Rondé Barber Blasts Charlie Heck, Says Bucs’ Tackle Change Was In The Works For 1 1/2 Months
September 11th, 2025
Whenever something interesting happens at One Buc Palace, there typically are several versions of the truth.
Legendary Bucs Hall of Fame cornerback Rondé Barber works for the Bucs’ in-house media operation, and he’s also an unofficial member of Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht’s inner circle. (Joe presumes the latter is an unpaid position.)
The Rondé Barber Show is a WFLA-TV streaming production that seems part of its station partnership with the Buccaneers.
There, while dissecting the Bucs’ win in Atlanta on Sunday, Barber dove into the massive shakeup along the offensive line.
Many Bucs fans were stunned by the last-minute shift that pushed center Graham Barton to start at left tackle with left guard Ben Bredeson moving to center. Michael Jordan, a July free agent signing, replaced Bredeson at guard.
It appeared for months that backup left tackle Charlie Heck would fill in for Tristan Wirfs at left tackle as he recovered from knee surgery. On Aug. 21, Todd Bowles declared Heck the Week 1 starter.
Barber, however, said Heck blocking for Baker Mayfield has been troubling folks at One Buc Palace for a long time.
“Let’s just be honest. Charlie Heck’s feet are not good enough to deal with speed. They’re just not,” Barber said. “The guy’s protecting Baker’s blind side, putting that guy on an island at any point did not seem good. I’m just telling you now, this [offensive line shakeup] has been in the works for a month and a half.”
Joe wonders what the folks at One Buc Palace thought when they heard that on the air. And of course, nobody at One Buc would dare miss The Rondé Barber Show.
September 11th, 2025 at 2:52 pm
Dang, poor Heck. I mean that is just rough. Though maybe he was honest with them like “yo I’m not that good, I’m just here to fill in and get a paycheck.”
September 11th, 2025 at 2:54 pm
Go Ronde! If he’s not sworn to secrecy, he can say what he knows.
September 11th, 2025 at 2:57 pm
I wonder what the choice would be if it was between Heck and Chukwuma? LOL
September 11th, 2025 at 3:03 pm
I’d like to hear someone from the defensive side of the ball discuss how this may have benefited the Bucs strategically.
September 11th, 2025 at 3:03 pm
In my eyes it doesn’t seem like a big deal, but maybe it is
September 11th, 2025 at 3:10 pm
If that’s the case, at what point does someone ask ‘Then exactly why is Charlie Heck on the Bucs 53-man roster?’
September 11th, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Not cool about putting Heck on blast. Who picked him up in free agency, he played a ton last year, did Jason forget to check the tape? Should have paid Skule more to stay.
*not questioning our genius front office team. Must have been a complete surprise that Heck was worse than a practice squad unsigned FA.
It is all a part of the master plan right, OBF? Jason and Todd could never make a mistake. 20-0 here we come.
September 11th, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Anyone who watched any film of Heck could see how easily he was beat by effective pass rushing. I thought the plan was going to be to help him with a tight end. I still don’t know how to feel about the offensive line shakeup. I thought it didn’t look good against Atlanta, but we did just enough overall to win. Will it improve? Or will we continue to find ways to win until Wirfs is back? Will the line be able to get quickly back to normal when Wirfs is back after playing out of position?? Lots of questions!
September 11th, 2025 at 3:16 pm
Can Heck fill in at RT ? I hope we don’t have to find out
September 11th, 2025 at 3:19 pm
Ronde was being critical of the Bucs. OBF, should he be silenced, name called? Must not know much about football, am I rite? Who is that Ronde character? Must be new.
Luv Joebucsfan. Great content, great convos, wonderful people.
Keep it going JoeBucsFamily.
September 11th, 2025 at 3:24 pm
Players who “aren’t good enough” should not be on an NFL team.
September 11th, 2025 at 3:28 pm
Ronde has a damn big mouth.
He’s falling into the same trap many former players do when they get a media platform. Always trying to throw out a hot take.
September 11th, 2025 at 3:31 pm
The next Ian Beckles
Shut up
September 11th, 2025 at 3:34 pm
I love Ronde’ but at times I don’t know how much he really knows and how much is speculation, I’m sure if he was real tight with the Bucs they would be telling him to be careful with what he divulges. But that being said I understand about his 1 1/2 months take. “In the works” could just mean that Heck didn’t impress the staff on a day to day basis since camp started and they saw enough and made the change. I did see Carberry smiling it up with the line guys in the locker room, especially Jordon who really deserves a shout out. Barber is right about Heck, he doesn’t have quick feet, not as athletic as the other o-linemen. And it took real stones as a staff to that and make the hard decision. Didn’t just replace 1 guy but juggled 3. That is a move that should get as much credit if not more for going for it on 4th down early. Nobody should be calling out TB for anything, he made a tough call and it worked, that’s what GOOD coachs do and what he’s paid for. Gratz to the staff.
September 11th, 2025 at 3:36 pm
Oh and we’ll never know what that move may have prevented from happening and maybe costing us a win. Let’s be happy with the Win.
September 11th, 2025 at 3:37 pm
I watched like 4 mins of video of Heck pass blocking and was scared for Baker and the therefore the team. I am not a scout, I don’t break down film for a living. I am not sure how this guy was signed in the first place. Lack of options?
September 11th, 2025 at 3:43 pm
they found a winning combo playing good without heck that’s it nothing more… they got the combo they wanted and didn’t need him, he’sa back up in case someone else gets hurt, mj was a good signing he did good 6’6. 310 dude is big!! more athletic than heck
September 11th, 2025 at 3:56 pm
Jeremy Trueblood
For Bucs fans that have been around awhile, Heck reminded me of Jeremy Trueblood. Huge Frankenstein Tackle. Trueblood was mid, at best, because he couldn’t keep up with quicker Edge rushers.
Going from Wirfs to Trueblood was too big of a leap for this offense.
September 11th, 2025 at 4:02 pm
Completely agree with DR. If he’s not capable of doing what he was signed, and paid, to do…why keep him on the roster? Is Durable Donny still a FA?
September 11th, 2025 at 4:03 pm
“If that’s the case, at what point does someone ask ‘Then exactly why is Charlie Heck on the Bucs 53-man roster?’“
THIS! If he can’t play get’em outta here!!
What the heck is going on???
September 11th, 2025 at 4:04 pm
Ronde isn’t ‘blasting Charlie Heck’, it’s being realistic that the man has never been an LT. I won’t fault a player for being placed in a position to do something he can’t do.
That the Bucs thought he’d be okay doing it is what should be criticized. It’s clear the Bucs overestimated him, and that raises more eyebrows about what they thought would happen. I like Carberry, but he’s not a miracle worker.
September 11th, 2025 at 4:31 pm
Trueblood’s biggest problem was his short fuse. Man, that guy was a walking personal foul penalty.
September 11th, 2025 at 4:34 pm
Valid question. I think he is. But as a vested 10+ year veteran even his minimum salary would probably be too pricey for a swing tackle. Not to mention, he’s made a lot of money and probably wouldn’t be interested.
September 11th, 2025 at 4:35 pm
This is past tense why would the Bucs organization care what Ronde says. Smart move keeping this quiet. Falcons practiced pressuring Heck every day for two months then we left them scratching their heads. When Barber talks fans should listen.
September 11th, 2025 at 4:43 pm
If he’s not good enough then why is he still on the roster?
September 11th, 2025 at 5:00 pm
Maybe they were okay with Heck for a game or two hoping that they could scrape by until Wirfs came back early… but it seems like maybe they realized Wirfs may be out for more than just 4 games… so they needed a real solution.
September 11th, 2025 at 5:16 pm
Except, he didn’t fill in. So it begs DR’s question
When you could’ve just thrown Skule a tad more coin than Heck. It’s just weird. It’s gotta be demoralizing for Heck…as heck
September 11th, 2025 at 5:16 pm
Cut Heck and bring on someone like Chukwuma who at least has definite potential to be a left tackle in this league.
September 11th, 2025 at 5:18 pm
Yeah this falls on our infallible, o-line guru, can-do-no-wrong GM. Looks like a huge swing and miss on Licht’s part for this signing, but apparently the local media is forbidden from saying a bad world about him.
September 11th, 2025 at 5:18 pm
I saw Skule playing this year. He wasn’t the answer either. Licht is normally a savant picking Oline players.
September 11th, 2025 at 5:19 pm
Got to be a free agent or someone on a practice squad worth looking at!
September 11th, 2025 at 5:43 pm
Defense Rules Says:
If that’s the case, at what point does someone ask ‘Then exactly why is Charlie Heck on the Bucs 53-man roster?’
—————————————————————————————
Heck if I know.
Unless he’s able to play some other position besides LT, he’s just there for an emergency situation until they can upgrade the back-up position. His guaranteed salary is only $400,000 , so they can cut him loose if they get an upgrade.
September 11th, 2025 at 5:59 pm
Saskbucs and I have not been fans of Heck since we watched him.
I was surprised at how many folks were just saying things like just have a guy help him with a little chip block until Wirfs gets back.
The Bucs IMO made the right opinion — not exposing Baker’s blind side to Charlie Heck lack of skill in the 1st game of the season.
Left tackle may be the 2nd most important position on the team after QB.
Problem is only about 1/2 the teams in the NFL have a good starter — the other half are always looking for one.
My bigger question is on Klein. He was only a 6th round draft choice — cut him. If Michael Jordan is better — why were we keeping Klein on the squad and exposing Jordan to waivers. Makes no sense to me — and if we send him down and he gets picked up by someone then what do the Bucs say.
September 11th, 2025 at 6:50 pm
Well, even the best GMs aren’t perfect. Who am I to judge? One thing I recall is both White and Bucky were having to help out guarding Bake instead of doing their run plays. That had to be part of why the run game stats were abysmal. Still, Bucs are 1-0 which is the most important stat of all.
September 11th, 2025 at 7:45 pm
Rude much, Ronde?
Unnecessary roughness, Ronde.
September 11th, 2025 at 7:54 pm
I listed to that show last night, and Ronde gives good insight, but man is that co-host on that show a complete and total hack that makes it tough to listen to. They need someone in there to just talk football in depth with Ronde, not some goober asking questions my girlfriend would ask during a game.
Anywho, Ronde really got on Dennis, talking about how bad he was – although I think he was unfair with the 4th and 1 run by Penix where Dennis didn’t hit him. In the NFL in 2025, that is a penalty 100% of the time regardless of how clean it is. If it’s even close, they’re always going to throw a flag. To be fair, Ronde’s point was hit him regardless, since if you don’t, he gets the first down, and since it’s a completely legal and clean hit, maybe the refs don’t call it (yeah right, watch that series and tell me the refs aren’t throwing a flag). Anywho, it’s a fair point, but I do worry about overcorrecting on that, and costing the team yards when the refs want to decide the outcome of the game.
The other worst player of the game, in the first half? According to Ronde, it was Baker Mayfield – which is more than fair. Anyone who isn’t a Baker Boi knows Baker had a very very bad first half, and that continued into the 2nd half. However, like I said during the gameday thread, and like Ronde said, Baker in the end made the big play when it mattered, which is fantastic. Except the Baker Boi(s) don’t believe there was any bad play, that Baker played a perfect game, that everyone else him down and tried to sabotage him because they’re jelly of Baker, and they want him to fail. Idiots.
Anywho, good observations by Ronde, but fire that moron co-hosting the show and get in someone that actually knows football and doesn’t ask idiotic questions.
September 11th, 2025 at 8:15 pm
WHY IS HE STILL OCCUPYING SPACE?
Pat Kirwan called it. The dude sucks the root.
September 11th, 2025 at 9:06 pm
First last
Yeah poor Charlie heck??? 1.5 million a year to not play a game.. poor guy
September 12th, 2025 at 1:02 am
Ian Beckles has twice the realism and self truth than big mouth Barber……
Ian is pretty spot on with predictions and pretty humble but also confident with his opinions and predictions …….. more radio, blah blah blah versus Rhonda is more Gerald McCoy attention, blah blah blah
September 12th, 2025 at 6:48 pm
Bucs saw him in the 1st practice with 2 left feet and said ” aww heck why we pay that guy so much money??? Gonna turn Mayfield into Baker pudding!!!”