 5th, 2025 at 8:31 pm
Because people are so triggered by Bredeson. LOL
August 5th, 2025 at 9:00 pm
This is personnel. This is Todd’s wheelhouse. He’s better at the HR details than any blogtard.
August 5th, 2025 at 10:07 pm
Why this romantic attachment to people imagined “ahead,” especially “slightly ahead” in training camp? What if Opeta was such a person partway through last Year’s camp? A year before people were saying the same thing about Trask, but another player ended up starting the real games and did pretty well. Last year, Bredeson started and did pretty well in the real games. If you want to say that, like Trask, Opeta might be kept as a depth player, I’m OK with that. For the moment, though, we don’t even know whether he’s fit enough to practice.
August 5th, 2025 at 11:51 pm
Yeah let me refresh memories on Opeta…
Yesssss, he was beating Bredeson last year in training camp.
He USED to have incredible strength as a guard and could flat out move people.
Gotta have a good base so he’ll be a working progress this year til he has confidence back in his knee…..
He will be a valuable o-line piece for us towards the end of the year.