“Bewilderment, Astonishment” And The Bucs’ Offensive Line
October 6th, 2026
So a guy in the Bucs’ locker room, a man in the faces of Buccaneers in their darkest football moments, offered an interesting take.
Former Buccaneers radio sideline reporter T.J. Rives had an official team postgame podcast featuring a detailed recap of a game nearly everyone listening already saw. It also had a mind-numbing music bed behind it. It was a bizarre concept Joe never understood. Thankfully, it’s gone the way of the Bucs’ edge rush.
In its place is the After The Whistle podcast from new radio sideline guy Jay Recher. (Joe listens via the SiriusXM Buccaneers channel).
It’s got no music and no schtick. And there, Recher talked about the struggles of the Bucs’ offensive line, guys he’s interviewed in the locker room as Tampa Bay has stumbled to 0-4.
“And just talking to these offensive linemen, you can tell there’s just this level of bewilderment, astonishment because there was such anticipation,” Recher said.
“‘These guys are back. The continuity.’ That’s all everybody kept talking about, the continuity. These guys, you heard going into the season, ‘This could be a top-five offensive line.’ And they know, again, I’m not throwing shade. Like they know, they know it hasn’t been good enough. … You can tell that there’s a lot of frustration there. And if the Buccaneers are going to turn this around, it starts in the trenches. It really does.”
Yes, the Bucs are losing in the trenches, and they’re a team built to win in trenches. Sad.
Recher also shared a chat he had with starting guard Cody Mauch, who noted how the offensive line didn’t do enough to support rookie QB Jalon Daniels on Sunday.
“He had great energy all day [against the Packers,] Mauch said. “He throws a pick, [it] didn’t faze him, you know, he was bouncing back. That was good. I thought he had a good presence in the huddle and I mean, he was athletic made some plays with his feet and definitely an easy guy to rally around. So, we [on the offensive line] gotta be better for him, for sure, though.”
An instant classic episode.
October 6th, 2026 at 11:50 am
Better to spend $55 million on GM and coaches than a single player. Yes, I said GM. How Licht gets off scot free from all the problems is amazing. It is Bowles, Robinson and the Glazers but never the man in the middle. Sorry folks, this is a total organization issue. If Licht can’t convince the Glazers it is a stupid idea, then he is a weak leader or complicit the decisions.
October 6th, 2026 at 11:51 am
It all starts with your center, as he’s the one that is supposed to be the tone setter and the one that makes sure everyone is set. Barton isn’t cutting it and was lost during the second half.
October 6th, 2026 at 11:55 am
Easy guy to rally around…well just throw away your poms poms and make it happen..ugh
October 6th, 2026 at 11:56 am
Are they really built to win in the trenches? They’re a mish mash of small school LTs trying to play guard, and center at the NFL level. Barton is a first round center, who wasn’t a center. But Licht knows better. I see better centers in the SEC every Saturday. Most will be drafted after round 3, not one. Goedeke was a small school tackle who they tried at guard. When that failed they moved him to RT. He’s average at best, but Licht gave him a big contract. Mauch, another small school tackle Licht moved to guard. See a pattern here? Truth? He sucks too, but Licht will pay him anyway. Wirfs was a tackle. Has been the best of them all. See when you draft the position you need? All overrated, being coached by an OC who our competition fired, and now are much better. He’s on the downside of his career. Bredesen is pure garbage. Our O line really isn’t built to win in the trenches. It’s as over hyped as the rest of this sad sac team
October 6th, 2026 at 11:59 am
Bruce Arians was recently on the “Up and Adams” show
And he distinguishly told Kay Adams “We have one of the best OLines in the NFL”
I’m not sure who is right, and who is wrong
There are several factors that involve the play of the offensive line
The play calling, the QB, the RBs, the WRs etc
Bruce said Mayfield was holding the ball too long
He said Baker need to get rid of the ball
He said receivers are getting open
I’m not sure what the problems are on offense
But, l believe it’s mostly on the QB and OC
October 6th, 2026 at 12:00 pm
To add to Licht’s incompetence, how do you allow the Steelers to sign Murphy-Bunting off your practice squad on Monday when you know Winfield is hurt on Sunday?
October 6th, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Mauch and Brederson both had serious leg injuries last year.
It takes 2 years for the 300 pound players to get their legs right.
They are both being pushed back and dominated on passing plays.
And Barton has not lived up to the hype for a 1st round Center.
Mauch and Brederson should not be re-signed next year.
Draft à 1st round LG Mauler. ( à guy who actually played LG in college)
And draft à 2nd round RG Mauler in the 2nd round. (À guy who played RG in college).
Yaya Diaby should be allowed to test free agency.
Kancey hasn’t done anything in 4 games.
We have given up the most sacks in the NFL.
And we can’t get any sacks.
We absolutely need to rebuild next year.
Starting with LG and RG.
Ànd à big money free agent at OLB to replace Yaya.
Mohammed looks slow and useless.
Nelson can’t get any pressure.
Bain can’t get any pressure.
Kancey can’t get any pressure.
Gainwell can’t pass protect on 3rd down.
We really suck.
October 6th, 2026 at 12:01 pm
OK, I’ll try to be positive like Lakeland wants:
BUCS FANS REJOICE!! Your day has finally come. The hour of positive vibs is upon us! This Friday, after we get boat-raised in Dallas, will be the best time of the year to Sh!t can our beloved HC! We can all celebrate October 9th each year as the day of redemption when our Bucs begin their rightful rise to the top of the NFL universe. Behold!
(OK. How did I do?)
October 6th, 2026 at 12:04 pm
Nope it’s bad coaching bad scheme bad concepts they looked entirely different when steered by competent ocs this is a badly run team.
October 6th, 2026 at 12:08 pm
I wanted Zack Frazier not Barton to be our center.
He was drafted in the 2nd round by the Steelers thé same year we drafted Barton in the 2nd.
Why did Teacherman want him? Because he was also a state champion wrestler. Like Wirfs.
Zach Frazier has been the clearly higher-ranked center of the two over their first two seasons. Frazier was 6th among NFL centers in 2024 and remained around the top 10 in 2025, while Barton was roughly middle-to-lower tier, around 20th–21st. Frazier’s 2025 PFF grade was 73.8, compared with Barton’s 61.0. The biggest difference was pass protection: Frazier graded 75.8, while Barton was only 52.9. Overall, Frazier has performed like a high-end starting center, while Barton has been more of a developing/average starter so far.
October 6th, 2026 at 12:08 pm
Barton in the 1st I meant.
October 6th, 2026 at 12:09 pm
Joe I’m thinking center and both guards need to be replaced. GM And all coaches as well. Mike left for reasons unknown basically. nothing can be done right now, to fix this team. It’s looking like the draft is Oline Corners and safety LB we got receiver’s coming out of our ears. New coach I hope knows how to really do his job because the Bowles school is broken. And Robinson is gutter material
October 6th, 2026 at 12:14 pm
And please don’t draft à 6-6 300 pound LG like Mauch again!
6-6 and 300 is not a guards body!
Guards need to get low and push defensive tackles.
Who wants a 6-6 guard who is tall and thin??
You need a stout 6-3 or 6-4 guard who weighs 320-330 to push tackles off the line!
Ànd Baker is 6-1.
We need shorter guards to help him see over the line!
Mauch is more suited to RT if we want to be smart about it. He was TE and he’s very fast.
Mauch was never meant to be a guard!
We drafted RT like Goedeke and tried to make him a LG.
We drafted a LT like Barton and tried to make him a Center.
Do you know why we did the smart thing by drafting Wirfs to play RT for Brady?
Because Wirfs was a RT in college!
Stop trying to be cute Licht!
Draft a killer LG in round 1. Ànd a killer RG in Round 2 next year.
Stop trying to outsmart everybody!
October 6th, 2026 at 12:17 pm
As a hardcore Bucs Fan since the mid 90s sometimes it’s hard to really realize the truth of everything. The truth is this a poorly run football team from the owners on down. Go watch Hard Knocks with Seattle and you can see how it is supposed to look like. Clearly there are issues all over the place with this team. However you have to start at the top and everyone needs to be held accountable including the owners and he poor decisions they have made. I mean coaches can’t even get the right personal on the field. It is just mistake after mistake with this team.
October 6th, 2026 at 12:29 pm
Barton needs to shift to LG and let Bredenson play C the rest of the way…
the coaches arent playing to the players strengths….
HC candidates:
CHRIS SHULA
WES PHILLIPS
GO BUCS!!!!!
October 6th, 2026 at 12:31 pm
Mauch getting picked up and tossed around is not coaching.. there’s plenty to blame the coaches on.. whoever said “yup Mauch is the guy, and Zyon is the guy, and lets pay em” that guy is at fault
October 6th, 2026 at 12:42 pm
Gentlemen what planet are you on ? Licht has been making bad personnel choices since 2014 , and none of you mention Letting your , pass blocking , hard running play action running back who was a huge part of winning the last four years his name was White and he is loooooonnngggg gone also with several other valuable regulars Licht made no effort to keep not just Evans …. You want to fix the debt house of cards the Glazers Built??? , watch what happens as local revenues fall , seating, parking , food, merchandizing locally and internationally , prime time games , as personal and corporate tickets don’t get bought for next year ? Glazers used Bucs revenue to support their debt empire .. watch what happens
October 6th, 2026 at 12:58 pm
These coaches are enamored with their scheme. Instead of complimenting the players the players look like they are playing with one arm tied behind their back.
WTH is going on here?????)
October 6th, 2026 at 1:00 pm
How did these guys forget how to play?
October 6th, 2026 at 1:01 pm
You can take this to the bank:
No wr or rb in this offense will reach 1000 yds.
You know why? They have to do better!!! lol 😂
October 6th, 2026 at 1:02 pm
People still have their blinders on about the talent on this team, especially on the O libe. All I know is 0-4, and 2-13 isn’t good. Clean house.
October 6th, 2026 at 1:04 pm
Awful schemes!!!!!
Coaches have to go!!!!
October 6th, 2026 at 1:11 pm
It’s so strange that everyone looks so good when coached by a great coach and atrocious when coached by an awful coach.
October 6th, 2026 at 1:11 pm
This OC was a bad hire. Baker or a rookie, it’s a terrible scheme and not using any players correctly.
The D is serviceable if we had an explosive offense, but has no real playmakers.
Not sure why we care. The season is over. The only thing to watch is whether Daniels grows into a QB that some team will love to have because Bucs ownership chained this fanbase to Captain Short Arms.
October 6th, 2026 at 1:16 pm
CHANGED BLOCKING SCHEMES
Robinson changed the blocking strategy. It doesn’t fit the players. This one is on Robinson.
October 6th, 2026 at 1:19 pm
Our offensive line is really good. An offensive coordinator can make a good line look bad. Sorry, Zac, but you still have not sold me.
October 6th, 2026 at 1:27 pm
The Yucs are now ranked #30 in the NFL. Let that sink in for a while.
The head coach and DC can’t coach anyone. The OC thinks the TE is the only passing option available.
The GM is convinced that he has constructed a championship caliber roster despite being 2-11 in the last 13 games.
The ownership just loves the culture and refuses to make any meaningful changes.
Welcome back to the lost days of the lost decade. We have nothing to cheer for.
October 6th, 2026 at 1:35 pm
I agree with Hodad!!! The talent is over evaluated and being asked to do things that were not positionally what they did in college.
However, here is the point that bucks that…
Liam Cohen got the most out of this group. No one disputed the Top Five ranking then.
Coaching matters!
October 6th, 2026 at 1:44 pm
Mayfield is the Ghost of seasons past. AN downright stupid managers. Colonel Parker ans a Jr High Tampa coach could do better than these overpaid out of touch Groundhogs.
October 6th, 2026 at 1:46 pm
like seriously:
what would coward blowsell say about everything bucs rn…?
October 6th, 2026 at 1:59 pm
The Bucs had an opportunity 0to go after FA center Linderbaum (he ultimately signed with Raiders who are 3-1). Bucs could’ve moved Barton to Guard where he is better suited.
Instead they panicked and spent on Mayfield extension.
October 6th, 2026 at 2:02 pm
Steichen , LaFleur, Nate Sch(however you spell it), Daibol,, any others out there? We need to start thinking about it now
October 6th, 2026 at 2:07 pm
Agree Sly, all 5 OL players didn’t just suddenly suck. They can’t or won’t work with the new scheme. Bredesen was better at center last year than Barton is playing this year. .
October 6th, 2026 at 2:21 pm
Having been around when Dungy came in I can honestly say coaches make a difference.
Fire Bowles at the end of the season!
October 6th, 2026 at 2:32 pm
Have to agree with sly. The blocking scheme or something must have changed..some guys are better at zone or man etc. I have wondered since middle of last year why we don’t try swapping Barton and bredeson but what do I know?
October 6th, 2026 at 2:43 pm
Scheme is the operative word in the Bowles coaching universe.
He has successfully schemed the Glazers out of millions.
Easy money.
October 6th, 2026 at 2:44 pm
@Hodad, well put.
October 6th, 2026 at 3:03 pm
But they love Todd. This has become….cumbersome.
October 6th, 2026 at 3:05 pm
Nobody but Robinsonon would work with Bowles he is the Tar Baby.
October 6th, 2026 at 3:17 pm
Nah, it was and is 100% Baker’s fault. Even when he eventually retires, I’m pretty sure most Bucs losses will be Baker’s responsibility. lol
October 6th, 2026 at 3:19 pm
This line hasn’t been the same since they lost Jensen he was the heart and soul of that line. He had the toughness that they don’t have anymore
October 6th, 2026 at 3:26 pm
The line sucks.
Center and both guards are horrible.
Replace all 3. Willing to let Barton Try guard.
They were never going to be a top 5 line.
Only in the minds of People who thought this was a playoff level team.
It’s a horrible team, with a pathetic oline. Worst Dline in football.
And a too young Lb, paired with a too old Lb.
Add an incompetent OC. A bad head Coach.
And a GM who started believing his press clippings. He’s not a great OLine expert. The OLine he built sucks. He can’t draft DLine or pass rushers.
And he doesn’t belong in the ring of honor.
In five years, he has failed at building an OLine or a DLine.
His inability to build a pass rush should get him fired as soon as the season ends.
October 6th, 2026 at 3:44 pm
todd bowles with his job on the line picks an offensive coordinator he wasnt sure about after the first interview called him in for the second interview let him leave the building then changes his mind and hires him while robinson was at the airport . at what point do you realize with your job on the line not to hire someone you werent sure about to begin with. robinson made pennix and cousins look bad . bowles threw a wrench into the offense with his pick of coordinator 2
years in a row. he gots to go
October 6th, 2026 at 3:44 pm
Coen had Hainsey at center, until Licht thought a tackle from Duke Barton would be an upgrade. Remember Hainsey? He’s still Coen’s center on the Jags high powered offense. He’s out playing Barton, who Licht wasted a 1st round pick on. That’s what your brilliant GM does, wastes money on bad FAs, and draft picks. This is not a talented roster. Coach, and GM need to go, but so does alot of this over paid, over hyped roster.
October 6th, 2026 at 4:01 pm
As we all know, there’s something wrong brewing with the Bucs. It all looks like when a coach lose the locker room and a lot going on with players and staff including the head man, so most of the time what’s happening in the dark come to the light.
October 6th, 2026 at 4:22 pm
Fart…..Wipe…..flush the season down the toilet
October 6th, 2026 at 4:46 pm
We miss Rachaad White’s pass blocking for sure too.
Whatever Zac changed in blocking scheme, he needs to change it back. I thought he was tight friends with Coen? Should have just dusted off Liam’s 2024 playbook and relabeled it 2026.
It’s not even that offensive game plan is trying to be too clever. How can such a basic offensive be so disorganized that O-Line aren’t on same page?
October 6th, 2026 at 4:52 pm
Barton has been a major disappointment at center. I just don’t see why someone that athletic that can play OT in a pinch, wouldn’t be tried out at guard.
This team needs a stud center. Move Barton to guard.
At this point, why not tinker? The season is toast. Let guys like Garnes, Tucker, Barton (guard), Hurst, Scott…let them play and see what they have to offer.
House cleaning coming very soon, so time audition for the new coaching staff.
October 6th, 2026 at 4:58 pm
COACHING MATTERS
Offense has gotten worse and worse since Coen was not elevated to the Head Coach
October 6th, 2026 at 5:33 pm
I like Recher.
October 6th, 2026 at 5:39 pm
Wow, Chase McLaughlin on IR.
Maybe that explains why Todd did not go for the 60 yard FG.
Dallas is going to destroy the Bucs.