“I Think We Got One Right There”
December 11th, 2025
Rookie Ben Chukwuma
Yes, the Buccaneers are claiming a victory!
It’s on the offensive line. Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht bagged another gem.
That’s the consensus around One Buc Palace after Sundays’ debacle against New Orleans.
The bright light emerging from that black hole was left tackle Ben “Chewks” Chukwuma. The undrafted rookie started the game and finished strong.
Todd Bowles put his foot down on the Chukwuma win this week on the Buccaneers Radio Network.
“He’s been practicing well all year,” Bowles said. “We think he’s a diamond in the rough. He’s a very good athlete, he’s a very strong player and as he got more comfortable with the system. You can see him practicing better and better. And I thought out there, I thought he played great.
“I thought he played a great ball game going up against Chase Young, who was having a heck of a year. But [Chukwuma] really held his own and he made some plays for us. And I think we got one right there.”
Joe was impresed by Chukwuma. Not only did he have to deal with bad field conditions and an active young veteran edge rusher, he lost Ben Bredeson alongside him at left guard. Surely, Bredeson was tasked with guiding the rookie through his first start and that got blown up early in the game.
As Joe noted this week. Licht said Chukwuma, at 6-6, 320 pounds, is one of greatest raw talents the Bucs have had on their offensive line.
December 11th, 2025 at 7:39 am
Hopefully we don’t let HIM get away like Skule. Heck is a nice guy but …
December 11th, 2025 at 7:39 am
Love his potential. He looked great in pre-season and then became the forgotten man. Not anymore. I wonder if he has the athleticism to play guard. 🤔
December 11th, 2025 at 7:41 am
i think he should finish the year at LT and kick Wirfs inside to LG…
GO BUCS!!!!!
December 11th, 2025 at 7:44 am
The Demar Dotson sequel.
December 11th, 2025 at 7:46 am
When you didn’t here his name called much against the saints you knew he must have held his own ,,,
December 11th, 2025 at 7:56 am
It was one one game, slow down.
December 11th, 2025 at 7:58 am
They love their undrafted free agents. He should have been getting more work but nope Licht wants Elijah Klein to sit on the roster so he can brag about how many draft picks are retained.
December 11th, 2025 at 8:01 am
You want to make an All Pro Left Tack a Guard?
Yeah, no.
December 11th, 2025 at 8:03 am
Can they find an edge rusher or a inside linebacker we don’t need a left tackle what a find lol
December 11th, 2025 at 8:23 am
Ask yourself why Patrick was receiving NO playing time before Saints game.
December 11th, 2025 at 8:59 am
When wires comes back let him rush the passer he might surprise us there
December 11th, 2025 at 9:26 am
Can he play guard
December 11th, 2025 at 10:36 am
Chuk know any guards? Kudos to Chuk! Good game sir!
Go Bucs!
December 11th, 2025 at 11:39 am
The Fighting Schianoes Says:
December 11th, 2025 at 8:01 am
You want to make an All Pro Left Tack a Guard?
Yeah, no.
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Folks said the same thing when TW was an ALL PRO RT lol…dont move him
he can become an ALL PRO G and make Chew and Barton better…
GO BUCS!!!
December 11th, 2025 at 11:45 am
This guy could be scary good with 15lbs of upper body strength.
December 11th, 2025 at 12:45 pm
With all our OL injuries and the Bucs love for cross training linemen, makes you wonder how it took until week 14 to see the kid!
He probably looked capable since September but ole genius there, he of “can’t let Tom throw, might be an INT” fame, probably thought it was too risky to ask a rookie to go in over … checks notes… Mike Jordan, Dan Feeney, Charlie Heck – 3 journeymen who have never been above average in the league.
December 11th, 2025 at 1:31 pm
He’s been an open secret since the preseason. Has so little experience along with so much production (when in the game) and by all accounts has enormous talent. Has been remarked upon a bunch of times, including by Joe.
The reason we haven’t seen him before is the “coach confidence” dilemma —Do you put in high ceiling potential with the season on the line? Or do you ride with tried-and-true experience with low ceiling and known floor?
In this case circumstances made the choice. We’ll see a lot more of this player.
December 11th, 2025 at 1:44 pm
Beeej Says:
December 11th, 2025 at 7:39 am
Hopefully we don’t let HIM get away like Skule. Heck is a nice guy but …
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He’s on a rookie contract, we have him signed for four years.
December 11th, 2025 at 3:18 pm
813bucboi – I like Chewbacca, but slow down. Also an ALL-PRO LT is worth about 3x what a guard makes.
Also, if you were going to do something drastic, you’d move Wirfs to RT, and Luke to guard since he’s actually played there before. You can’t just take a tackle, how has always been a tackle, and with 4 games left say, play guard. Doesn’t matter how great the player is, it’s not their position, they don’t know the scheme, etc. This offense, well Coen’s offense anyways, has a ton of movement with lineman.
I get the comment though, not bashing you, just playing some fantasy GM stuff, nothing wrong with that.
December 11th, 2025 at 3:33 pm
heck whats is a chukwuma bring in michael jordon to play RG
December 11th, 2025 at 4:16 pm
Larry Allen for the Cowboys was the greatest LG of all time.
Wirfs could be that good at LG.
Chukwuma is faster than Wirfs.
Wirfs can move NTs and DTs.
Chukwuma at LT. Wirfs at LG.
And let’s pound the rock!
December 11th, 2025 at 4:32 pm
teacherman Says:
December 11th, 2025 at 4:16 pm
Larry Allen for the Cowboys was the greatest LG of all time.
Wirfs could be that good at LG.
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Yeah, but an ALL-PRO LT is a lot more valuable than an ALL-PRO LG – and it’s not even close.
Chewy has one game here he looked good vs a terrible team.
I like Chewbacca, but man, slow down people. It’s like Nelson has a good game vs the Saints, and people want to put him in the HOF and lock him up to a new deal.
“Slow down, it’s only the Saints” should be a common rule of thumb.