Newest Buccaneers re-signing is more important than you think

On Tuesday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers re-signed offensive lineman Sua Opeta to a one-year contract.

Although Opeta hasn't played a game for the Bucs, he was signed last March to compete with Ben Bredeson for the team's starting left guard position. Unfortunately, Opeta suffered a season ending knee injury during training camp and was never able to suit up for the Bucs during the regular season.

That said, Opeta made a strong impression during camp in 2024. In fact, many believe the 6'5", 305-pounder actually had the upper hand on being named the team's starter at LG before he went down. Opeta was brought over in free agency from playing a reserve role for a dominant offensive line in Philly, yet he still managed to start 11 games for the Eagles.

After being brought over to Tampa Bay, Bucs' offensive line coach, Kevin Carberry had some strong words regarding Opeta's potential.

“Sua [Opeta], 11 career starts in his time in Philly, came from a really good offense, really good offensive line. He had a lot of good players on that line that he was competing with. I think Sua is one of those guys, even though he was a backup in the league, he’s going to be a starter around the league.”

As we've since learned based on his first year running the OL room in Tampa, Carberry knows a thing or two about what makes an effective offensive lineman. The fact that he is so high on Opeta's ability is an important endorsement to consider when discussing the value Opeta could potentially bring to the Buccaneers' OL in 2025.

Although it's clear that Opeta has been re-signed to operate as a reserve OG, injuries happen a lot in the NFL. Look no further than last year's swing tackle, Justin Skule, who had to start numerous big games for the Bucs last year when Luke Goedeke was out of the lineup with a concussion. Skule has since signed with the Vikings, while valuable backup interior offensive lineman Robert Hainsey signed with the Jaguars.

Although the team is high on last year's sixth-round pick out of UTEP, Elijah Klein, the team's depth along the OL took a big hit, losing both Skule and Hainsey to free agency. So although Sua Opeta may not seem like a crucial player on the surface, bringing back a player with his talent, starting experience, and familiarity with the Bucs' blocking scheme is an important step to take if the offensive line hopes to recapture the success they had in 2024.

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