Buccaneers LT Tristan Wirfs had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Tuesday, The Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud reports. Stroud adds that Wirfs "will likely miss at least the first couple games of the regular season." ESPN's Adam Schefter calls Wirfs a candidate for the PUP list, which would cost him at least the first four games of the season.
This is a significant injury for the Buccaneers. Wirfs has started 79 of 84 games since being drafted 13th overall in the 2020 draft and has developed into one of the game's best offensive linemen. Last year, Wirfs ranked ninth among 111 qualifying O-linemen in Pro Football Focus' blocking grades. That included leading that group in pass-blocking grade. Wirfs allowed 0 sacks and just one QB hit on 638 pass-blocking snaps.
We'll see how the Bucs plan to replace Wirfs for the start of the season, but there isn't a strong option on the current roster.
Tampa Bay had been set to return all five starters from an offensive line that ranked top six last year in ESPN's pass- and run-block win rates. The Wirfs injury adds some early-season risk to QB Baker Mayfield and the Bucs' skill-position players.
This offense will also be navigating the loss of OC Liam Coen. He'll be replaced by Josh Grizzard, who was the team’s passing game coordinator last year but has no play-calling experience at any level.
Ready to crush your fantasy football draft? This strategy guide takes you pick-by-pick through a perfect 12-team PPR draft, arming you with expert insights and battle-tested tactics. We'll also point out the critical mistakes you can’t afford to make.
Read More »
Non-PPR drafts require a different mindset. Fail to adjust and you'll be playing catch-up all season. This strategy guide walks you through the best picks in every round of your 12-team Non-PPR draft.
Read More »
From Baker Mayfield's bloated TD rate to Brian Thomas' historic rookie season, here are 139 things I learned doing 2025 fantasy football projections.
Read More »
Search
