In the NFL, Cover 4 refers to a defensive coverage that aims to cover four deep zones on the field. Following that lead, I’m going to provide you with the same coverage of the Bucs – your favorite football team. Each Wednesday morning I’ll cover four areas as they apply to Tampa Bay: 1. a short film breakdown, 2. a finance angle, 3. a look forward at what’s to come, and 4. a bit of fun.

Film: The Bucs Offensive Line Is Not As Bad As You Think It Is

I realize this is quite the bold take for the team that has allowed a league-leading 16 sacks while their starting quarterback is out for a month due to injury. But it’s true. We can go player by player if you like.

LT Tristan Wirfs – Wirfs had an uncharacteristically mortal game against the Bengals in Week 1. He allowed two pressures, including a sack as rookie Cashius Howell legitimately battled with him. But since then, Wirfs has been his usual shutdown self in 1-on-1 situations. He has given up a total of two pressures in the last three games, an anemic 1.6% pressure rate allowed. That’s a full percentage point below his career regular and postseason rate coming into this year. His mobility looks as good as ever and Wirfs’ strength is rarely threatened by an opponent.

Wirfs lol https://t.co/wdeWEyOizl

— Jon Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) October 5, 2026

RT Luke Goedeke – Goedeke has been a stabilizing force on an offensive line that has had some ups and downs to start the season. He’s allowed three total pressures across 159 opportunities (1.9% pressure rate allowed per Pro Football Focus) and held a clean sheet over the past two games. Goedeke’s ability to bring the fight to opponents and his elite hand usage help him make up for shorter levers. His athleticism is underrated, but often on display in the run game where he is a weapon in space.

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

RG Cody Mauch – Mauch has not returned to the form he was showing at the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025. Whether he is still learning to trust his surgically repaired knee or still adjusting to added weight he put on to hold up stronger against interior defensive linemen, the net result has been worse play than most are used to seeing from the once ascending guard. There are still flashes of the talent he has.

The highs and lows of Mauch in a single rep. Don’t know of many guards who can make that spin and reach on the recovery. But also, the pass-off could have been much cleaner. https://t.co/miGIsWCuw3

— Josh Queipo (@JoshQueipo_NFL) September 23, 2026

His recovery skills remain strong and he, like Goedeke, can do real damage in space as a run blocker. But the chemistry between him and Goedeke feels more forced than the natural symbiosis they had in 2024 under offensive coordinator Liam Coen. His pressure rate is running 1.7% higher than his career average coming into this season and 4.0% higher than his 2024-2025 play level.

LG Ben Bredeson – The adage goes, “offensive line play is a weak link system.” Bredeson has been the weak link this year. But where his play from 2024-2025 was average or there about, this year he has been downright bad. His reaction off the snap has been slow, leading to opponents crossing his face and getting into his pads quickly, softening and playing through both his inside and outside shoulders. He’s losing to power and hand fighting. It’s been a rough month to say the least.

Bredeson’s 6.3% pressure rate allowed is the worst since he arrived in Tampa Bay.

C Graham Barton – Barton has been maligned for multiple years now. But despite his butt fumble on Sunday, he has legitimately improved as a pass protector this year. He has allowed just four pressures total through four games. But Barton’s losses are memorable. Memorable in that when he loses, he loses ugly. But those losses have been significantly fewer and farther between. Sumer Sports has Barton as 10th out of 29 qualifying centers in pressure rate allowed at 3.42%

If the offensive line has largely prevented pressure, what gives with the appearance of their quarterbacks being under seige?

So What’s Going Wrong With The Bucs’ Pass Protection?

There are several things at play here. The first to consider is the overall performance of the line compared to expectations. Tampa Bay’s starting five linemen combined to allow just 109 pressures over a total of 5,475 opportunities. That’s a combined 2.0% pressure rate allowed. This year’s 31 pressures allowed over 795 opportunities is almost double that rate.

But their current pressure rate allowed is also miles better than last year’s ragtag bunch of backups and misfits. The collection of offensive linemen the Bucs trotted out last year had a collective 6.0% pressure rate allowed.

This is a front that is both miles better than last year and not as good as the year prior. In 2024 Baker Mayfield was pressured on the lowest percentage of his dropbacks in the NFL at 26.0%. Last year, for all the issues the line legitimately had, Mayfield was still only 17th in pressure rate. This year that number (combining for Mayfield and Jalon Daniels) has ticked up to 12th lowest.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t issues. Three things are driving the decline from 2024.

• The Bucs miss Rachaad White in pass protection. White isn’t an explosive runner. And Tampa Bay decided to trade up in that area. But in doing so they traded down in pass protection. Kenny Gainwell isn’t a slouch in that area, but he’s no White. Where the Bucs could rely on White on third down to identify, pick up and eliminate add-on rushers on pass-obvious downs in the past, this year the backs aren’t an automatic help in that area. Gainwell and Bucky Irving have combined to allow seven pressures already this year. White allowed six all year last year and just seven in 2024.

• Scheme and pickup games are being stressed. I am not going to pretend to know exactly what the line calls are for Liam Coen versus Zac Robinson. But it seems apparent that the difference between the two is causing veteran linemen who have a history of success to regress. Stunts that Bredeson and Wirfs previously passed off easily are now a struggle. Goedeke and Mauch have had issues with this as well. And the protection calls for overloaded lines became a real issue this past week.

Speaking of last week, I went into an in-depth look pressure-by-pressure into their Week 4 matchup with the Packers. Just because a quarterback comes under pressure doesn’t necessarily mean the line failed. There are several reasons for pressure including:

Screens

2/ Let’s first take out screen plays, which by design allow for pressure because they invite pass rusher in to get the ball behind them. There were two of those. https://t.co/BxA8TjNFEl

— Josh Queipo (@JoshQueipo_NFL) October 6, 2026

Poor Play Design

3/ The first pressure of the game was a schematic issue. Play action boot left w/the OL on a full slide right. GB sat on the boot and the unblocked EMOL was on top of Daniels. Happened twice later in the game including when they were backed up in their own EZ as well. https://t.co/8IRjL4uu4g

— Josh Queipo (@JoshQueipo_NFL) October 6, 2026

QB Creating Pressure Where There Is None

4/ Now there were a couple of plays where Daniels created his own pressure despite a clean pocket. To be expected for a UDFA rookie making his first start. https://t.co/Yk3HUUMdM4

— Josh Queipo (@JoshQueipo_NFL) October 6, 2026

5/ Here Daniels holds on to the ball too long. Time to throw was 3.97 seconds. https://t.co/IOZ1FVmFtX

— Josh Queipo (@JoshQueipo_NFL) October 6, 2026

Good Defensive Play Design/Unblocked Rushers/Incorrect Protection Calls From The QB

6/ Now three where the GB pressure scheme puts a lot of pressure on the QB. This one has GB w/7 showing rush to 6 blockers. Bucs are going to block it Big on Big and inside out. Daniels has to account for 29. He doesn’t. https://t.co/RbR2S6f01o

— Josh Queipo (@JoshQueipo_NFL) October 6, 2026

7/Again GB shows more rushers than TB has blockers. Bucs are blocking this inside out again. Barton and Gainwell have to account for the muggers. Daniels has to account for Williams and throw hot. He doesn’t clock the rusher he is responsible for. https://t.co/ICx0kHogej

— Josh Queipo (@JoshQueipo_NFL) October 6, 2026

8/Last pressure which is the final offensive play of the game. GB goes 8 over 6. Bucs are dividing the rushers in half. Bc Gainwell is to the right, him/69/67 take the 4 to the right w/62/68/78 taking the 4 to the left. Inside out again. 10 has the edge DB’s and has to throw hot. https://t.co/ErRVdl6laO

— Josh Queipo (@JoshQueipo_NFL) October 6, 2026

The pressure Bucs’ quarterbacks have been under has been ugly at times, but not overwhelming. And between both Daniels and Mayfield, some of it has been self-inflicted. Mayfield’s pressure-to-sack rate is a ridiculous 32.5%. The difference between his rate and that of second place Geno Smith is the same difference between Smith (24.0%) and 13th place Lamar Jackson and Tyler Shough (15.6%).

A unique combination of Baker at his worst along with a rookie quarterback, Zac Robinson, and a downgraded pass protection backfield has led to pressure issues that is partially overblown and partially misplaced.

Finance: What Could The Bucs Get In A Trade?

Staring down the barrel of an 0-5 record, the Bucs may find themselves in the unfamiliar position of trade deadline sellers this year. And there are several players who could be of interest to contending teams looking to put themselves over the top. Barring a miraculous turnaround, I’ll be featuring a different player in this section over the next several weeks leading up to the week nine trade deadline.

This week I want to start with outside linebacker Yaya Diaby. Diaby is one of the more straight-forward evaluations because he is on the last year of a rookie contract, so cash and cap ramifications are minimal compared to other players the team may want to move on from.

Bucs OLB Yaya Diaby – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Diaby is currently due just over $2.8 million for the remainder of the season. His lack of productivity to start this year has certainly dented his value some, but there could be teams who see him being limited by the Bucs’ defensive scheme and how offenses are currently attacking them. Getting him to an environment where quarterbacks hold the ball longer could help unlock Diaby’s potential and make him a desirable part of a pass rush that needs another component.

I have his market value down from $25 million in the offseason to around $20 million right now. Take into account the midseason nature of the valuation and his total value including contractual surplus, fair trade value would look something like a late third- or early fourth-round pick. Given teams try to hold on to Day 2 picks with all of their might, I would venture to guess if Diaby got moved it would be for a fourth- and a sixth-rounder as a package.

Moving on from Diaby would signal the team is looking to retool its roster and likely not planning on spending much in free agency next year. After committing to Baker Mayfield and Vita Vea for 2027 at a total of $74 million for the season, they were already going to be quite cash strapped to begin with.

Forecast: The Bucs Offense May Look Tangibly Better On Thursday

But that doesn’t mean the team has improved in process, nor should you look at it as a sign of things to come. An improved offense – one that may actually top 20 points for the first time this season – with more yards than in previous games, will be largely a function of Dallas’ defense. The Cowboys currently rank 31st in EPA/play, 31st in success rate allowed and 28th in points per game at 28.0.

Luckily for the Bucs, Dallas is also allowing the most rushing yards to opposing quarterbacks. That leans into one of Jalon Daniels’ best skills. Thursday night could be a banner game for Zac Robinson’s offense. I could realistically see the Bucs get to 26 points with a few explosives.

Can they keep up with Dallas’ high-powered attack? I doubt it. But it may not be the snoozefest Tampa Bay’s offense has treated their fans to through the first quarter of the season.

Fun Fourth Down: Remember The Good Ol’ Days?

There isn’t much to be positive about regarding the Bucs these days. But that doesn’t mean it has always been the dark days. It has been five years and eight months since Tampa Bay threw a boat parade and I thought I would take a quick stroll down memory lane to remember the Bucs’ fantastic run from 2020-2021.

Including the postseason Tampa Bay was 30-12, tallying a .714 win percentage while averaging 29.1 points per game against 21.4 allowed. Their offense was 4th in EPA/play and success rate while the defense was 3rd in EPA/play and 5th in success rate. That’s complementary football!

Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo by: USA Today

Tom Brady lit up the scoreboard while throwing for just under 11,610 yards and 96 touchdowns to just 28 interceptions at ages 43 and 44. Chris Godwin and Mike Evans combined for 162 catches for 2,282 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2020. The following year they increased most of those totals to 189 catches for 2,374 yards and 21 touchdowns. The offense was so good Rob Gronkowski, a future Hall-of-Fame tight end was a fun toy for Brady to play with when he felt like it.

The offensive line featured a rookie phenom at right tackle, an elite veteran at left guard and the world’s most badass antagonizer in the middle.

Shaq Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul terrorized quarterbacks while Devin White – yes that Devin White – was a guided missile set to destroy when launched into the backfield. The secondary was littered with talented players executing at a high level and prime Lavonte David was still roaming the field.

Yes, the good ol’ days. It’s been a half-decade since those teams suited up in Tampa Bay. Who knows when the team will field a squad that special again.

Don’t forget those feelings. Hold on to them Bucs fans.