Every year, teams lose players in free agency, and the Buccaneers are no different. Some of them are past their prime, some of them are injury-prone, some of them never live up to their potential and others just want the opportunity to try to start somewhere else.
Last season, the Bucs watched Shaq Barrett depart in free agency after starting for several years for the team. This season, the Bucs could be losing another two-year starter, as center Robert Hainsey’s contract is set to expire.
Prior to this season, Hensey had started the previous two seasons at center for the Bucs. He was thrust back into action in Week 6 against the New Orleans Saints after Barton was sidelined with an injury and was excellent, registering a 71.1 run-blocking grade and a pass-blocking grade of 81.0 per Pro Football Focus,
Appearing on The Pivot Podcast, Hainsey’s teammate and best friend Tristan Wirfs alluded to the fact that 2024 was Hainsey’s last season with the team.
“He started the past two years,” Wirfs said. “Ended up not being the starter [this year]. We drafted Graham Barton. He came in. But Hainsey, he took it – it was tough for him at first. But him being a veteran now. Teaching Graham the ropes. Teaching him the way. And now Hainsey is going to be a free agent. He’s going to go play somewhere.”
Wirfs confirmed what has been expected since Hainsey’s demotion. There are just a handful of top-tier centers in the league and Hainsey should have no problem finding a situation that will allow him to compete for a starting job.
“There’s not 31 centers in the league better than him,” Wirfs said. “We talked about it all year. Like, ‘I’m going to leave. I’m not going to be here next year.’ We give Graham a hard time about it, like it’s never going to be this good. I thought we had an incredible O-line room. We just give him a hard time.”
Wirfs' relationship with Hainsey is a special one. The two have been inseparable over the last four years. After their loss to the Washington Commanders, he was seen embracing him and was asked by hosts Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor, and Channing Crowder what that moment was like for him after the game.
“Yeah, that was Robert Hainsey. He’s my best friend,” Wirfs said. “He came in a year after me. And we just did everything together. Because I came into a room that was a very veteran-led room. Everyone had kids. Everyone was older. But he came in and I was like, ‘Yeah we are hanging out.’ We got to do everything together. So, that was an emotional moment.
"That was kind of the realization that he’s leaving. It’s over. Because it’s never going to be the same. That’s how it is in the NFL. But that was kind of the realization that he is leaving. It was emotional. Like, I love the O-line room we had this year was the best I have ever been a part of. And we are so close.”
The Bucs have several offensive linemen who started games for them set to be unrestricted free agents. In addition to Hainsey, starting left guard Ben Bredeson and swing tackle Justin Skule are also set to hit the market. While Skuke and Bredeson could return it sounds like Hainsey will look for an opportunity to start somewhere else.
“We have three free agents. We have Robert Hainsey, Ben Bredeson, Justin Skule,” Wirfs said. “And those guys are my best friends. It sucked. But that’s the NFL. I hope we can get someone back. I know Hainsey wants to go play. He loves ball. He loves playing. He’s one of the smartest guys I know. Tough as nails.”
With Hainsey apparently headed to a new team and no clear backup center on the roster look for the Bucs to look for someone to backup Barton in free agency or the draft.
