Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Robert Hainsey a versatile 6th-man option

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had very few immediate needs in the 2021 NFL Draft. Robert Hainsey can be the offensive line’s top reserve anywhere he’s needed.

Heading into the 2021 NFL Draft, there was really nothing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed to add to their roster. They brought back the entire Super Bowl-winning band and had the rare opportunity to go into the Draft with not only no pressing needs, but their championship roster intact.

Having no pressing needs for 2021 does not mean the Buccaneers decided to forsake finding players who could make an immediate impact, or players they knew they could build around into the future.

It was a clear future-focused draft class for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021, and one player they selected on day two of the draft could have an impact at a moment’s notice. That player is former Notre Dame captain Robert Hainsey, a third-round pick who was the starting right tackle for the Irish.

Despite playing right tackle at Notre Dame, Hainsey came into the pre-draft process with many projecting him as a guard. When he got to Mobile for the Senior Bowl, he made the decision to try his hand at the center position.

That decision could have a substantial impact on the rest of his NFL career.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a versatile 6th man in Robert Hainsey

https://twitter.com/JimNagy_SB/status/1368554854512214021

Although talent evaluators could see a switch to guard coming for Hainsey, not even Hainsey himself saw the addition of the center position to his list of skills coming.

Hainsey picked up the center position relatively on a whim at the Senior Bowl and did such a phenomenal job, that might be his primary position moving into the NFL.

The Buccaneers view Hainsey as a five-position player for the offensive line and that’s important because in the event of an injury at any spot, his name will almost undoubtedly be called.

There is going to be a learning curve for Hainsey in his rookie season. The Buccaneers have one of the best defensive fronts in the entire league, so you can imagine for a rookie center playing the position for really the first time ever to face up against the likes of Vita Vea, Ndamukong Suh, and others will be a bit like drinking through a fire hose.

Although the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be relying on their veterans in 2021 to repeat for a title, it’s going to be players like Hainsey who step in as needed that keep the ship afloat over the course of a 17-game season.

That kind of grind is going to necessitate strong depth on the offensive line, and if the Bucs have any sort of issues up front offensively, they are going to need the third-round pick out of Notre Dame to come in and contribute at a high level.