Pictures of the Buccaneers' offensive linemen.
The Buccaneers have so many interior offensive linemen to slot into three spots that they're experimenting with different combinations in order to find the best overall starting five up front. Right now, the preferred lineup appears to have former right guard Ali Marpet at center, flanked by holdover left guard Kevin Pamphile and 2016 unrestricted free agent J.R. Sweezy at right guard.
The move of Marpet into the pivot seems to be going well, but if it doesn't stick in the end the Bucs still have the two players who have shared that job over the past three years, Joe Hawley and Evan Smith. Smith is also a proven fill-in at both guard spots, leaving the team with other comfortable options in case of injury or ineffectiveness. If Hawley or Smith were to move back into the first-team center spot, the Bucs would then have another backup guard in either Pamphile or Sweezy, assuming Marpet slides back to his original spot.
We haven't even mentioned second-year man Caleb Benenoch, of whom Koetter spoke confidently during the team's mandatory mini-camp. Benenoch only played sparingly as a rookie fifth-round draft pick but is a good bet to keep his spot on the roster in Year Two, backing up both guard spots and also offering potential help at tackle.
Even the Buccaneers' less-experienced interior linemen are well-known commodities. Josh Allen, who can play guard or center and had a strong preseason a year ago, has been with the team for parts of the last three seasons. James Stone, picked up during the offseason, has started in a Dirk Koetter offense before.
Depending upon how versatile the Buccaneers think such players as Benenoch and Pamphile are, in terms of potentially helping on the edges, it may be difficult to keep all of those interior linemen on a typical nine-man OL unit.