Buccaneers’ Ryan Jensen Replacement Needs a Breakout 2025 originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
When Ryan Jensen was injured in training camp in 2023, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a huge hole in the center of the offensive line. Robert Hainsey filled in sufficiently for a season before Jensen retired early in 2024.
While Hainsey was a fill-in, he wasn’t thought of as a permanent replacement at center in Tampa Bay.
The team took Duke‘s Graham Barton with the No. 26 overall pick in 2024, hoping he could live up to the lofty standards at center that Jensen had set in place. Barton was a guard in college, but the transition was thought to be an easy one for him due to his raw skills.
But Barton struggled during his rookie campaign, to the point of grading as one of football’s worst centers in 2024.
Per Pro Football Focus, Barton graded out to a 55.8, which ranks No. 45 out of 64 qualifying players at his position. He also led all centers with 13 penalties.
Look, rookies struggle. We know that. Very rarely does a guy come in – especially along the offensive line – and win battles. Now, take into account that Barton changed positions. While guard and center are similar, they’re not the same.
So Barton had two distinct disadvantages during his first season in the NFL: being a rookie and playing a new position.
Barton did, however, grade higher than Hainsey, who is now in Jacksonville.
The former Duke Blue Devil was also the lowest graded player on the Bucs offensive line.
Left tackle Tristan Wirfs earned an 82.5, left guard Ben Bredeson graded out to a 56.0, right guard Cody Mauch got a 74.6 and right tackle Luke Goedeke earned a 74.2.
The upcoming season could be, and should be, a breakout season for Barton.
He’s earning $14 million on his rookie deal as the No. 26 overall pick in the first round in 2024, and need to improve dramatically.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 14, 2025, where it first appeared.