Some shocking news has come out late on Wednesday night as Bucs starting right guard Cody Mauch will be out for the remainder of the 2025 season due to a knee injury, per Greg Auman of Fox Sports. Mauch did not participate during Wednesday’s walkthrough practice and Todd Bowles said he is a “question mark” for the rest of the week.
Bucs guard Cody Mauch’s knee injury is significant enough he will require surgery that is expected to end his season. Another major loss for the Bucs, now down three starting OLs in the short term.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) September 18, 2025
This is as crushing of a blow as it gets for the Bucs. Their offensive line is in shambles at the moment. All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs has yet to play a game yet this season and might not be back just yet. Starting right tackle Luke Goedeke reaggravated a foot injury on Monday night and will miss several weeks. Now Mauch is done for the season and the Bucs are looking at a situation where they will be down three of their starting offensive lineman for the home opener and two starter on the right side for several weeks until Goedeke comes back.
Tampa Bay already had a makeshift offensive line as it was with typical starting center Graham Barton moving out to left tackle. Usual starting left guard Ben Bredeson going to center, and practice squad guard Michael Jordan getting called up the last two games to start at left guard. Then when Goedeke was out, Charlie Heck came in at right tackle and played the rest of the game in Week 2 on Monday.
Bucs RG Cody Mauch and RT Luke Goedeke – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Mauch was the only mainstay at right guard, playing his usual position. That won’t be the case anymore and Tampa Bay has a couple of options to decide on.
They’ve already moves very quickly as Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the Bucs have signed offensive lineman Dan Feeney, who was on the Bills practice squad. Feeney is 31 years old and has played for a handful of teams in his career. With four days to go before the Bucs play again, it’ll be difficult to get him up to speed and legitimately play in the game.
Bucs are expected to sign C/G Dan Feeney off Bills practice squad Thursday. Substantial starting experience in the league. In eight years, he started 65 of his 120 games played.
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) September 18, 2025
How Do The Bucs Put Together Their Offensive Line?
Tampa Bay comes into their home opener on Sunday with a couple of choices. If Wirfs is somehow able to play at left tackle, the Bucs would likely move Barton back to center, Bredeson back to left guard, could move Michael Jordan to right guard and have Charlie Heck at right tackle.
Bucs LG Michael Johnson and LT Graham Barton – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
If Wirfs does not play, which is more expected, it’s likely that the team elects to keep their new left side of the offensive line in tact with Barton at tackle, Jordan at left guard and Bredeson at center. Options that the Bucs will have at right guard replacing Mauch would be calling up Luke Haggaard or Ben Scott from the practice squad, or going with second year lineman Elijah Klein, who has showed versatility at all three positions.
The real answer is that there’s no replacing three offensive lineman at once but that what Tampa Bay has been tasked to do on a short week. It’s going to take every player on offense to come together and figure this out when the Bucs play on Sunday.