It’s safe to say we’re not sure what form the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense is going to take moving forward without star wide receiver Chris Godwin, who is out for the season with a dislocated ankle, and without star wide receiver Mike Evans, who is out until at least the bye in Week 11.
One thing we know the Buccaneers will have to do, regardless of who is on the field, is continue to throw the ball — even if it’s not exactly clear who they’ll be throwing it to.
Another thing we know for sure is that their interior offensive line isn’t very good at pass blocking. That’s why ESPN’s Seth Walder thinks the Buccaneers should go for an upgrade up front and trade for Las Vegas Raiders veteran offensive lineman Cody Whitehair.
“Bucs guards Ben Bredeson and Cody Mauch rank 58th and 61st out of 64 qualifiers at guard in pass block win rate, respectively, and the team could use Whitehair to sub in for one of them to shore up the pass protection,” Walder wrote. “After starting at the beginning of the season, Whitehair is now a reserve in Las Vegas. But the win rates have always loved the 32-year-old guard; he finished top 10 in pass block win rate at guard in both 2022 and 2023.”
Kansas Schoolboy Star, Kansas State Star, NFL Star
Whitehair took his place among the greatest high school football players in Kansas history at tiny Abilene High School before cementing his legend in the Sunflower State by playing on some of the greatest teams in Kansas State history under head coach Bill Snyder, including the 2012 Big 12 championship team that made it to the Fiesta Bowl.
The Chicago Bears drafted Whitehair in the second round (No. 56 overall) of the 2016 NFL draft and he started every game for 4 consecutive seasons and all but 2 games over his first 5 seasons, including making the All-Rookie Team in 2016 and earning Pro Bowl honors in 2018.
Whitehair cashed in big with the Bears following his Pro Bowl season, to the tune of a 5-year, $51.25 million contract extension in September 2019. Following 8 seasons with the Bears, Whitehair signed a 1-year, $2.5 million contract with the Raiders in April 2024.
For his career, Whitehair has played in 131 games with 120 starts.
Buccaneers Might Have to Turn to Running Game
What was a weakness for the Buccaneers to start the season might be their offense’s strength now with a resurgent running game.
More than ever, Tampa Bay will have to rely on what’s become a 3-headed monster in the backfield with veterans Rachaad White and Sean Tucker alongside rookie Bucky Irving, who leads all NFL rookies in rushing yards.
The Buccaneers have had one of the elite offenses in the NFL through the first 7 games of 2024 and are ranked No. 5 in the NFL in total offense at 383.4 yards per game and are ranked No. 8 in team rushing at 135.1 yards per game but only have 6 rushing touchdowns.
That’s a much different group than what Tampa Bay rolled out in 2023, when they finished dead last among 32 NFL teams in rushing yet still managed to win a third consecutive NFC South Division title.
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Trade Proposal Brings Bucs $51 Million Pro Bowler From AFC West