Offensive line expert Brandon Thorn is one of the best in the business. His tape breakdowns of offensive line play on Twitter has made him a coveted follow for many fans. So Bucs fans should appreciate his evaluation of Tampa Bay’s offensive line at the midseason point. Per his article on EstablishTheRun.com, Thorn ranks the Bucs offensive line as the NFL’s best eight weeks into the season.

Thorn mentions left guard Ali Marpet, center Ryan Jensen and right tackle Tristan Wirfs as the unit’s three “elite” players. That trio should be headed toward Pro Bowl recognition this season. Marpet was named to Pro Football Focus’ All-Midseason second team earlier this week. The OL expert also acknowledges left tackle Donovan Smith’s continued improved play since last season. Smith has allowed just one sack and 15 pressures in 2021.

Bucs C Ryan Jensen and QB Tom Brady – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

It’s important to note the role Tom Brady plays in his unit’s strong numbers. Thorn reinforces this in his article, stating the following:

“A large portion of the unit’s success as pass-protectors can be attributed to QB Tom Brady’s near flawless pocket presence and quick trigger. But when you study them on film they are communicating and playing off of one another exceptionally well, plus winning their individual matchups at a ridiculously high level.”

Before the 2021 season, Thorn ranked the Bucs offensive line third amongst all NFL units. You can read the full midseason OL rankings article right here. You can also follow all of Thorn’s work on his substack right here.