Pewter Report took the time to discuss the best Bucs players on Wednesday’s Pewter Report Podcast, but who would get the award for the most improved Buccaneer this season? There are a few worthy contenders, but one player stands out above the others.
Right guard Cody Mauch.
After being drafted by Tampa Bay in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Mauch started his entire rookie year, going through the expected ups and downs of a young offensive lineman who – like left tackle Tristan Wirfs, center Graham Barton, and right tackle Luke Goedeke – switched positions from where they played in college.
Utilizing his first NFL offseason to get bigger and build confidence was key for him to take a large jump and provide above-average play for much of this past season. Pro Football Focus was a big fan of his work, and Mauch took time late in the season to share what was key for his growth along one of the best offensive lines in the league.
Pro Football Focus Named Cody Mauch Most Improved Bucs Player In 2024
Pro Football Focus’ Thomas Valentine recently went over one player from each of the 32 NFL teams who have improved the most for their respective team, and right guard Cody Mauch was picked for the Bucs. Valentine had this to say about Mauch.
Cody Mauch struggled in his first season in the NFL, he was inserted into the Buccaneers’ lineup as their starting right guard from Day 1 and looked off the pace for large stretches of the season. He allowed 48 pressures and seven sacks, earning a 44.7 grade in 1,102 offensive snaps. Improvement was needed across the board, and Mauch delivered in 2024.
The former No. 49 overall pick was excellent in his second season, allowing a 2.7% pressure rate, the sixth-lowest among all guards, and his total pressures allowed dropped to just 18, which was 30 fewer than just a year ago. Mauch’s overall grade improved to 75.4, the 15th-highest among guards in 2024. The improvement after just one year has been remarkable.
Usually, it is hard to quantify the success of an offensive lineman, but it is obvious just how much the young right guard developed year over year. What stands out the most is his jump from a 44.7 to 75.4 player grade and allowing 30 fewer pressures than he did during his rookie season. That illustrates just how much strength he has added since being drafted. He was pushed back at the line of scrimmage often during his first year, but that has changed and he has quickly blossomed into one of the better offensive guards in football.
Along a Bucs offensive line that deserves more credit, Mauch played a bigger part in protecting quarterback Baker Mayfield and aiding the run game’s improvement. He plays strong from the snap and pairs that with plus athleticism in getting to the second level and opening up running lanes next to right tackle Luke Goedeke.
Speaking to Pewter Report in December, he shared what has allowed him to play better and grow more comfortable.
“I’d say maybe just playing with more confidence,” Mauch said. “You have a year under your belt, and you get an offseason, especially playing next to guys like Luke. We really understand each other and playing next to each other I can have a good feel with where he is going to be and what he’s doing. Graham [Barton] stepped really nicely into that role, too. He’s helped out so much. Just playing with a lot more confidence now.”
Bucs general manager Jason Licht has found plenty of quality offensive linemen in the NFL Draft in recent years, adding Tristan Wirfs in 2020, Luke Goedeke in 2022, Cody Mauch in 2023, and Graham Barton in 2024. Tampa Bay has built up the trenches in impressive fashion, and the improvement of Mauch helped the offense improve and have a historic year.
