Bucs rookie Luke Goedeke has faced a murderer’s row of premier defensive tackles through the first five games of his first season in the NFL.

Trying to fill the shoes of retired Pro Bowler Ali Marpet is one thing while adjusting to the speed and talent of the NFL. But just trying to survive against the likes of four Pro Bowl defensive tackles is quite another.

The fourth Pro Bowler Goedeke will face in as many weeks will be Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward in Pittsburgh on Sunday. Heyward is a five-time Pro Bowler and is still a great run defender and pass rusher at age 33.

Not that facing Dallas’ Osa Odighizuwa, a quicker, lighter and more athletic defensive tackle, was easy in Week 1, nor was battling a tough, physical foe in New Orleans’ David Onyemata a cakewalk in Week 2.

Chiefs DT Chris Jones and Bucs LG Luke Goedeke – Photo by: USA Today

But Goedeke has faced an onslaught of talented defensive tackles that have been to multiple Pro Bowls since Week 3. That’s when he went up against Green Bay’s two-time Pro Bowler Kenny Clark and gave up his first NFL sack. It didn’t get any easier the next week against Kansas City’s three-time Pro Bowler Chris Jones, but the rookie fared better in a 41-31 loss to the Chiefs.

Last week, against Atlanta’s two-time Pro Bowler Grady Jarrett, was Goedeke’s worst game of the season. While the Bucs beat the Falcons, 21-15, Jarrett whipped Goedeke on the first play and made life miserable for him in the first quarter. To his credit, Goedeke battled and improved as the game went on – until Jarrett looped around on a stunt and sacked Tom Brady late in the fourth quarter. But a very questionable roughing the passer penalty was called on Jarrett, so statistically, that sack never happened.

Bucs QB Brady Noted That Jarrett Had “A Hell Of A Game”

Jarrett had a season-high six pressures on Sunday, including two QB hits and four hurries. Atlanta’s top defensive tackle drew heavy praise from Brady on his “Let’s Go” podcast.

“This morning, I was looking around the corner everywhere for Grady Jarrett jumping out and hitting me again,” Brady said on his “Let’s Go” podcast, which was taped on Monday. “He played such a good game against us (Sunday), and I had nightmares last night kind of thinking about it. But I’m glad we’re through that game and glad we won.”

Brady didn’t comment on the controversial roughing the passer call, other than to say: “It was a long hug. A long, unwelcome hug from Grady. He was in the backfield all day. … As I said after the games, I don’t throw flags. What I do throw is tablets. He had a hell of a game. I’ll leave it at that.”

Brady’s comments appear to be a bit of an indictment on Goedeke, who is the Bucs’ lowest-graded offensive player, according to Pro Football Focus. PFF is not the end-all, be-all when it comes to player evaluation, especially when it comes to offensive linemen. But just watching Goedeke live and also reviewing the tape, it’s clear that Goedeke has struggled, especially in pass protection. Goedeke has a 44.4 overall PFF grade and a 25.2 pass blocking grade.

Bucs QB Tom Brady and Falcons DT Grady Jarrett – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Heyward might be his biggest test to date. At 6-foot-5, 295 pounds, Heyward is a big, strong, physical bulldozer of a defensive lineman. As a 12-year veteran, Heyward is also the most experienced defender Goedeke will have faced thus far. He’s coming off a 10-sack Pro Bowl season and has 10 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble so far in 2022.

Goedeke, the team’s second-round pick, is making the transition from the right side to the left side, from tackle to guard and from Central Michigan to the NFL. It’s uncommon for rookie offensive linemen to step in right away and have a great deal of success. The Bucs, their fans and the media have been spoiled with the likes of Marpet and right tackle Tristan Wirfs, both of whom started as rookies and were very successful right out of the gate.

The Bucs still have confidence in Goedeke and are expecting a bounce-back performance from last week’s entanglement with Jarrett, who is a quicker, more explosive tackle than Heyward is. If Goedeke can hang in there physically against Heyward, his arrow could be pointing up as the Bucs get closer to the midway part of the season.

But another shaky performance where Brady is getting drilled and sacked and it might be time for the Bucs to look at making a change to Brandon Walton or Nick Leverett if Goedeke falters.