National outlet tabs Buccaneer who made a huge turnaround in 2023 as its most underrated player

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a franchise that doesn't get a whole lot of publicity on a large scale, especially with Tom Brady having retired and moved on to the broadcast booth.  

But really, that's been the case for the franchise's existence outside of Brady's three years in town.  Players who would have been celebrated superstars in major markets haven't quite had the respect they've deserved simply by playing in the bay. 

As such, Pro Football Focus' list of their most underrated players for each team was particularly of interest.  After all, who could be the most underrated player on perhaps the most underappreciated franchise in the league?  One who has been to the playoffs four straight seasons with three straight division titles.  

While I would still probably argue that should be Lavonte David or Mike Evans - two players who would be shoe-in future Hall of Famers in most other markets - given they're still playing at a high level, PFF went a different direction with their pick.  The national outlet went with right tackle Luke Goedeke.  

Goedeke moved from left guard to right tackle between the 2022 and 2023 seasons — an already impressive shift — and even managed to play better at his new position. While his 73.4 PFF overall grade in 2023 ranked 27th among all offensive tackles in the NFL, he was one of just seven right tackles to earn 70.0-plus pass-blocking and run-blocking grades.

Goedeke, the Bucs' second round pick in 2022 out of Central Michigan, started off his career by sliding inside to guard after playing right tackle in college.  That proved to be a mistake, as he struggled inside for the majority of his rookie season.  

The shift back outside to right tackle after Tristan Wirfs was moved from right to left tackle proved to be the change he needed to get his career trajectory pointed up.  There's little doubt that it worked.  Goedeke has proven to be a physical and nasty blocker in the run game while holding his own on the outside in pass protection.  

If he can continue his level of play in 2023 this fall, he won't be nearly as unknown of a commodity for much longer.