The Bucs, going for a fifth straight division title, have their first major injury setback of 2025.
All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs, the highest-paid offensive lineman in the league, will miss the start of the upcoming season after undergoing surgery Tuesday on his right knee. Wirfs, 26, had been limited in minicamp last month with a brace on the knee, though at the time Bucs coach Todd Bowles sounded confident he would be fine for training camp.
That’s no longer the case, as the Tampa Bay Times reported that the team discovered additional damage during an arthroscopic procedure, necessitating a longer absence. According to The Times, Wirfs “will likely miss at least the first couple games of the regular season” and will probably start the year on the Physically Unable to Perform list, which would mean a minimum of four games out.
Before Wirfs’ injury, Tampa’s offensive continuity was a source of optimism this offseason, with all 11 starters back from a top-five offense last season. Wirfs’ absence exposes a vulnerability for the Bucs, who lost their swing tackle from the past three years, Justin Skule, in free agency to the Vikings.
Replacing Skule is another NFL veteran, Charlie Heck, who has a massive frame at 6-foot-8, 310 pounds but started only two games last season in limited action with the Cardinals and 49ers. It’s possible the Bucs will look for new competition with Heck, who signed a modest one-year, $1.57 million contract this spring. The remaining in-house options have little or no NFL experience.
If Wirfs does indeed miss the first month of the regular season, it’s a tough four-game stretch without him. The Bucs open with a key divisional game at Atlanta, which swept Tampa Bay last season, then a trip to the Texans and home games against the Jets and Eagles. The Bucs have won their season opener in all three seasons under Bowles, with 3-1 starts in each of the past two seasons.
Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield will be without his prime protector early in the 2025 season. (Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)
Could Wirfs’ extended absence have been avoided? He strained the MCL in his right knee in November, missing most of a game against the 49ers, resting two weeks and then returning for the final six games of the regular season. When Bowles was asked about Wirfs being limited with a brace in mandatory minicamp in June, he said the brace was “precautionary,” but the injury proved to be more extensive than originally expected. It was another four weeks after minicamp before Wirfs had the surgery.
Before the Wirfs injury, the Bucs were the oddsmakers’ clear favorite to win the NFC South, with an over-under of 9.5 wins, well ahead of the Falcons (7.5), Panthers (6.5) and Saints (5.5). This makes getting that opening win at Atlanta all the more crucial, so the head-to-head tiebreaker could work in the Bucs’ favor instead of against them as it did last season.
Wirfs had missed a total of five games in his first five NFL seasons. If his absence is limited to the first four games or fewer, he’ll still be in position to contend for high league honors. He’s been first-team All-Pro at both right and left tackles, has made four straight Pro Bowls and is a candidate for the NFL’s new Protector of the Year award, given to the league’s top offensive lineman.
Greg Auman is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. He previously spent a decade covering the Buccaneers for the Tampa Bay Times and The Athletic. You can follow him on Twitter at @gregauman.
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