Some say that practice makes perfect. Others say that it’s perfect practice that makes one perfect in the game. Put Bucs’ right tackle Luke Goedeke in the latter part of that conversation.

We all learned a little more about Luke Goedeke following Bucs’ mini-camp and what his approach is like to a daily practice session. Half of the battle in today’s NFL is keeping players healthy for the game itself. The Bucs saw that firsthand last season when players would get injured late in the week during practice, keeping them out for the weekend.

Luke Goedeke Gets Pissed Off At Certain Aspects Of Bucs Practice

That’s why things such as walk-throughs are implemented throughout the year, but that doesn’t always jive with every player. Take Goedeke for example, who needs every rep to feel as if it’s a game-like situation.

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

“His work ethic has always been there,” Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said of Luke Goedeke. “Just settling down in his pass [protection] – he was always a great run blocker. Settling down in his pass [protection] and understanding different types of bodies that he has to go against, whether it’s speed, whether it’s power…

”He kind of settled in and [we] understand that he works at it constantly. He’s one of [those] guys that, if we try and have a walk-through period, he’s pissed off because the guys aren’t going full speed and he needs to get the work in. He’s seen a lot of growth from a pass concept that way.”

Goedeke explained that if the rep he is taking doesn’t look like what it will be like in a game, then it’s not doing anything for him. Football is a high intensity game and he plays with the same intensity throughout it.

“Usually walkthroughs I’m going full speed and other guys are just walking,” Luke Goedeke said. “I like to practice at full game speed like all the time. I know how a rep should feel and if it doesn’t feel right I feel like ‘Well, that was kind of a waste.’ That’s just kind of how I’ve always been.

“If I take a rep even on the practice field, if someone’s giving me a look or whatever, I can feel if it feels authentic. I’m like ‘Yeah, that felt like nothing like a D-End would do to me.'”

Bucs Offensive Line Can Achieve Greatness

It could be a special year for the Bucs and Tampa Bay’s offensive line in particular. The entire unit is back and the group is anchored by their tackles with All-Pro Tristan Wirfs on the left side and Goedeke, who has played at a Pro Bowl level, on the right side. The goal this year along with winning it all is to establish the unit as the best in the league.

“I feel like the sky is the limit for our O-line and our offense as a whole,” Goedeke said. ” I’d like to see our offense as the best O-line and best offense in the National Football League. That’s the goal among every team but I would say we’re definitely a team [where] that’s definitely achievable.

“Everyone strives for that and that’s great and everything but I think the Bucs, here, as we stand today, they’re in a good spot to achieve that this year.”

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

That made the practices at mini-camp all that much more enticing since not much physicality can go on. There’s benefit to practice and communication, but the offensive line can’t showcase they’re overall skillset without all of the pads. It’s just a matter of time until training camp is here and the offensive line can establish how good they can be.

“It’s tough. Right now, we’re basically in underwear trying to block someone,” Goedeke said. “I would say defenses definitely have a huge advantage right now, because when we get the pads on, O-linemen have much more to grab and everything like that. Our jerseys are so loose [that] they can just push-pull the daylights out of us. [I’m] really working on eyes and hands and everything, just trying to work on fundamentals and build our craft.

”I mean, me specifically, just really working on my hand usage and just landing my punches better and being consistent kicking through the punch and everything in which this is a great opportunity to do that.”