Which Buccaneers Lineman Has Inside Track to Win Left Guard Job?
When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted rookie offensive guard Luke Goedeke, the speculation about him taking over Ali Marpet's open position began immediately.
The early returns have seen Aaron Stinnie and Nick Leverett take the majority of first-team reps. However, Goedeke spent time with the starters for the first time during Thursday's practice. Head coach Todd Bowles commented on his development following the session.
“Now’s the time to give him a look. You can’t put him in early because he hasn’t learned everything," Bowles said. "He’s learned enough now to go in and play. Like we’ve said, we’re giving all these guys shots at guard and his time has come.”
Despite Goedeke taking first-team reps on Thursday, it appears that Stinnie and Leverett have a leg up on him in the battle to start at left guard.
"(Goedeke) has yet really to do much with the first team," Scott Smith, senior writer and editor of Buccaneers.com said on Thursday's episode of Locked On Bucs. "I think that's an indication that they're not ready to make him part of the competition to be the opening day left guard...I still think he's part of the future at the position."
Smith tweeted on Wednesday that following Leverett's start against the Miami Dolphins in the preseason opener, it appeared on the first day of joint practices with the Tennessee Titans that Stinnie was now getting his chance to show what he's capable of.
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The basis of the tweet came off the words of Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles, who said earlier this preseason that he didn't want to rotate guys in for snaps within a given contest with the first team.
Instead, Bowles wanted to see them play in games as the first team guard, and then rotate for future games as needed to continue their evaluation.
Sticking to that intent, if Leverett was the first team left guard against the Dolphins, it would make sense that Stinnie were the guy against the Titans.
But who has the inside track on the job?
"If I had to guess right now, simply because he got the first crack at it, I'd go with Nick Leverett," Smiths said. "I don't think that's anywhere close to being resolved, but if I had to guess right now I'd go Leverett."
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Smith also leaned on the fact that while the competition is still open, Stinnie has been doing most of his work this training camp at right guard while Leverett has remained on the left side, or at center.
He also mentioned Brandon Walton as a potential name to watch for the Buccaneers' third preseason game in Indianapolis, as a guy who could get some reps there as well.
For more on this and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers check out James Yarcho and David Harrison on the Locked On Bucs Podcast!
