Welcome back to another edition of Grinding the Tape.” This week we will be taking a look at 2/3 of the Bucs’ left guard battle. Headed into training camp it appears that the Bucs will be looking at three players to battle for the starting spot. Rookie Luke Goedeke, veteran Aaron Stinnie, as well as Robert Hainsey. Goedeke’s game was broken down in detail shortly after he was drafted by Jon Ledyard.

Aaron Stinnie vs. Robert Hainsey

So today we will look at the other two players vying for the fifth offensive line starter role. Before we get into the tape let’s look at how each player came to be in this battle. Stinnie entered the NFL in 2018 as an undrafted free agent. There was some speculation he might get selected as there were several outlets that had a Day 3 grade on him, but that never came to fruition.

He spent 2018 and 2019 bouncing between Tennessee’s roster and practice squad. The Bucs eventually claimed Stinnie off waivers from Tennessee in November 2019, where he has remained as a reserve. In the last two seasons, Stinnie has appeared in 12 games, logging 91 snaps. He also played significant snaps in three of the Bucs’ four playoff games in 2020 leading up to their Super Bowl victory in place of the injured Alex Cappa.

As for Hainsey, he was drafted in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Hainsey, who played right tackle at Notre Dame, transitioned to center as a rookie with the Bucs.

As we dive into the tape on each of these players, please note there is very limited NFL tape on each player. Last season Stinnie and Hainsey combined to play 122 offensive snaps. That’s the equivalent of about two games. Now that does not mean we can’t learn anything from watching their tape. But it is important to keep in mind these are small sample sizes. Therefore, rather than saying “this is who this player is” it is probably best to say, “this is something to look for.”

Aaron Stinnie

Most conversations surrounding the Bucs’ left guard position battle start with some form of “Aaron Stinnie has the experience.” I just don’t get this argument for two reasons.

First, experience isn’t a skill set. Lots of players have experience. That does not mean they are any good. Just last year the Carolina Panthers signed offensive lineman Pat Elflein, who had experience. Elflein was not a very good offensive lineman before the signing, and he continued to not be good after being signed. That’s not to say Stinnie isn’t good. Just that his experience is not a reason in and of itself to say he is.

The second is that Stinnie doesn’t have that much experience. At least not to the degree that should give himself a significant leg up on the competition. With all of that said let’s actually look at Stinnie’s tape to see what he does bring to the competition.

Anchor

I figure it is best to cut to the chase. Most Bucs fans are concerned with how well the Bucs line is going to hold up in protecting quarterback Tom Brady. Over his limited playing time over the last two seasons Stinnie has produced favorable pass blocking grades per PFF (84.4 in 2020 and 69.4 in 2021). However, in watching Stinnie, I have my concerns how well he will hold up over the course of a full season against more powerful interior rushers. This concern is mainly due to Stinnie’s smaller frame preventing him from really having an adequate anchor. You can see it in the following two clips.

Here you have Stinnie playing left guard against the Giants. As the ball is snapped, Leonard Williams is able to drive Stinnie backwards easily. This is despite the fact that Stinnie is able to get good leverage in Williams’ chest. Williams is able to really physically dominate the early part of the rep. Now with that said you can see one of the biggest assets in Stinnie’s game. His ability to recover mid-rep was noted as a part of his draft profile out of James Madison and continues to show up four years later. The man does not quit.

Another rep against Williams and the Giants. Again, you can see Williams puts Stinnie on skates. It doesn’t affect the play because it was a quick out to the flat. Stinnie is technically sound, but just does not have the lower body power to stone defensive linemen consistently.

But watch as Stinnie’s lack of anchor becomes an issue on a play that needs more time to develop. He gets run backwards and his man ends up affecting Brady and contributing to the sack.

 Technique

I mentioned it on the last clip, but one thing that really shines through with Stinnie is how technically sound he is on a rep-to-rep basis. Take a look at how well he executes this reach block against Miami.

Watch as Stinnie gets a great push with extended arms and then follows it by driving his shoulder through and climbing vertically. Awesome rep.

On The Move

In the time Stinnie was on the field the Bucs seemed to increase their use of movement along the offensive line in the run game. Whether it be outside zone runs or traps/pulls they had Stinnie moving a good bit. And it makes sense why. He has quick feet that allow him to work well on the move. And while he does move well there are still some opportunities in his game.

Watch as Stinnie fires out of his stance and picks up his man on the pull. This would have been a perfect rep except for his lack of follow-through on the block. Stinnie isn’t able to sustain the block and the defender is able to shed him and contribute to the tackle. You can also see where he his movement abilities leave something to be desired when he gets out on screens. Case-in-point.

On this screen pass Stinnie needs to get to the nickel defender. He isn’t able to get to him, and as such the play is blown up for a minimal gain. While Stinnie has great footwork, he doesn’t have the speed or agility to be a plus on plays like this.

Robert Hainsey

Hainsey’s playing time in 2021 was even less than Stinnie’s, logging just 31 snaps for the season. Therefore, I only have two clips to share with you. In watching his limited reps, I came away pretty impressed with the second-year player. He played with a solid anchor and good form. It showed in his PFF grade as well, as he earned a 78.2 pass block grade and 65.7 grade overall.

Going back to the play where Stinnie gave up part of the sack, focus your attention now on the center. Hainsey gets a bit of help from Alex Cappa, but overall Hainsey keeps his anchor and walls off Dexter Lawrence. Multiple offensive linemen lost on this play, but Hainsey was not one of them.

Remember that Dolphins clip where Stinnie successfully executes his reach block? Again, shift your eyes to the center. Hainsey is just as successful in firing off the line, gaining leverage and tilting his body to wall off his defender. Then Hainsey climbs to try and get to a second defender.

Who Is Better Suited To Win The Battle?

Overall, there is not enough tape on either of these players for me to say definitively which one I think is better suited to win the starting spot. Add Goedecke into the mix and it truly should be a camp battle.

Out of these two players I would lean Hainsey, as I think his physicality and frame give him a higher ceiling than Stinnie. Stinnie to me is the perfect backup guard who can spot start and use his technical prowess to fill in well in a pinch. If anyone not named Goedecke wins this battle I hope it will be Hainsey.