Tampa Bay Buccaneers' right tackle Luke Goedeke is expected to sign a contract extension, securing the offensive lineman for the next half-decade in the Bay. Goedeke, originally a second-round pick out of Central Michigan in the 2022 NFL Draft, has cemented himself as one of the premier tackles in the NFC. He began his career at left guard during his rookie campaign and underwent a learning curve before switching to right tackle. Tristan Wirfs was moved to left tackle to man Baker Mayfield's blindside and the corresponding move for Goedeke to the right side, where he played in college, accelerated his growth.
"I faced adversity my rookie year and I am grateful for the opportunity for one just to be in the NFL and I was going to do whatever they asked of me," noted Goedeke. "I did not meet expectations and got benched and kind of took a step back and was able to get more familiar with the position.
"At the end of the year I kind of picked up on it but then switched back to right tackle. But you know, adversity is going to come throughout the rest of my life whether it be in the NFL or my day-to-day life, but it is just, how do you come back from that? One of the big takeaways that I learned from that was that God always has a plan for you and whether you lose a rep, it was meant to happen, and you learned something from it. I took an approach that way and started elevating my game from there."
Goedeke played 905 snaps in 2024 and helped anchor the line with Wirfs. The former tight end-turned tackle is a voracious run blocker, dislodging opponents. He pairs outstanding awareness in pass protection with effective leg drive and jarring hand placement. With quick feet and a low center of gravity, Goedeke helps bolster the Bucs' frontline. Goedeke plays with a fiery disposition, finishing through the whistle every play. Alongside Wirfs, the Bucs have created one of the league's most fearsome tackle tandems but also, an intentional and unquantifiable friendship.
"We have talked about this even before he signed his extension, 'Hey, let's play 10-plus years here in Tampa together.' Wanted to make our dreams a reality," said Goedeke of playing with Wirfs. "He means the world to me. Heck, if he didn't switch to left tackle, I do not know where I would be today. I may be on a different team or still be at left guard. Very thankful for him and just the conversations we have had, I was very excited when he signed his extension, and I love Tristan to death. He called me last night after he saw the news [about Goedeke's pending extension…It is just great to be able to play football with one of your best friends and him playing on the opposite side and everything and going to war with him week-in and week-out."
