The Buccaneers’ offensive line has been one of the clearest examples of how Tampa Bay has built under general manager Jason Licht. The club has poured premium resources into the group, with Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke standing as two of the team’s three highest-paid players. Add in another first-rounder and another early Day 2 pick, and the message from the front office has been obvious: protect the line, and the offense has a chance to hold together.
That approach is drawing strong outside approval.
Brandon Thorn, one of the most respected offensive line analysts in the business, released his latest rankings for Establish The Run and placed Tampa Bay third in the NFL. Thorn put the Bucs in his top tier, which he described as, “Legitimate path to league-best play with premium talent and no fatal structural concern.”
His broader view of the unit was just as strong. Thorn called it an “Elite LT-driven line with good RT play, strong young interior talent, and one of the cleanest five-man profiles in the league.”
The biggest reason for that confidence starts on the edges. Thorn said Wirfs is in the conversation for the best tackle in the NFL and highlighted his ability to play either side of the center. On the other side, he labeled Goedeke “extremely underrated” and said the two together form one of the three best tackle tandems in the league.
The numbers back up that kind of praise. Over the past two years, Wirfs has landed in the 94th percentile for pressure rate allowed, the 100th percentile for pass block grade, and the 74th percentile for run block grade. Goedeke checked in at the 83rd, 70th and 70th percentiles, respectively.
The interior is where the floor gets built. Ben Bredeson has been a league average-to-above starter since arriving in 2024, while center Graham Barton has flashed enough to keep the upside conversation alive. Thorn pointed to Barton’s traits directly, saying, “Barton’s movement, body control, and run-game impact remain high-end center traits…” He also noted that the unit could climb if Barton sharpens his processing and pass-off timing.
There’s still some disagreement on Barton’s overall profile. Since 2024, Pro Football Focus has him in the 13th percentile for pressure rate allowed, 17th percentile for pass block grade and 17th percentile for run block grade, weighted by snap and season. Thorn has publicly pushed back on PFF’s grading methods before.
Still, the Bucs’ offensive line has a strong case because it gives Tampa Bay both a high ceiling and a workable floor. Thorn’s “no fatal structural concern” line fits the group well: the tackles supply the premium talent, and Bredeson and Barton help keep the middle from becoming a liability.
Health also matters here, and last season the Bucs never really got the chance to see the line at full strength. Only Barton played all 17 games, and none of the starters finished the year in their intended spots. Between Wirfs, Bredeson, Mauch and Goedeke, Tampa Bay lost 32 games to injury.
If that kind of attrition eases up this season, the payoff could be felt across the offense. And with this level of investment up front, it’s easy to see why the Bucs have built the way they have.
Thorn’s work carries weight for a reason, too. He helped establish the annual OL Masterminds Summit, which draws offensive linemen from around the league, and he also brings players onto his Substack channel, Trench Warfare, to break down technique.
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