The Bucs will be looking for a replacement for Charlie Heck this year. Their 2025 swing tackle is signing with the Miami Dolphins as they made the announcement via their own social media.

The Charlie Heck Era With The Bucs

Tampa Bay originally signed Heck last year to be their swing tackle after losing Justin Skule in the offseason to the Minnesota Vikings. Then late in the summer it was revealed that starting left tackle Tristan Wirfs needed a minor knee surgery that would keep him out of the first few games of the regular season. That was going to press Heck into service to start the year.

The coaching staff tried to prepare him by getting him plenty of work in the pre-season. But literally minutes before the Bucs’ week one matchup in Atlanta the team announced they would rather reshuffle the line, moving center Graham Barton to left tackle and left guard Ben Bredeson to center to allow backup guard Michael Jordan to start instead of Heck.

Bucs LT Charlie Heck – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

But just a week later, Charlie Heck had to replace Bucs right tackle Luke Goedeke, allowing eight pressures and a sack against the Texans’ vaunted edge tandem. He would start the next six weeks at right tackle, struggling to protect for quarterback Baker Mayfield, allowing 24 pressures, including eight against Philadelphia and nine in Detroit.

After Goedeke’s return in Week 10 Heck was used sparingly as a sixth offensive lineman. And when Wirfs had to miss another game later in the season, the Bucs opted for undrafted rookie Ben Chukwuma instead of Heck. The rookie performed well and now looks to be the long-term option at swing tackle, forcing Heck to find work elsewhere.

Bucs Still Have OL Needs

Bucs OT Ben Chukwuma and Saints LB Mike Rumph – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

This won’t stop Tampa Bay from pursuing a veteran tackle, but that need is less pronounced now with Chukwuma’s development. The real issue for the Bucs’ offensive line depth that needs to be addressed is on the interior where Jordan and Dan Feeney also struggled to fill in for Cody Mauch and Ben Bredeson. That will most likely be where the Bucs focus their efforts as opposed to tackle and why they felt comfortable letting Heck head elsewhere.

Heck finished his Tampa Bay career playing in 17 games and starting in six. He allowed 32 pressures over 289 pass block snaps while earning a 44.0 run block grade, 48.0 pass block grade and 45.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.