The Bucs traded for right guard Shaq Mason this offseason and drafted Luke Goedeke to play left guard.

But Tampa Bay is also excited about another new offensive lineman.

The Bucs signed veteran Bengals offensive tackle Fred Johnson on March 25. That move didn’t make many waves, but the team is quietly excited about the young lineman’s potential.

Cincinnati had originally offered Johnson a one-year tender as a restricted free agent. Then, the team pulled the offer on March 22 when La’el Collins became available and signed the former Cowboys tackle instead. The Bucs signed the 6-foot-7, 326-pound Johnson three days later to a one-year deal worth $1.152 million and believe they might have a steal.

Johnson, A Nasty Run Blocker, Is Moving To Left Tackle

Tampa Bay likes Johnson’s physical presence. He’s a mauler in the run game, and his long wingspan and good feet make him solid in pass protection. Johnson, 24, spent the last three years in Cincinnati, where he’s played primarily at right tackle. But he has also seen action at left tackle and right guard.

The Bucs know he can play right tackle, which is his natural position. They are using this offseason to transition him to play left tackle, where he’ll compete with veteran Josh Wells to be the swing tackle.

“Obviously, he’s been in the league since 2019,” Bucs offensive line coach Joe Gilbert said. “I remember he was a guy that came out here in our local day and he was out there and ended up going somewhere else for the time being. Now he’s back here. You can tell Fred has been in a system in the NFL. He understands things. It’s just going to be, can he make that transition from right to left consistently?

“That’s a hard thing, trying to find guys that can do that. It’s a lot harder than you think, being able to motor-memory-wise [go] from right tackle to left tackle. All that stuff because you’re punching with different hands at different times. There is a lot more to it.”

Gaining Experience In Cincinnati

Johnson was signed by Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent out of Florida. The Bengals claimed him off waivers mid-season and he started two games at left tackle as a rookie. Pro Football Focus gave him a 62.6 grade as a rookie, including a 78.4 pass blocking grade. Johnson played 129 snaps with two penalties, zero sacks and no QB pressures allowed.

In 2020, Johnson struggled a bit, earning a 48.4 grade from PFF. He played 491 snaps, with most of his starts coming at left tackle (three) and right guard (two), with one game at right tackle. Johnson surrendered two sacks, five hits and 20 total pressures. And he was penalized three times.

His highest-graded season came last year. PFF gave Johnson an 81 overall grade (61.3 pass blocking and 83.6 run blocking). Johnson only played 90 snaps, with 53 coming at right tackle, 20 at right guard, 10 as a blocking tight end and seven at left tackle.

“He’s smart, he is consistent,” Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said. “He can play both sides. He’s got a lot of size and a lot of length.”

A Free Agent Steal?

League sources tell Pewter Report that the Bengals might have better in the postseason starting Johnson as opposed to Isaiah Prince at right tackle. Prince had a rough four-game stretch, allowing two sacks, three hits and 18 total pressures in four games. PFF gave Prince a 21.4 grade in Cincinnati’s Super Bowl LVI loss to Los Angeles, including a dismal 2.4 pass block grade. Prince allowed one sack and six hurries against the Rams.

There is a decent chance that the Bucs keep both Johnson and Wells on the roster. Wells has plenty of experience playing in Tampa Bay, but he is 31. Johnson, who is seven years younger, could be the future top reserve at offensive tackle. And his experience at guard is also useful. Gilbert wants to see how Johnson fares at left tackle first.

“That’s going to be the biggest thing to see competition-wise,” Gilbert said. “We know Josh can do it. He’s done it and started at both tackles for us over the last couple of years. Now, it’s just seeing if Fred can.”