Jason Licht: Luke Goedeke’s Rookie Season Was “Unfair” – JoeBucsFan.com – Tampa Bay Bucs Blog, Buccaneers News

Jason Licht reacts.

Oh, trust Joe. Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht heard Tampa Bay fans holler.

As October grew less hot, Bucs fans became hotter under the collar. They hated rookie left guard Luke Goedeke and not only wanted him benched, but thrown back into the MAC from whence he came.

Goedeke quickly became a target when the offensive line proved not to be as rock solid as it had been for years. Joe strongly believes in 2020, and likely in 2021 as well, the Bucs had the best offensive line in the NFL.

NFL fans generally love to stomp their feet and holler about offensive lines.

Goedeke was eventually benched and Joe could argue the team used an injury as a cover to sit him. Nick Leverett took over at left guard in Week 8 and Goedeke really never saw the field much until the final game of the season when he started at right tackle for injured Tristan Wirfs.

And pretty much every Bucs fan, including Joe, believes Goedekie’s one-game stint at right tackle was his best ball he had all season possibly outside of opening day.

Licht admitted this week in Indianapolis that Goedeke struggled. But Licht believes the hysteria about Goedeke’s troubles were over the top and called them “unfair.”

“Well, I think Luke last year – as a rookie coming in from playing right tackle at Central Michigan to left guard, which is a move to the other side which is never easy – started the season off well, but then went through a gauntlet of some of the top premier three-techniques in the NFL,” Licht said. “He was maybe a bit unfairly evaluated for a rookie. I think he is going to take a big step up.”

Well, a big reason for the freakout was that there was so much at stake last year. Failed Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich was in the same boat. The Bucs were desperately trying one last run for a Super Bowl in what pretty much everyone believed was Tom Brady’s last ride.

If the Bucs were expected to finish last in the division with Blaine Gabbert, there wouldn’t have been nearly the wild reaction to Goedeke getting worked over.