There was a unique look at Bucs rookie mini-camp that’ll continue over into OTAs this spring as a current player is moving from the defensive side of the ball to the offensive side. Greg Auman of Fox Sports first reported that Bucs defensive tackle Nash Hutmacher will no longer be a defensive tackle as he is going to attempt to play on the offensive line. He got his first reps on Friday and Saturday.

Hutmacher entered the league from Nebraska as a defensive lineman. At 6-foot-4 and over 300 pounds, those same traits also translate naturally to the offensive line, where power in the trenches and leverage are just as critical. The move suggests Tampa Bay sees untapped versatility in Hutmacher, a thing that teams increasingly value when shaping the back end of the roster. He was on the Bucs’ practice squad last season coming out of camp, but didn’t play in a game.

Position switches like this aren’t common, but they’re not unprecedented either. Players with defensive line backgrounds can sometimes make the jump to offense thanks to their understanding of leverage, hand usage and line play. For the Bucs, it’s a low-risk, high-upside experiment that could potentially add depth to the interior offensive line if it sticks.

From a depth standpoint it makes sense why Hutmacher wants to try out the offensive side. Tampa Bay continues to replenish the defensive line as they drafted DeMonte Capehart this year while taking Elijah Roberts last season. With Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey as starters with A’Shawn Robinson as another prominent figure, that leaves Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Jayson Jones, Elijah Simmons and Josiah Green all looking for a spot.

Bucs DTs Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The interior of the offensive line has much more of pathway to making the 53-man roster, or at least securing more of a chance on the practice squad. The Bucs did draft Billy Schrauth, but the competition of Elijah Klein, Ben Scott, Henry Lutovsky and Luke Haggard is not as steep for Hutmacher to compete in.

Bucs OL Billy Schrauth – Photo by: Cliff Welch P/R

Bucs Thought About This For An Entire Season

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles talked about why the move was made while at rookie mini-camp.

“When we got him last year, we talked about it — me and Jason [Licht] talk about it as soon as we got him in the beginning,” Licht said. “We knew he was very tough, we knew he was very smart, and he never got moved out of there by the offensive guys. With the depth we had a defensive line, he’s a little bit slower-foot that way, we thought he’d make a great guard because he’s compact, he’s very intelligent, he’s extremely tough and he can figure things out and you’re not going to run him over, so it’d be a good idea.

Bucs GM Jason Licht and HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“We talked about it before last season, obviously with everybody hurt, we didn’t get a chance to do it and try to help him out, so this year, I think he has a chance to make an impact at guard, so we’re going to see what he can do.”

At the very least, it’s another example of Tampa Bay thinking outside the box as it continues to evaluate talent. And if Hutmacher can successfully make the transition, the Bucs may have found a unique developmental piece capable of contributing in a completely new role.

Pewter Report recapped the first two days of Bucs rookie mini-camp on the Pewter Report Podcast. Check out the videos below and subscribe to our PewterReportTV YouTube channel.

Day One:

Day Two: