Pro Football Focus recently released its offensive line rankings heading into the 2020 NFL season, with the Bucs’ unit ranking 13th in the league after finishing seventh on their list in 2019.
Pointing to offensive guard Ali Marpet and center Ryan Jensen as the anchors of the Bucs’ offensive line, Marpet has been the 14th-highest graded interior offensive lineman in his five seasons since being drafted while Jensen bounced back from a career-low grade of 55.7 in 2018 with a 79.3 grade in 2019, the third-highest grade among centers.
Bucs C Ryan Jensen – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
At the tackle position, rookie Tristan Wirfs, the Bucs’ first-round pick, was the No. 2 offensive tackle on this year’s PFF draft board while left tackle Donovan Smith has raised his PFF grade each year of his career. Smith posted a 70.8 overall grade last season, good for 32nd among all tackles, with a career-low 34 pressures allowed.
The weakest link on the Bucs’ offensive line, according to PFF, is right guard Alex Cappa, who posted a 62.7 overall grade in 2019. But senior analyst Steve Palazzolo believes that Tampa Bay’s interior unit could be among the league’s best if Cappa can take a step forward in his third year in the league.
Tampa Bay’s ranking puts them just below the Kansas City Chiefs, and at the second-highest spot in the NFC South, trailing only the New Orleans Saints, who came in at No. 2 on PFF’s list.
The list is speculative and the Bucs’ ranking could now be massively impacted by Smith’s decision to play this upcoming season, if there is any season to play, following his statement on the potential health risks of football getting geared up amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
