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The 2025 season kicks off Thursday night, August 28 against Boise State!
Few Bucs players made a bigger leap in 2024 than right guard Cody Mauch. The former second-round pick out of North Dakota State entered his second NFL season with plenty to prove — and he delivered in a big way.
After a rocky rookie campaign marked by growing pains and inconsistency, Mauch transformed into a reliable, physical force at right guard, anchoring one of the league’s most improved offensive lines. He wasn’t just better — he was noticeably better, week in and week out, showing refined technique, sharper awareness, and grit. Mauch’s growth became one of the quiet keys to Tampa Bay’s success. His ability to handle stunts, hold up in pass pro, and open interior lanes in the run game was night-and-day from the year before.
Now, entering his third training camp, Mauch is ready to get back into the routine of the season and discussed just how special the camaraderie within the offensive line room is.
For Cody Mauch, It’s About Picking Up Where He And The Bucs’ Offense Left Off
As the Bucs’ offense enters this season, they will be looking to build upon the brilliance and balance they found last season. The unit ranked in the top 5 in total yards, passing, rushing, scoring, and third-down conversions in 2024.
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and RG Cody Mauch – Photo by: USA Today
They also broke a franchise record with 2,536 rushing yards. Quarterback Baker Mayfield had a career year, throwing for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns while completing 71.4% of his passes – making the Bucs the first team in league history to combine a 70%+ completion rate while averaging over five yards per carry. Under former offensive coordinator Liam Coen’s direction, Tampa Bay was a statistical juggernaut, pairing high efficiency passing with a revitalized ground game.
Mauch’s emergence mirrored the offense’s overall surge, and as they aim to reach the same heights under offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard in 2025, he shared his thoughts about how things have gone so far.
Bucs OC Josh Grizzard and QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
“It’s relatively similar, not a whole lot [of] changes,” Mauch said of Grizzard’s offense. “There are a couple nuances and whatnot – only things that will make us better. That was the biggest thing this offseason and especially this training camp is we don’t really have to spend as much time putting plays in because it’s all similar stuff that we’ve done [in] the past. That helps a lot.”
Progress comes by stacking days and transforming back into a football mindset.
“I know everyone is getting back into the swing of things,” Mauch added. “We had a really good offseason, OTAs, minicamp, [things] like that. Working together, working individually. It’s just getting back to where we left off with that. It almost takes a couple of days I’d say, to get back into the headspace you were in when you’re really working techniques and whatnot. It’s kind of getting back into that and get the feet going, get the hands going. That’s really the biggest thing right away.”
Playing With Bucs’ O-Line Is Like “Coming To Hang Out With Your Buddies”
As Cody Mauch and the rest of the team embark on the dog days of summer that is Bucs training camp, it is a chance to get to hang out with some of his closest pals.
To Mauch, it is unlike any other NFL offensive line room.
“It’s great,” Mauch said. “I don’t have anything else to compare it to in the NFL because I’ve only been here, but I can’t imagine there’s a better offensive line room anywhere else. Every single year we’ve been here, it’s such a great group of guys. It doesn’t really feel like you’re coming into work, it just feels like you’re coming to hang out with your buddies. Obviously, we’re working, we’re grinding here. It is a lot more fun when you enjoy the people that you’re with. I wouldn’t want to play with anybody else than these O-linemen.”
Known for being the most tight-knit position group on the team, the big guys upfront have quietly evolved into one of the league’s better units. Mauch credits the close relationships with his fellow linemen — particularly right tackle Luke Goedeke and center Graham Barton — for helping unlock another level in his play.
Bucs C Graham Barton and RG Cody Mauch – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
“Now it’s my second year playing with Graham, third year now with Luke,” Mauch said. “I love playing next to Luke, we really feel off each other really well. We really have good chemistry coming into year three for me.”
While all of this is well and good, that is not to say the offensive line has not been without recent challenges and changes. With left tackle Tristan Wirfs having minor knee surgery that will keep him out to begin the season, Charlie Heck is the next man up at the position. After offensive tackle Garret Greenfield’s sudden retirement and working out a handful of veteran offensive tackles, the Bucs then signed two more offensive linemen while waiving another on Thursday.
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Despite several players coming and going, much of the core remains intact and will aim to hold down the fort until Wirfs returns. Whether they are grinding in the trenches or hanging out off the field, Cody Mauch and the Bucs’ offensive line are gearing up to prove last year’s leap was not a fluke but laying the foundation to establish themselves as an elite team.