Another Test For Offensive Line Guru Jason Licht
July 9th, 2025
Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht has answered the bell in recent years when it comes to his beloved offensive line.
Licht consistenly has delivered answers.
Last year, starting right tackle Luke Goedeke suffered a concussion in Week 1 and was next seen on the field in Week 6. After a nightmare game in Week 2 replacing Goedeke, backup tackle Justin Skule settled in quickly and played well.
Disaster averted.
The Bucs averaged 23 points per game with Skule starting and had a 2-2 record. Goedeke was missed but Licht’s inexperienced backup got the job done.
Flashback to the Super Bowl season of 2020. Starting right guard Alex Cappa went down in the playoffs and backup Aaron Stinnie, undrafted out of James Madison University, was money in three postseason starts, the first starts of his career.
Joe could give other examples.
Today, unfortunately, brings another test. Fresh news of Tristan Wirfs having a knee setback and surgery means he could miss a few games to start the 2025 season. Skule is now on the Vikings and was replaced in Tampa by journeyman veteran Charlie Heck.
Heck, 28, is a mountain of a man at 6-8 and roughly 320 pounds. He’s made 23 career starts, including two last year for San Francisco.
Ask the Bucs, and they’ll quietly tell you Heck is a better athlete than Skule and stronger, and more experienced.
Nobody wants to lose Tristan Wirfs, but don’t expect panic at One Buc Palace, especially after Heck attened the entire spring program and worked with the first team as Wirfs nursed his knee.
Joe would love to see the Bucs find a veteran tackle to help, but Joe won’t lose sleep if they don’t go there. Licht’s built up too much street cred for a freakout.
A Quick Word On The Tristan Wirfs Injury, And Ira Kaufman Talks Cornerback Decisions, Trending Predictions, Head Coach Playoff Records, Year 2 Of Bucky Irving, And Much More
July 9th, 2025 at 3:33 pm
Ben Chukwuma has a lot of potential, tons of upside. I was hoping he makes the Bucs roster. Because I think he would get plucked from the practice squad..
July 9th, 2025 at 3:33 pm
Having Wirfs is a big strength, BUT losing him is not necessarily a big weakness. Heck will be fine, especially with a full preseason to prepare. The Bucs can bring in a TE or RB to help out in pressure situations.
It’s not a big loss. It’s an adjustment.
When Wirfs comes back, they’ll be able to free up the TE and RB for a more dynamic offense.
July 9th, 2025 at 3:41 pm
No reason to freak out. Sucks, big yeah, BUT, as Joe said, Licht has proved his metal when it comes to back up Offensive line players. They don’t get a lot of print until this happens. I see a rally round the down guy and wanting to prove themselves because you know the media is gonna write us off for the first 4 games. Hell, no one even knows when Tristan will be back, he may only miss 2 games.
July 9th, 2025 at 3:52 pm
Jason Licht gave Ben Chukwuma a lot of guaranteed money for a UDFA. He also signed OC Jake Majors as USDA. Licht did his job as a GM signing young talent to offset the loss of It Justin Skule, and OC Robert Hainsey. Licht couldn’t afford to spend draft picks on the O-Line. So he signed quality UDFA .
I salute Jason Licht
July 9th, 2025 at 4:07 pm
Eh, I get not wanting to panic. It can go either way depending on who earns the nod to replace Wirfs, but I’m not falling into the “it’s no big deal” mindset. I can remember something other than the last few plays of that Rams game in ‘21.
You know who ate well that day, all game? Von Miller. You know was inactive? Tristan Wirfs. Things do not go well when he’s not in the lineup, especially against individual talents that’d be a headache for the average NFL starter let alone a guy playing in place of one of the best tackles in all the NFL.
Might not be as bad as that day, but it isn’t going to be some smooth “nothing to see here” transition. A good way to alleviate this no matter who’s in there, run all 3
July 9th, 2025 at 4:13 pm
76
July 9th, 2025 at 4:17 pm
The good news is that there is time to get Heck acclimated. He’s not a rookie; so just fine tuning his technique by Pic and Carbs, communication with Bredeson, and playbook with Grizz. The lesson learned from Skule’s Detroit disaster: have a plan to bring a TE in-line to help, or put Ko in the backfield to help Heck.
July 9th, 2025 at 4:47 pm
WELL…….. I DON’T KNOW. I don’t know about Licht “always” coming through on the O line… IN FACT I believe IT I KNOW Lichts lack OF….. ultimately COST US TOM BRADY!
Tom was So TIRED OF RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE IN 2022 that EVEN the GREAT GOAT that was THE spokesman for “Physical Fitness” was OUT OF GAS RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE IN 2022! That and Todd Bowles served up Bradys FIRST EVER LOSING SEASON!
Yes! THAT happened Right Here in Tampa Bay! DISGRACEFUL FRONT O LINE in the year 2022!
We HAD TIME to find QUALITY REPLACEMENTS! Licht simply COULDN’T PRODUCE!
It’s been my ONLY complaint when it came to Licht and the otherwise fantastic GMing…. Until Now. And I’m Not talking about the O line!
Not Forcing Bowles to hire a “DC” at THIS Embarrassing time IS NEGLIGENCE!
Hey, besides that, I STILL consider him the Best GM we’ve had through All the years.
I can only hope he pulls his head out of his a$$ concerning the defense or Lack There Of! WE “DESPERATELY NEED” A DC LICHT!
July 9th, 2025 at 4:50 pm
Rich McKay was our best GM by far ….
July 9th, 2025 at 4:53 pm
Ok thanks Joe for talking me off the cliff. I do trust Jason Licht.
July 9th, 2025 at 5:15 pm
Only so many roster spots to go around but I would be much happier if we found another swing tackle for the first month of the season in case the worst case happens and we lose Luke for any amount of time.
There’s should be a vet available around the end of training camp
July 9th, 2025 at 5:24 pm
Chukwuma gonna be “tubthumping.”
I get knocked down
But I get up again
You’re never gonna keep me down
July 9th, 2025 at 5:31 pm
By “running” do you mean, drop back 2 steps and completion, throw ball to the ground, or fold like a beach chair? Or, are you confusing your memory of Tom “running” with that run-on sentence?
July 9th, 2025 at 5:34 pm
Losing one of the best LT is not a loss?
I can’t take some of these posts seriously.
WTH? An adjustment? GMAFB
July 9th, 2025 at 5:42 pm
Yeah need an oxygen tent here
July 9th, 2025 at 5:50 pm
It’s not good news at all but it is what it is, he’ll be back ASAP. It’s also not the end of the season, they don’t know how many games he will miss, good news is he’ll be working his upper body strength if I know Tristan. The good thing, if we can call it that, is that, really, no one knows exactly how to prep for this team with a new OC. That has advantages, now how it plays out remains to be seen but lets see how it goes. If I had to bet money I would say Tristan is back week 3-4. If I see the glass as half full remember, that means there’s always room for more Bourbon.
July 9th, 2025 at 5:58 pm
We need better fans 🙄
July 9th, 2025 at 7:13 pm
The real freakout will be if the Bucs start 0-2 or are staring at 1-3. Once the season starts we will see how big the dropoff will be (its gonna be a lot).
July 9th, 2025 at 7:26 pm
We’re going to lose a starting LT. Does it hurt, hell yeah it hurts.
But we also lost a starting LT, OC, RG, LG and we prevail and built one of the top O-Line in recent history.
July 10th, 2025 at 12:04 am
Obvious One, I seem to recall a long t of injuries to the OL that year.
July 10th, 2025 at 12:10 am
LakelandBuc Says:
July 9th, 2025 at 4:50 pm
“Rich McKay was our best GM by far ….”
That is simply not true. He inherited the best players of the Superbowl team and when his financial schemes delivered us into salary cap Hades, he bailed rather than fix his own mess.
And then he went to a division rival.
Jason Licht inherited a useless roster as a rookie GM, learned, and then got us a Superbowl…then Stuck around to fix the resulting cap issues, AND now has built another contender.
Rich JcKay doesn’t come close
July 10th, 2025 at 5:14 am
Nailed it Joe!
We may have every O lineman we need already here. Camp will be a bit more interesting for the big men this year for sure. I have confidence in Carberry and Picucci to get our dudes ready.
Go Bucs!
July 10th, 2025 at 7:42 am
I agree with Pat Kirwan, go out and sign a veteran OL now!
July 10th, 2025 at 3:27 pm
I trust Jason Licht. Not worried.