Key Takeaways
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be without a key player to begin the 2025 season.
- All-Pro tackle Tristan Wirfs had knee surgery this week after re-aggravating an injury.
- Wirfs helped the Bucs' offensive line improve drastically last year in front of QB Baker Mayfield.
Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers speaks with Tristan Wirfs (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are set to be without a key Baker Mayfield protector for the beginning of the 2025 season.
All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs had knee surgery on Tuesday after feeling discomfort in his right knee during OTAs and minicamp. He’s expected to miss the first couple of games of the campaign due to recovery, if not more.
Via Rick Stroud:
This is far from ideal for the Buccaneers. If he does begin the season on the physically unable to perform list, Wirfs would be sidelined for the first four games of ‘25. This injury was an issue for the former Iowa Hawkeye last year in Week 10, and he re-aggravated it in camp, leading to the operation. His tests with doctors earlier this week showed further damage.
Head coach Todd Bowles had said only a month ago that holding Wirfs out of minicamp was just a precautionary move:
"It's precautionary. It's the offseason. He'll be fine in training camp," Bowles said, via Sports Illustrated.
Wirfs, a 2020 first-round pick, has been a regular contributor on the Tampa Bay offensive line since they drafted him. The Buccaneers only allowed 40 sacks in 2024, which ranked eighth in the NFL. He did a phenomenal job of protecting Mayfield, who enjoyed a resurgent campaign as he led this franchise to the playoffs. Wirfs also helped the Bucs win a Super Bowl in his rookie season alongside legendary quarterback Tom Brady.
What Does Wirfs’ Injury Mean For Bucs?
Wirfs is by far the team’s most reliable tackle, and he’s been nothing short of outstanding in his NFL career so far. Wirfs is already a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro. He is elite, and it will be difficult to replace him. Tampa did sign his potential backup this offseason, bringing in left tackle Charlie Heck, who played for the San Francisco 49ers last season.
However, Heck played in just two games for the Niners. He hasn’t suited up for more than 13 starts in his career, also entering the league in ‘20 after a college career at North Carolina. Heck will be in for a much bigger role to begin the year if Wirfs does miss more than two games.
The Buccaneers finished with a 10-7 record last season, losing in the Wild Card Round. Wide receiver Chris Godwin is also rehabbing a brutal ankle injury that ended his ‘24 campaign prematurely. It remains to be seen if he’ll be ready for Week 1, but Tampa did select Emeka Egbuka out of Ohio State in April, who should immediately have an established role in the offense in Year 1. The Bucs also have a weapon at running back in Rachaad White, who is heading into a contract year.
