Buccaneers quietly sign ex-Patriots starter in sneaky training camp move

A cloud hanging over the excitement of Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp getting underway is the uncertainty surrounding Tristan Wirfs.

Tampa Bay's All-Pro tackle is expected to miss the start of the regular season as he recovers from offseason knee surgery. It was a surprising blow, but not one that is fatal. Wirfs will return eventually, but in the meantime the Bucs are going to need to find ways to replace him while he's out.

That's something the team attempted to do on Thursday.

According to Patriots beat writer Oliver Thomas, the Buccaneers quietly signed offensive guard Michael Jordan after he came to camp for a workout. In addition to having a famous name, MJ started 11 games for the Patriots last year, which is notable given the Bucs' ongoing need for offensive line help following the loss of Tristan Wirfs.

It's a return to the NFC South for Jordan, who spent time with the Carolina Panthers after being released by the Bengals -- the team that drafted him the fourth-round -- back in 2021. It was a failed stint with the Panthers but bounced back a bit with the Patriots after spending time on the Packers practice squad.

Wirfs is a tackle, so this isn't a move to specifically replace him but it's one that adds some depth to the line. We've seen the Buccaneers struggle with that very thing in recent seasons, and we all remember how bad things got when the trenches dried up.

It's worth remembering that Wirfs isn't expected to miss much meaningful time this year. He's starting camp on the PUP list and isn't going to play in any preseason games, but the expectation is that he'll be ready near the start of the regular season.

On what side of the line that falls is the big question. Right now it looks unlikely that Wirfs will be healthy enough to start the season on the roster, which means he'll probably miss the first four games. It's not ideal, but in the long run having Wirfs healthy for the home stretch of the season and a playoff push is far more valuable than what he'd provide out of the gate.

Jordan helps add line depth, and even though he's never played at tackle in 67 career games, he's going to get looks there when he officially arrives at camp.