NASHVILLE, Tenn. ― Maybe Tom Brady should take another week off. No need to rush back to work. Stay away for personal safety.
The Bucs already have lost starting center Ryan Jensen to a significant and possibly season-ending knee injury. Right tackle Tristan Wirfs is out with a strained oblique. Now, there is a saloon door at left guard.
Heading into the final preseason game, we have learned this: the Bucs’ offensive line is not just a need area. Right now, it’s a disaster area.
In Saturday night’s 13-3 loss to the Titans, rookie Luke Goedeke got his first NFL start at the position vacated by retired guard Ali Marpet. The second-round pick from Central Michigan gave up a holding penalty. Then another holding penalty. Then, for good measure, a sack.
To make matters worse, guard Aaron Stinnie suffered a major left knee injury late in the third quarter when running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn was thrown into him by the Titans’ Adrian Colbert after a 1-yard gain. Stinnie, who started three playoff games including Super Bowl 55, was carted off the field.
In Saturday’s preseason game, quarterback Kyle Trask didn’t have time to step into his throws.
On a pass attempt to Jaelon Darden in the second quarter, Trask’s arm was hit on the follow-through and the ball was intercepted by former Bucs linebacker Joe Jones, who returned it 38 yards to the Tampa Bay 19.
A few plays later, Titans rookie quarterback Malik Willis fired a 6-yard touchdown pass to Chig Okonkwo.
How bad was the Bucs’ offense in the first half?
Running back Leonard Fournette ripped off a 10-yard run on the first play from scrimmage. The Bucs gained 85 total yards after that in the first half.
There were some missed opportunities, for sure. Scotty Miller dropped a deep pass from Trask near the sideline.
Trask made a nifty shovel pass under pressure to rookie running back Rachaad White, who promptly lost a fumble.
In the third quarter, right tackle Brandon Walton was beaten to the outside by linebacker Ola Adeniyi, who knocked the football out of Trask’s hand. The former Gators quarterback recovered his own fumble, but not before he took a hard hit in the back from Adeniyi.
On the few occasions Trask had time, he made some good throws. Rookie receiver Deven Thompkins continued to impress, making a nifty 34-yard catch near the sideline.
Defensively, the Bucs inserted a few more starters into the lineup this week, and some of them were dominant.
Outside linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, making his first appearance of the preseason, consistently applied pressure to Willis and chased the rookie from Liberty all over Nissan Stadium. He had three tackles, including two for a loss, in a brief appearance.
The Bucs’ only score came courtesy of a 52-yard field goal by placekicker Ryan Succop.
The Bucs play their final preseason game next Saturday at Indianapolis.
Brady left training camp Aug. 11 for “personal reasons.” Coach Todd Bowles has said he knows when Brady is returning. The Bucs are off on Sunday but could return to practice Monday at the earliest.
If Saturday’s preseason game was any indication, Brady may be wise not to play against the Colts.
The Bucs have about 22 days to figure out how to protect Brady.
