There been a lot of change for the Bucs along the interior line this offseason. Left guard Ali Marpet retired after a nine-year career, while right guard Alex Cappa left for the Bengals in free agency. The one constant on the interior is center Ryan Jensen who re-signed with Tampa Bay on a three-year, $39 million deal this offseason.

It didn’t take long for general manager Jason Licht to start filling the holes left by Marpet and Cappa. He re-signed Aaron Stinnie to a one-year, prove-it deal, then followed that up by trading for right guard Shaq Mason. Licht wasn’t done adding competition to the group though, drafting Luke Goedeke in the second round.

It will be a little bit of a learning process as Jensen gets acclimated to a new voice and player on his right side. So far the transition has been a smooth one.

“It’s been good,” Jensen said. “I always joke around, I went from a 6-foot-6, 6-foot-7 right guard to Shaq who’s 6-foot-1. It’s just a little different in the huddle. But no, it’s been good. Shaq’s played a lot of football in his career, obviously. I think he’s over 100 starts. So, he knows how to play the game and that helps a lot when you’re trying to redevelop a relationship on the interior line.”

Bucs G Aaron Stinnie – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

While there might be someone new to the right of Jensen, it’s a familiar player starting out on the left side that he’s logged a lot of game and practice reps with in Stinnie.

“Stinnie, obviously, the Super Bowl run he played all the way through the playoffs and has been here for a couple years now,” Jensen said. “I’ve played, practiced next to him a lot. So, I feel like the interior gelling of the line is coming along well.”

Jensen recounted Stinnie stepping in along that playoff stretch and said what he saw from him during that run gives him the confidence in him as a player. While also noting that has pass protection continues to get better as well.

“He stepped in and there was no lack of anything,” Jensen said. “There wasn’t a drop-off when Stinnie took over for Cappa when he broke his ankle. I know I have the utmost confidence in Stinnie because he’s a great run-blocker, he’s getting better every day in pass protection and he’s a smart player. [The thing I remember most] is him stepping in and there being no drop-off.”

Stinnie doesn’t have the job handed to him just yet though. He’ll face steep competition from Goedeke, who has impressed Jensen so far throughout the offseason.

Bucs LG Luke Goedeke – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“I came to some of the OTAs,” Jensen said. “Luke is a talented young kid. He’s going to be a really good football player. Obviously, we spent a pretty high draft pick on him. I see a lot of great things. He’s a young kid who understands the game. Once he puts two and two together, he will start to skyrocket, I think.”

Meanwhile Jensen noted he has seen improvement from 2021 fourth-round pick Robert Hainsey. The backup center is also in the mix for the starting left guard job and Jensen believes he’s ready to take that next step.

“I think Hainsey has taken that next step in being a pro by really hitting the gym hard this offseason,” Jensen said. “I know talking to him throughout the offseason, he was hammering the weights. He looks stronger this year at this time than he did last year. So, he’s taking the steps in the right direction from that standpoint.”

The Bucs already boast elite bookend tackles, to go with Jensen who made his first Pro Bowl last season. Tampa Bay has a top-ranked right guard per Pro Football Focus in Mason, and a capable player in Stinnie who’s answered the call more than effectively when needed. Goedeke is the true wild card within the group, depending on how quickly he can get up to speed. But the Bucs appear to be building another dominant interior along the offensive line.