It’s not really news that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a generational talent at offensive tackle in Tristan Wirfs.
It’s still nice to be reminded every now and then.
PFF’s Zolton Buday has Wirfs ranked as the No. 2 offensive tackle in the NFL headed into the 2024 season, behind only San Francisco 49ers star and future Pro Football Hall of Famer Trent Williams.
“The Buccaneers’ decision to move Wirfs from right to left tackle before the 2023 season raised questions about whether his performance would decline,” Buday wrote. “However, Wirfs recorded the second-highest pass-blocking grade among all offensive tackles and finished with a top-five overall grade for the first time in his career (83.0).”
Wirfs is currently holding out from Buccaneers’ OTAS as he negotiates a long-term contract extension.
Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton projects the Bucs will make Wirfs the highest-paid offensive tackle in NFL history in the near future, predicting a 5-year, $140 million contract extension with $70 million in guaranteed money.
Wirfs Already One of Best NFL OTs of 2020s
The Buccaneers selected Wirfs with the No. 13 overall pick out of Iowa in the 2020 NFL draft and signed him to a four-year, $16.2 million contract. The franchise picked up the fifth-year option that will pay him $18.2 million in 2024.
Wirfs made the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2020 and helped lead the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl victory. He followed that with back-to-back NFL All-Pro seasons in 2021 and 2022 and has made the Pro Bowl each of the last three seasons.
Wirfs has also been incredibly durable — he’s only missed four games in his career and all due to ankle injury in 2022.
Buccaneers Landed 2 OTs on PFF Rankings
In a testament to the depth of the Buccaneers and general manager Jason Licht’s unique ability to identify talent along the offensive line and defensive line, Tampa Bay placed two players on PFF’s list of the best offensive tackles with Wirfs at No. 2 and right offensive tackle Luke Goedeke at No. 25.
Wirfs and Goedeke were two of five NFC South offensive tackles to make the list along with Taylor Moton of the Carolina Panthers (No. 13), and two players from the Atlanta Falcons with Jake Matthews (No. 24) and Kaleb McGary (No. 29).
Goedeke’s move from left guard to take over for Wirfs at right tackle allowed Wirfs to move to the elite OL position at left tackle … and almost certainly cash out to astronomical numbers with his next contract.
Goedeke’s path to NFL stardom wasn’t a typical one. He started his college career as a tight end at NCAA Division III Wisconsin-Stevens Point before transferring to Central Michigan, where he was an All-MAC selection in 2021 and selected by the Buccaneers in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft (No. 57 overall). He started 8 games at left guard as a rookie in 2022 before starting all 17 games at right tackle in 2023.
“When it was announced that Goedeke would move from left guard to right tackle after a somewhat disappointing rookie season, few would have bet that he would appear on this list a year later,” Buday wrote. “However, the Central Michigan product put together a really impressive season, as he ranked eighth among right tackles in pass blocking grade (72.5).”
