Buccaneers add offensive line help, select Duke C Graham Barton in NFL draft

By FRED GOODALL The Associated Press

FILE - Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton (62) blocks Virginia defensive end Chico Bennett Jr. (15) during the an NCAA college football game Nov. 18, 2023, in Charlottesville, Va. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Barton in the first round of the NFL draft Thursday, April 25. (AP Photo/Mike Caudill, File)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Mike Caudill]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have bolstered their offensive line, addressing a need by selecting Duke center Graham Barton with the 26th pick in the NFL draft. The Bucs are coming off a third consecutive NFC South championship and a franchise-record fourth straight playoff appearance. With Baker Mayfield leading the way at quarterback, the team won five of six games heading into the postseason, where they beat the Eagles in a wild-card matchup before losing to the Lions in the NFC divisional round. Offensive line is one of several areas of need for the Bucs, who lost guard Aaron Stinnie in free agency. Robert Hainsey has filled for an injured Ryan Jensen at center the past two seasons.