The countdown to the Bucs’ 2026 season is on. Proper now, we’re:
70 days away from Bucs common season kickoff40 days away from Bucs preseason kickoff24 days away from Bucs coaching camp
Within the lead-up to coaching camp, Pewter Report’s Bailey Adams will likely be diving into storylines for 26 key figures who will likely be essential to the Bucs’ success in 2026.
Right this moment, the collection continues with middle Graham Barton.
26 For ‘26: Graham Barton Bucs Storylines In 2026
Can Graham Barton Take The Subsequent Step In Yr 3?
The Bucs spent a premium choose on Barton again within the 2024 Draft for a motive. The No. 26 general choose, he shortly assumed Tampa Bay’s beginning middle position and confirmed early on why the workforce believed he might be a key constructing block on its offensive line after kicking inside to middle from the left deal with spot he performed at Duke.
However as Barton enters Yr 3, it appears honest to anticipate him to hit that subsequent degree — and shortly. As a result of whereas Barton hasn’t been dangerous by any means, there’s loads of room for development throughout the 24-year-old. And it’s price mentioning that he simply now turned 24 again firstly of June, so that is nonetheless a younger participant we’re speaking about for him being a third-year professional.
Bucs C Graham Barton – Picture by: Cliff Welch P/R
As a rookie, Barton performed to a 56.3 general grade from Professional Soccer Focus, which included a 64.0 go blocking grade and a 54.6 run blocking mark. He allowed 24 complete pressures — with only one sack — over 639 go blocking alternatives. All in all, that was a very good begin.
Issues have been admittedly disrupted a bit for him in 2025, as he started the yr kicking again out to left deal with to cowl for the injured Tristan Wirfs earlier than returning to middle as soon as Wirfs was again. However upon returning to middle, the guard positions have been a multitude for Tampa Bay on account of a rash of accidents. That predictably performed a task as Barton allowed 36 pressures and 5 sacks over 647 go blocking alternatives.
Controlling for simply his snaps at middle in 2025, Barton’s PFF go blocking grade dropped from 64.0 to 59.1. But his run blocking grade improved from 54.6 to 65.8. Total, he graded out with a 63.9 grade — higher than the 56.3 from his rookie yr.
However throughout the board issues appeared like they have been on an upward trajectory when you think about it took him about three weeks after transitioning again to middle to get re-acclimated. From Week 7 on, he graded out with a 65.6 go block grade, 65.0 run block grade and a 65.2 general grade. These positioned him seventeenth out of 29 facilities within the NFL with at the least 481 snaps over that point interval.
However in 2026, it’s time for Barton to place all of it collectively. He’s the anchor for a robust Buccaneer offensive line, and Tampa Bay wants him to take that subsequent step.
Can Graham Barton Depend On Stability Alongside The Bucs Offensive Line’s Inside?
It was alluded to above, however it’s price increasing on. It’s exhausting to place ALL of the blame on Barton for the struggles he had at instances all through the 2025 season, as there was a complete lot of instability on the inside of the offensive line within the 14 video games he did play at middle. And there have been additionally the three video games he performed at left deal with.
If something, Barton with the ability to relax out to his faculty place of left deal with for the primary three video games of the 2025 season was a formidable feat after he spent a yr adjusting to life as an NFL middle. He had a tough go of it in Week 2 in opposition to the Texans, however he did an admirable job at deal with — and the Bucs went 3-0 in these three video games.
Upon his return to middle in Week 4, issues have been already off contemplating proper guard Cody Mauch had suffered a season-ending damage in Week 2. So as an alternative of Mauch, it was Luke Haggard at proper guard. Simply as Barton may’ve been adjusting to the brand new guard mixture of Ben Bredeson and Haggard, Haggard went down.
Bucs C Graham Barton, LG Mike Jordan and LT Tristan Wirfs – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Elijah Klein got here in to complete up the Bucs’ Week 6 win over the 49ers, then Tampa Bay began Mike Jordan in Week 7 and Dan Feeney in Week 8. When the workforce returned from its bye in Week 10, it was Feeney at one guard spot and Jordan on the different on account of a Bredeson damage. Quickly sufficient, Bredeson could be out for the remainder of the yr, lacking the final 4 video games.
So, whereas Barton must make some strides in his personal proper in 2026, the hope is that he’ll additionally profit from Mauch’s return on the fitting aspect a gradual season for Bredeson on the left. Offensive line play is a lot about chemistry, and it was exhausting to maintain that constant in 2025 — alongside the entire offensive line however particularly on the inside. The Bucs will hope they don’t need to cope with these points once more in 2026, and Barton would profit from it in the event that they don’t.
The Bucs’ Have A Looming Determination With Graham Barton’s Rookie Contract
It’s exhausting to imagine that is already Yr 3 for Barton, the Bucs’ 2024 first-round choose. Maybe even tougher to imagine is that not too lengthy from now, the subject of the fifth-year possibility on Barton’s rookie contract will take middle stage. By subsequent Might, Tampa Bay must determine whether or not to train that possibility and lock its beginning middle in for the 2028 season.
Proper now, it’s exhausting to see a path to the Bucs choosing up his possibility. There’s probably not any motive to imagine something will occur in 2026 that may change the workforce’s thoughts. The younger middle has proven promise in his first two seasons and is poised to take the subsequent step ahead this season. And whereas it’s turn into more and more uncommon for Tampa Bay to say no these fifth-year choices on the contracts of their first-round draft picks, particularly underneath common supervisor Jason Licht, there may be precedent.
Bucs C Graham Barton – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Licht and the Bucs exercised the fifth-year choices on the rookie contracts of Mike Evans (2014 first-round choose), Jameis Winston (2015), Vernon Hargreaves III (2016), O.J. Howard (2017), Vita Vea (2018), Devin White (2019), Tristan Wirfs (2020) and, most not too long ago, Calijah Kancey (2023). The one first-round choose who didn’t have their possibility exercised was 2021 first-rounder Joe Tryon-Shoyinka. And within the circumstances of Evans, Vea and Wirfs, the workforce finally agreed to long-term contract extensions with every.
With Tryon-Shoyinka, the workforce moved on as a result of his manufacturing was missing and his play was regressing. For Barton, the calculus will likely be very totally different. The workforce could be very enthusiastic about his play, however the antiquated fashions the NFL makes use of to calculate fifth-year choices will probably be the barrier to entry. This yr the base-level possibility value for all offensive linemen was $18 million. Subsequent yr that quantity will solely improve. Precisely two facilities make $18 million or extra in the meanwhile — Tyler Linderbaum and Creed Humphrey. For the Bucs to really feel like the choice is a worthwhile play Barton must ascend to “best center in the league” conversations.
It’ll be attention-grabbing to see what sort of season Barton has in 2026. As a result of if he maintains the established order or takes a decently sized step ahead, the most effective path ahead for all events is an early extension at a stable value. However what if Barton takes an enormous step ahead in his third NFL season? Would possibly Tampa Bay choose up that possibility in Might, particularly if Barton balks on long-term negotiations to pressure the workforce’s hand at locking in the next value? And all of this may play out in opposition to a backdrop of looming extensions for Baker Mayfield and Yaya Diaby, to not point out doable offers for Cody Mauch, Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey. That’s what makes this such a pivotal yr for Barton.
It helps that Barton continues to be so younger. He’ll be 24 for his third NFL season, which implies he’ll solely be 26 heading into a possible fifth yr in Tampa Bay in 2028. That needs to be interesting for a Bucs workforce that already has its two tackles locked in for the long run.
Catch Up On Earlier Installments Of Bailey Adams’ 26 For ’26 Collection
Baker MayfieldBucky IrvingKenny GainwellChris Godwin Jr.Emeka EgbukaJalen McMillanCade OttonTristan WirfsBen Bredeson
