Ranking season is in full swing. Grading site Pro Football Focus is busy ranking the top 32 players at each position group. In their latest iteration both of the Bucs’ starting offensive tackles make the cut.
Tristan Wirfs
The Bucs’ All-Pro left tackle falls just one spot shy of the pole position on the list written by Zoltán Bunday. Placing just behind Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata, Bunday wrote of Wirfs, “There has been no better pass-blocking offensive tackle in the NFL in recent years than Wirfs. Not only did he permit zero sacks in 2024, but he also allowed pressure on just 1.9% of pass plays — the best rate among all offensive tackles.
The gap between Wirfs and the second-place left tackle in pressure rate allowed — 1 percentage point — is the equivalent of the gap between the second- and sixth-ranked left tackles.”
Bucs RT Tristan Wirfs and Eagles LB Zach Baun – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Wirfs’ 13 pressures allowed in 2024 were the second lowest of his career and the lowest of any qualifying tackle last year. He lost out on the top spot on the list most likely due to his more inconsistent run blocking grades. Mailata rates well in both aspects of the position while Wirfs’ 62.8 run block grade from PFF ranked 36th overall. Still, there is perhaps no better pass protector in the NFL at this moment in time.
Luke Goedeke
Goedeke followed up his strong debut as a right tackle in 2023 with an even better 2024. Bunday had positive thoughts for the 2022 2nd round draft pick.
“The former second-round pick endured a rough rookie season in 2022 but made one of the biggest improvements in the NFL when he ranked 27th among all offensive tackles with a 73.4 PFF overall grade in 2023.
Goedeke has been nothing if not consistent since then, as he replicated his performance in 2024 with a 74.2 PFF overall grade, which once again ranked 27th at the position. The 3.2% pressure rate he allowed was the best clip of his career by a significant margin.”
Bunday highlights Goedeke’s pass protection which helped quarterback
His 75.7 run block grade was 16th best among all tackles and his 76.8 pass block grade was 25th overall. That makes his 29th overall ranking on the list a bit questionable. This sentiment was expressed by former NFL offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz who noted the lack of consistency in how the rankings had come by.
This list and the blurbs don’t make a ton of sense. It’s like with each guy they’re just chosen on whichever metric they want to weight more heavily. There’s no universe where Lane isn’t a top 3 tackle in the NFL. And if you’re going off their grades, as they said he’s one of two… https://t.co/cOZbfDNbYH
— Mitchell Schwartz (@MitchSchwartz71) June 1, 2025
While a quality pass protector in his own right, Goedeke’s best reps are as a run blocker, where he and right guard Cody Mauch make one of the most lethal run blocking double teams in the league.
Luke Goedeke burying the DE 10 yards down field away from the ball pic.twitter.com/nDTEMygiOI
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) August 24, 2024
Per PFF’s own data the Bucs averaged 5.4 yards per carry when running to the right vs. 4.5 when running to the left side.
Bucs Have Rare Ranking Distinction.
Wirfs and Goedeke becoming high end bookends has helped the Bucs’ offense to become one of the best offenses in the league. Tampa Bay ranked top 5 in almost every major offensive statistical category last year. The two make the Bucs one of just 10 teams in the league with two tackles on the list. The others are the Eagles, Chargers, Lions, Vikings, Packers, Colts, Rams, Falcons and Bears.