Entering year three, Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting right tackle Luke Goedeke is staring down the biggest season of his young career. 

One of the biggest cliches in sports is that it’s not how you start; it’s how you finish. Unofficially, though, the expression that goes hand in hand with that in professional sports is that money talks and people walk. 

Now, more than halfway through his rookie contract, the Bucs’ former second-round pick could earn himself a big payday next offseason if he can prove that last year’s drastic improvement on the field wasn’t just a one-year swing but a turning point in his career’s trajectory. 

“My ceiling is extremely high; I’m just scratching the surface,” Goedeke said. “I want be an All-Pro and Pro Bowl player at the end of the day and help this team win championships.”

Luke Goedeke’s Improvement Last Year

Coming out of Central Michigan in 2022, Tampa Bay selected Luke Goedeke, a former tight end turned First Team All-MAC at right tackle, with the understanding that he would experience growing pains as a small school standout who was still adjusting to life as an offensive lineman. 

The knock on Goedeke as a prospect was that he had shorter arms than a prototypical tackle, so there was a belief that his future in the NFL would be at offensive guard. 

In his rookie season, Goedeke would start eight games at left guard for the Bucs but struggled mightily, earning a 43.4 grade from Pro Football Focus for his efforts. His second season would see him transition to right tackle as Tristan Wirfs slid over to the blindside to protect eventual Pro Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield. 

Bucs RB Rachaad White and RT Luke Goedeke – Photo by: USA Today

Transitioning to playing right tackle in the NFL went much smoother than Goedeke’s attempt at guard. In 2023, he had a 72.5 overall grade, according to PFF, and was one of seven right tackles in the league to earn a 70+ grade in both pass protection and run blocking. 

Heading into the 2024 season, Wirfs (2) and Goedeke (25) are both ranked among the top tackles in the NFL according to PFF, but the latter is still trying to climb the ranks in his third season and reach the heights of his fellow tackle.

“My goal is to be [the same] caliber [of] player as Tristan is,” Goedeke said. “I’ve just always had a drive and determination to be one of the best tackles in the league [like Tristan]. I just wanna push myself to get there and learn from him.”

What Tampa Bay Needs This Season

The Buccaneers need to improve at running the football. Despite offensive tackles more often being associated with pass protection, Luke Goedeke might actually add the most value to both the Bucs’ offense and his own pockets by improving as a run blocker. 

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

“Our job is to block for (Baker Mayfield), the [running] back, and the whole offense,” Goedeke said of the offensive line and what could improve. “We just want to give them the best opportunity we can.”

Last regular season, despite having the ninth fewest rushing attempts per game among all NFL teams by averaging roughly 26 carries, the Bucs had the lowest number of yards per carry in the NFL at 3.4, the fewest number of rushing yards per game at 88.8, and was tied for the second-fewest total rushing touchdowns in the league at eight. 

Saying that Tampa Bay’s run game was essentially nonexistent in 2023 would be a pretty fair assessment, but Mayfield sounds confident that things will be different this season. In a recent press conference, the starting quarterback said the strength of the team’s offense in 2024 would be its versatility and mentioned its improved run game.

Although the regular season is still a few weeks away, the Bucs’ new offensive coordinator, Liam Coen, has brought new looks to the offense overall, and although the starting unit hasn’t yet played, the next scheme has found success running the football during the preseason.

Head coach Todd Bowles is a renowned defensive mind with an affinity for his run game. He would like to utilize play-action more often this season.

Bucs OC Liam Coen – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“If you can get the running game straightened out, play-action is everything,” Bowles said. “If you can’t move the ball, then play action means nothing; everybody’s just gonna sit back, so you might as well drop back. So, it’s imperative for play-action work that we have some type of running game.”

It sounds like the Buccaneers are making an effort to establish the run in 2024, and that started in the NFL Draft.

With the team’s first-round pick, the Bucs drafted a new starting center, Graham Barton, out of Duke. Similarly to Goedeke’s rookie season, Barton is moving into the interior of the line after being an All-ACC left tackle with the Blue Devils last season. Still, he’s confident in his abilities as a run blocker. 

“Run blocking is sort of how I made a name for myself in college, and I think that it’ll be something that I continue to [be] my strong suit,” Barton said. “The biggest difference [going] from tackle back to center is pass blocking. That’s going to take some time, but I’ve got better through camp and definitely will continue to do that through the season.”

While Goedeke was formidable in all facets last season, going from good to standout in the run game could help him stand out in contract negotiations.

“Run blocking, in particular, is really what we’re trying to pride ourselves on, and it shows during the first two preseason games,” Goedeke said. “Our run game is really gelling really nicely, and we’re really kicking off some nice runs in practice and even in the games.”

Top Tackles Are “Wirfs” Their Weight In Gold

Although it wasn’t the fastest process, Tampa Bay’s front office showed its appreciation for quality offensive linemen earlier this training camp when the organization extended Tristan Wirfs with the largest contract for an offensive lineman in NFL history, a deal worth $140.63 million over five years.

Following the extension, Goedeke was asked if he’d like to have a similar payday.

“I mean…that wouldn’t hurt,” Goedeke said while laughing before adding, “But we’ll see as the time goes.”

Bucs LT Tristan Wirfs and RT Luke Goedeke – Photo by: Cliff Welch P/R

If any team should recognize the importance of having a strong offensive line, it’s the Buccaneers. They won the 2020 Super Bowl as Patrick Mahomes ran for his life after injuries decimated his offensive line while a rookie Wirfs protected Tom Brady.

Although the offensive linemen may not receive the fanfare that top receivers do, they are arguably more important to the unit’s overall success, and they often do so without seeking as much attention. 

Wirfs participated in training camp even while negotiations were still active because of the fear of missing out he said he got when he was only able to watch the team practice during OTAs. Meanwhile, top receivers like CeeDee Lamb and Brandon Aiyuk, who were also first-round picks in Wirfs’ 2020 draft class, have continued to sit out as they await large paydays. 

A similar phenomenon has already begun for the 2021 class, where former first-round pick Ja’Maar Chase has already begun to sit out with two years remaining on his deal, the same amount of time currently remaining on Goedeke’s rookie contract. 

Price tags for extending top players continue to climb, as does the amount of players who seem to sit out awaiting new contracts. Depending on how he performs this season, Goedeke could be the next Buccaneer to sign a massive extension. A contract north of $17 million per year seems likely with another good season from Goedeke.

Goedeke had his first in-game opportunity of 2024 on Friday night against the Dolphins and looked up to the part. It’s the first step to begin establishing himself as a pillar of Tampa Bay’s future and someone deserving of being extended next offseason.