NOVEMBER 11: An MRI has confirmed that Wirfs is indeed dealing with an MCL sprain, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. A short-term absence should be expected as a result, but the worst-case scenario has certainly been avoided.

NOVEMBER 10: The Buccaneers’ offensive line has been dealt a notable blow in Week 10. Left tackle Tristan Wirfs exited the game with a knee injury and needed assistance to make it back to the locker room.

Wirfs was ultimately ruled out for the rest of the day, and it remains to be seen what his full prognosis is. At this point, however, the possibility exists for a notable injury. The three-time Pro Bowler is believed to be dealing with an MCL sprain, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

An MRI will be needed to determine the full extent of the damage, but a sprain would certainly not constitute the worst-case scenario. Wirfs would likely be able to return to the lineup at some point during the regular season if he does indeed wind up with a sprain being confirmed. Of course, missed time of any duration would be acutely felt up front for Tampa Bay.

Wirfs had a strong start to his career at right tackle, then took over on the blindside last season. The Iowa product continued his streak of top-10 PFF evaluations in 2023, remaining the anchor of the Buccaneers’ O-line during his debut at left tackle. Given his age and status as one of the league’s top tackles, it quickly became clear the 25-year-old be in line for a monster extension this offseason. One was worked out in August, and Wirfs secured an AAV of $28.13MM on a five-year pact. That deal makes him the league’s highest-paid offensive lineman.

As a result, Wirfs’ health over both the short and long term will be a major priority for the Buccaneers. The former No. 13 pick entered today as PFF’s eighth-ranked tackle, so being without him for any stretch would be signficant up front. Of course, Tampa Bay is already shorthanded on offense with Chris Godwin out for at least the remainder of the regular season. Fellow receiver Mike Evans could be back by Week 12, but the team’s passing attack will be tested regardless of which pass-catching options are in place if Wirfs misses time.

The Buccaneers have just lost to the 49ers, leaving them with a 4-6 record. Top spot in the NFC South is not yet out of reach, but overtaking the Falcons in that respect would be difficult with further injuries on offense. Wirfs’ outlook will be worth watching closely given his significance to Tampa Bay’s O-line and the team’s postseason chances as a whole.

As their training camp continues, attention for the Buccaneers continues to be paid to the status of extension talks with left tackle Tristan Wirfs. No deal is imminent, and the All-Pro’s training camp participation will be affected until an agreement is reached.

Head coach Todd Bowles confirmed on Monday that Wirfs is not taking part in team drills without an extension in hand (h/t Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times). Team and player are still negotiating “in good faith,” though, as Bowles notes. Wirfs added he and Bowles discussed his level of training camp involvement prior to a deal being struck, as detailed by Fox Sports’ Greg Auman.

Encouragingly, Wirfs also said progress has been made on the negotiating front, a sign that an agreement could be in place relatively soon. General manager Jason Licht‘s most recent comments on the matter similarly expressed optimism a deal will be signed in short order. Tampa Bay has taken care of a number of important pieces of business this offseason, but Wirfs remains as a key extension priority.

The Iowa product is due $18.24MM in 2024 as a result of the team’s decision to pick up his fifth-year option. A long-term deal will, of course, check in at a much higher rate. Licht acknowledged Wirfs’ candidacy to become the league’s highest-paid left tackle (or perhaps the top earner at either tackle spot), meaning a deal averaging $26MM or $28MM – perhaps more – should be expected. Licht made similar comments about safety Antoine Winfield Jr. before he signed an extension moving him to the top of that position’s market.

Wirfs established himself as one of the league’s top right tackles to begin his career. The release of left tackle Donovan Smith last offseason led to Wirfs moving to the blindside, however. That transition went well, and it resulted in the third Pro Bowl nod of his four-year career. As a foundational member of the Bucs’ offense, a long-term accord should await him in the near future.

Tampa Bay is currently projected to have nearly $26MM in 2025 cap space, flexibility which should allow for a Wirfs extension to be worked out. Based on the stance of team and player, he should be back to full training camp participation relatively soon.

The Buccaneers’ offseason has included a number of big-money deals being worked out to keep several members of the team’s core intact. The final main piece of business left to take care of is a monster extension for left tackle Tristan Wirfs.

The All-Pro is set to collect $18.24MM in 2024 on his fifth-year option. A long-term deal will cost far more, and Wirfs has a strong chance of resetting the market at his position. Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht confirmed as much in his latest comments on the matter. He also repeated his desire to have a deal in place as soon as possible.

“I’m optimistic that it hopefully will be soon,” Licht said of a Wirfs extension during an appearance on WDAE radio (audio link). “I was on with WDAE talking about Antoine [Winfield Jr.] saying, ‘Hey, the guy deserves to be highest-paid [safety].’ And I would say the same thing for Tristan.

“So we’re working very diligently to see how we can do that, you know, so it can help both sides, as well. So it doesn’t hurt our future so we can still continue to win, but we can reward him.”

Winfield did indeed move to the top of the safety pecking order when he inked a four-year, $84.1MM extension in May. Licht expressed confidence a deal would get done on that front while acknowledging Winfield’s value on a long-term pact, something which was firmly in the team’s plans. He has similarly maintained a stance that Wirfs, 25, will have a new pact in place by the start of the 2024 campaign.

A report came out shortly after the Winfield deal indicating Tampa Bay and Wirfs’ camp were not close to a deal being worked out. Licht’s remarks suggest progress has been made, however, and Wirfs could soon be atop the list of compensation in terms of at least blindside blockers. Left tackle contracts are now led by the Vikings’ Christian Darrisaw at $26MM per season. The most lucrative tackle pact of any kind is that of Penei Sewell, who is attached to an AAV of $28MM after signing a Lions extension.

Wirfs began his career on the right, but the departure of Donovan Smith last offseason led to him switching to the blindside. The Iowa product earned his third career Pro Bowl nod in 2023, showcasing his effectiveness on either side of the line. Wirfs reported to training camp and has participated despite not having an extension in hand, but that may change in the relatively near future.

JUNE 11: Wirfs is indeed in attendance at minicamp, as detailed by Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. As a result, he will not be subject to fines. Stroud adds, though, that the team does not want Wirfs to take part in on-field work given the fact he was absent from OTAs. His next participation in that respect could be delayed until a deal is worked out.

JUNE 5: Tristan Wirfs is not expected to join some of this year’s contract-seeking players in skipping minicamp. The All-Pro Buccaneers tackle is on track to show for the team’s mandatory workouts next week, ESPN.com’s Jenna Laine notes.

This is not believed to be a contentious negotiation, even though Wirfs has skipped Bucs OTAs. He is viewed as a key component in an aggressive Bucs retention strategy — one that has already produced new deals for Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Lavonte David and Antoine Winfield Jr. this offseason.

The Bucs have operated differently from most teams when it comes to retaining players. They let the above-referenced quartet play out their contracts and retained them all, doing so via deals just before free agency (Evans, Mayfield), in free agency (David) or an extension after a franchise tag (Winfield). Tampa Bay has managed to complete deals to keep players on the cusp of free agency for years, retaining the likes of Shaq Barrett (2021), Carlton Davis and Ryan Jensen (2022), and Jamel Dean (2023) on big-ticket deals either just before the market opened or shortly after that year’s legal tampering period began.

Wirfs going down this path would make him a clear candidate for a franchise tag. Most teams prefer to have their extensions done before a player’s contract year, reducing leverage that comes from free agency nearing. The Bucs have zagged here, in many cases, though it would be interesting to see them go down this road with a player who is in line for a potential tackle-record deal. For now, Wirfs is tied to an $18.6MM fifth-year option salary.

GM Jason Licht called a Wirfs extension a key piece of the team’s puzzle, and Laine adds indications point to the 2020 first-round pick landing an extension that surpasses the four-year, $112MM accord the Lions authorized for Penei Sewell. Like Sewell, Wirfs has played both right and left tackle as a pro. Sewell, however, played on the blind side as a rookie due to a Taylor Decker injury. The Bucs moved Wirfs to the higher-profile tackle spot last season, and he delivered a third Pro Bowl showing.

Wifs, 25, moving to left tackle would have seemingly raised his asking price. That may still be the case, but Sewell earned a $28MM-per-year payday — $3MM north of the LT market’s ceiling — after two years as a high-end right tackle. While the Bucs are not believed to be close on terms with their two-time All-Pro blocker just yet, the team has a second Wirfs contract squarely on its radar. The sides will reconvene at minicamp next week.

With the Antoine Winfield Jr. extension taken care of, one crucial financial priority remains for the Buccaneers this offseason. Left tackle Tristan Wirfs is in line for a new deal of his own, and that has driven his decision to remain away from the team at this point.

The latter is absent from OTAs, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. A number of players seeking new deals have followed suit to begin the week, and Wirfs certainly has a case to command a lucrative new deal. The three-time Pro Bowler has been present for other offseason workouts, head coach Todd Bowles confirmed (via Greg Auman of Fox Sports). It would come as no surprise, though, if Wirfs were to remain absent until a deal is struck.

On that note, Fowler adds team and player are not close to an agreement. Wirfs began his career at right tackle, but the decision to move on from Donovan Smith last offseason paved the way for a move to the blindside. The Iowa product excelled at his new position in 2023, upping his market value. Wirfs is set to collect $18.24MM this year on his fifth-year option, but the top of the tackle market is far more valuable.

Bucs GM Jason Licht said in March the team and Wirfs’ camp had engaged in discussions. At the time, the standout tackle did not loom as the team’s top priority. Those comments came as the Bucs were attempting to re-sign Winfield, Baker Mayfield and Lavonte David. Each of those deals coming to fruition vaulted Wirfs in the Bucs’ extension queue.

Three years after an offseason in which the Bucs brought their entire starting lineup from Super Bowl LV back for a title defense, the team has rivaled that retention effort by re-signing Winfield, Mayfield, David and Mike Evans. Wirfs being under contract for 2024 gives the team time, but the 2020 first-rounder stands to loom as a high priority given his performance through four seasons.

Tampa Bay moving Wirfs to the left side stands to help his market, but the Lions making right tackle Penei Sewell the NFL’s highest-paid O-lineman will impact Wirfs’ market as well. Wirfs, 25, has three Pro Bowls on his resume — including one at LT — along with first- and second-team All-Pro nods. Sewell is now tied to a $28MM-per-year contract, while Laremy Tunsil‘s $25MM-AAV pact leads all LTs. Sewell also received $85MM guaranteed in total, topping all tackles in that category as well.

Holding exclusive negotiating rights with Wirfs until March 2025, the Bucs would have the franchise tag to deploy if talks stalled ahead of free agency. Past and present Bucs retention efforts, however, would present pretty good odds this situation will lead to an extension at some point.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.