Although the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had a respectable free agency, many supporters would probably disagree.
Their resentment is understandable, particularly in light of the fact that their future Hall of Fame wide receiver—who was never considered a player who would move for better opportunities—did in fact do so. In keeping with that, even while some of the Bucs’ acquisitions have merit, they were still unable to satisfy fans who were looking for a huge splash.
In Week 2 of free agency, there may still be some re-signings or new players joining the Bucs, but more recently, veteran swing tackle Charlie Heck signed a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins, leaving the Bucs with a portion of their offensive line depth.
Charlie Heck Moves On From Tampa Bay
After Justin Skule left in free agency last offseason, Heck was signed by Tampa Bay to serve as their main backup swing tackle. Heck’s first chance came when Luke Goedeke, the starting right tackle, was injured. Heck started for six weeks before losing favor to other players, such as undrafted rookie Ben Chukwuma.
Despite being a seasoned player for the Bucs, he faced significant difficulties in 2025, giving up 32 pressures with 289 tries to block passes.
Now that Tua Tagovailoa has left for the Atlanta Falcons, Heck is traveling through Alligator Alley on his way to Miami to play for the Dolphins, where he will be in a similar position as a backup with a new coaching staff that will also be welcoming in new starting quarterback Malik Willis.
Heck will be added insurance as a veteran who can step in at the tackle spot quickly without the offense fully collapsing, given that starting Dolphins right tackle Austin Jackson has a history of injuries and has missed a lot of time.
The Buccaneers will have to rely on Chukwuma as a backup for both Tristan Wirfs and Goedeke now that Heck has moved on, unless they choose to go ahead and sign a veteran who is still available or select a depth player in the NFL Draft, where they may also be searching for interior offensive line assistance.
