Richt said Bucks personnel experts were “kneeling” in the draft room hoping Barton would fall to the 26th pick. The draft opened with a record 14 offensive players, with the Indianapolis Colts taking UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu at No. 15, followed by three more offensive linemen in the next 10 picks. obtained the right. The Dallas Cowboys traded down from the 24th pick, two spots ahead of the Bucs, which was a relief for Tampa Bay's draft room. Getting stronger up front was a top priority for the Buccaneers, who thought the Cowboys were thinking the same thing.
“Interior's offensive line overall, we're trying to be more physical,” Richt said. “We're really happy with our players and we know they're getting better, but this… [Head Coach] Todd and I have been talking about things we need to improve on since the middle of last year. ”
Robert Hainsey, a 2021 third-round pick, has been the starter at center the past two seasons after Jensen suffered a season-ending injury in 2022 training camp. Like Barton, Hainsey played tackle in college and is a versatile player. He plays in several positions. Barton won't be offered the center job, but if he gets it, Hainzu would be one of the candidates to play the vacant left guard position. Other candidates include recent free agent signings Sua Opeta and Ben Bredeson.
“I think it's good competition,” Richt said. “We've got Sua, we've got Bredeson, you mentioned Hainzu, we've got some guys who were with us last year, so it's going to be good competition.”