The Bucs have used no less than six players at guard this season. Injuries to several starters have forced an almost conga line-esque rotation inside. But the front looks like it may be at its healthiest this season on Sunday against the Patriots. Four of the originally planned starters will take the field for the first time since week three. It will be the first time all season they have 80% of their original plan in their preferred positions.

But with Cody Mauch on injured reserve right guard is still a question mark that currently doesn’t have a defined answer. Four different players have started at right guard since Mauch was injured week two against the Texans. Luke Haggard was the first to step into Mauch’s shoes week three through five before exiting week six against the 49ers with a shoulder injury. Elijah Klein stepped in to finish that game. With Haggard out the following week the team turned to Mike Jordan, who had played well in the first two games of the season at left guard. The shift to the right side, which Jordan had not played much in his career, was a rough one and the team turned to veteran Dan Feeney in week eight.

With Haggard, Jordan, Klein and Feeney all healthy and available following the team’s bye week the Bucs have not publicly announced who the starter will be later today. Jordan is technically listed as the starter on the team’s official depth chart. But is he the best option going forward?

Assessing the options, one thing seems apparent. Klein is the break glass in case of emergency option. The team started him at left guard week three against the Jets. But at that time starting left guard Ben Bredeson was playing center as the team had a full line shuffle deployed while they awaited the return of left tackle Tristan Wirfs from offseason knee surgery, Feeney had just been signed off the Bills’ practice squad and hadn’t learned the playbook yet, Jordan was injured and Haggard was starting on the right side. Once the Bucs slid Bredeson back to left guard they have consistently started every other option over Klein, signaling they don’t think the young lineman is ready to compete with the more veteran options.

Mike Jordan

Since Jordan is listed as the starter it makes sense to start with him. He played perhaps the game of his life in week two against the Texans giving up just two pressures over 45 opportunities while the Bucs gained 55 yards and averaged 4.6 yards per carry while running to the left. But when Jordan was inserted back into the starting lineup in week seven against the Lions, he looked more like the journeyman that could be left unprotected on a practice squad than the potential fix for a starter lost for the season.

Bucs LG Michael Johnson and LT Graham Barton – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Lions interior players Alim McNeill and D.J. Reader presented a much more difficult matchup for Jordan than Sheldon Rankins and Tim Settle. Reader exposed Jordan’s lack of anchor and McNeill routinely beat him to spots and crossed his face. The Patriots will present similar challenges in Christian Barmore and Milton Williams. Jordan may be listed as the starter on paper, but I would be surprised if he is out there with Graham Barton and Bredeson protecting the interior come 1 pm.

Luke Haggard

Haggard, a 2023 undrafted free agent, has been the most consistent fill-in option for the Bucs this year; especially as a pass protector. Pro Football Focus has him as allowing only two pressures 138 opportunities. That’s a 1.4% pressure rate allowed. But Haggard has struggled as a run blocker in his four appearances. Broadly, the Bucs have averaged just 73 yards per game and 3.2 yards per carry from their designed run game when Haggard has played.

At six-feet-seven-inches, Haggard has a high cut and struggles to get low into his drive blocks. Additionally, he struggles to pull effectively. His targeting is inconsistent, and his height works against him trying to explode through defenders on the move.

When Tampa Bay’s offense was at its best last year it had an explosive run game complimenting their fantastic passing attack. Haggard’s pass protection has been a pleasant surprise this year, but if offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard wants a more balanced attack, Haggard may not be the best option to unlock a stagnant run game.

Dan Feeney

That leaves Feeney. The Bucs scooped him off the Bills practice squad in week three after they found out they would be without Mauch for the rest of the year. Feeney is a nine-year veteran who was a former third round pick of the Chargers. Feeney may not be the 1-v-1 pass protector Haggard is, and that is still not a foregone conclusion, but he is more athletic on the move and will work best in the Bucs’ preferred run game. Feeney can pull better than Haggard and Jordan. He gets low and carries momentum to a defined point. This helps him either stone or blow-up bracing defenders, clearing a path on pull leads and counter runs.

As a pass protector, Feeney has a career pressure allowed rate north of 6%. But his veteran presence may be more helpful beyond his singular abilities as a pass protector. Feeney’s experience shows on tape as he scans the field both pre- and post-snap looking for stunts, twists, loops, waves and second-level attacks. It’s his communication skills that likely set Feeney apart from the alternatives. Those traits shined through in week eight against the Saits as Feeney played a solid game, giving up just two pressures and working well in the run game. For what it’s worth Feeney graded a clear path to the endzone on one of the numerous attempts the Bucs made from the New Orleans one-yard line that failed to get punched in. The running back just didn’t follow him tot he promised land.

Bucs G Dan Feeney – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

One of the biggest issues with the Bucs’ pass protection issues this year, bigger than even Charlie Heck individually, has been pressure up the middle from defensive front games. This has been a big part of Graham Barton’s struggles as he moved back to center when Tristan Wirfs came back from injury. It’s no coincidence that Barton had his best game back on the inside as a pass protector with Feeney next to him.

On both a short-term and long-term timeline, helping Barton ascend has to be a priority for Tampa Bay. Placing a veteran who can be counted on to know what’s happening and where to should be a critical factor in determining who should start this week and going forward. For those reasons I think Feeney should and will get the start.