In the third round of the 2018 NFL draft, the Buccaneers selected offensive lineman Alex Cappa out of Humboldt State. Not many pegged the Bucs taking a lineman from a small school that early in the draft. After all, only nine players have been drafted from Humboldt State and the last was punter Stephen Cheek in 2004.
Cappa saw limited playing time in 2018 across six games and has yet to start a game. It’s believed that the previous coaching staff didn’t think Cappa was ready. Enter Bruce Arians and Co. and the tune has changed drastically.
Arians commented on the lineman’s progress so far in training camp:
“He’s doing a heck of a job. He’s gotten better and better every practice. He’s going against studs in there and he’s holding his own.”
Without a doubt, coaching matters, and that couldn’t ring any more true than at the offensive line coach position. From 2014-2018, that coach was George Warhop. His last season at the line’s helm was an underwhelming one.
This season, though, the Bucs’ offensive line could benefit from addition by subtraction with the booting of Warhop who is now in Jacksonville. Another addition could be Cappa getting a chance to prove himself under the new coaching staff.
If Cappa keeps up this level of play and continues to garner praise from the coaches, he could earn himself a starting role. One thing is for certain, to maintain line production and depth a team must develop their younger talent. And it starts with Alex Cappa.
