Bucs Gameday

Pro Football Focus Identifies Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Most Underrated Player

The Buccaneers' former second round draft pick took a major step forward last season, with his performance leaving plenty of optimism for what he can achieve in the years to come.

Collin Haalboom

Dec 25, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard Luke Goedeke (67) against the
Dec 25, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard Luke Goedeke (67) against the / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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Every team in the NFL has players who don't receive the public recognition they deserve.

For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, players like Mike Evans, Lavonte David, Chris Godwin and Vita Vea haven't always received their fair share of praise (at least around the league) based on the consistent performance and production they put forth on the football field.

READ MORE: Buccaneers Offense Ranked Ridiculously Low Heading Into 2024 Season

That said, each of those players have been discussed as 'underrated' for so long that they have in turn at least received some form of recognition. Winning a Super Bowl with Tom Brady as their quarterback also helped each of those players gain some much-deserved notoriety.

Taking that into consideration, identifying the most underrated player on the 2024 Buccaneers' becomes a more challenging endeavor. But that's exactly what Pro Football Focus did in a recent article where they recognized the most underrated player for each team in the NFL.

In the article, PFF named third-year right tackle, Luke Goedeke, as the Buccaneers' most underrated player.

"Goedeke moved from left guard to right tackle between the 2022 and 2023 seasons — an already impressive shift — and even managed to play better at his new position. While his 73.4 PFF overall grade in 2023 ranked 27th among all offensive tackles in the NFL, he was one of just seven right tackles to earn 70.0-plus pass-blocking and run-blocking grades."

Goedeke's 2022 rookie season was somewhat of an experiment. The results of that experiment were, for lack of a better term, a failure. So basically, 2023 was more or less a second rookie season for the former Central Michigan product. Still, Goedeke was tremendous acting as the bookend opposite Tristan Wirfs.

READ MORE: LOOK: Two 2024 Buccaneers Rookies Don Red and Pewter For the First Time

The fact that Goedeke was able to excel in both the run and the pass game at his new position is a testament to his strength, versatility, and intelligence within the Buccaneers' offensive scheme. That he was able to do so at such a high level on such a quick turnaround from playing guard is a testament to his work ethic and commitment to a long and successful career in the NFL.

When I interviewed Goedeke immediately following his team's heartbreaking loss to the Detroit Lions in the Divisional Round Playoffs back in January, I asked him about his plans for the upcoming offseason. Goedeke's response? Well, it tells you all you need to know about where his priorities lie.

Based on his play last season and his dedication to training and improvement, I would be shocked if Luke Goedeke doesn't take another step forward next season. And if he does? That will give the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a realistic claim to having one of the best offensive tackle tandems in the entire NFL.

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Collin Haalboom

COLLIN HAALBOOM

Prior to joining BucsGameday and Sports Illustrated, Collin's written content was provided through Bucs Banter, and NFL Draft Lounge. He is also the creator and host of the Bucs Banter Podcast. He is a graduate of the Communication Studies program at McMaster University, where he was also a varsity basketball player, and later an advanced scout. He lives with his wife and two children in Hamilton, ON. You can follow Collin on YouTube and Twitter.