In a now annual tradition, Pro Football Focus has started their series of top players at each position in the NFL. The site just dropped their offensive tackle rankings and the Bucs fare very well.

Tristan Wirfs (Almost) Tops List

All-Pro Tristan Wirfs clocks in at second overall. He is only bested by the apparently ageless Trent Williams of the 49ers. Here is what PFF had to say about the Bucs franchise left tackle.

Bucs LT Tristan Wirfs – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Buccaneers’ decision to move Wirfs from right to left tackle before the 2023 season raised questions about whether his performance would decline. However, Wirfs recorded the second-highest pass-blocking grade among all offensive tackles and finished with a top-five overall grade for the first time in his career (83.0).

Wirfs may have held the top spot on this list had he stayed on the right side. But nevertheless, he made the transition to the blind side and still played at an extremely high level. Among qualified starters he ranked eighth in pressures allowed and third in pass blocking efficiency.

He was able to do this without the “Brady-effect” benefit many offensive linemen over the years have enjoyed. Baker Mayfield’s time to throw in 2023 (2.74 seconds) was over half a second slower than Brady’s the year before.

All of this does nothing but give him an even stronger case for the record-setting contract he is likely seeking from the Bucs.

Bucs Have Second Player Make List

With PFF ranking the top 32 offensive tackles every NFL team should be hoping for at least one player to make the list. The best teams have two. And the Bucs make the ranks of the best. Joining Wirfs on the list is right tackle Luke Goedeke. After an abysmal rookie season at left guard, Goedeke transitioned back to the position he played in college and enjoyed a huge bounce-back season. Here is what PFF said about Goedeke’s sophomore season.

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

When it was announced that Goedeke would move from left guard to right tackle after a somewhat disappointing rookie season, few would have bet that he would appear on this list a year later. However, the Central Michigan product put together a really impressive season, as he ranked eighth among right tackles in pass blocking grade (72.5).

Goedeke’s solid pass protection was complimented by a solid run blocking grade as well. As a matter of fact, Wirfs and Goedeke led the Bucs offensive line in run blocking grades as the only two players with above average grades. Wirfs had a 73.8 run blocking grade and Goedeke had a 70.0 grade. The Bucs are actively trying to upgrade their interior offensive line with as many as two new starters in 2024, while the tackle duo remain the anchors of the line.

As general manager Jason Licht continues to rebuild the roster on the fly in a post-Brady era having two stalwarts bookending the offensive line makes for a huge boon as he tries to upgrade other areas.