Buccaneers pick up two-time Pro Bowler's fifth-year option

While Tristan Wirfs‘ future position is in question, the Buccaneers are assuring the offensive lineman is on the roster through at least the 2024 campaign. According to Greg Auman of Fox Sports, the Buccaneers are picking up the OL’s fifth-year option. Scott Reynolds of PewterReport.com was first with the news.

The 2020 first-round pick has established himself as one of the top right tackles in the NFL, earning a pair of Pro Bowl nods and two All-Pro selections. Wirfs has finished in the top 10 of Pro Football Focus’ guard rankings in each of his first three seasons, including a seventh-place finish in 2022. After not missing a game through his first two seasons in the NFL, Wirfs missed three games last year with an ankle injury (he was also inactive for the regular season finale).

Interestingly, the Buccaneers are considering changing Wirfs’ position and moving him to the left side of the line. Unlike some of the league’s other top RTs, Wirfs didn’t actually play much left tackle in college and ended up sticking on the right side in the NFL. While the move hasn’t been finalized, the Buccaneers seemingly started to prepare for the transition by moving on from longtime left tackle Donovan Smith. Wirfs is also reportedly open to moving to left tackle.

While Saturday’s move locks Wirfs into an $18.2M salary for the 2024 campaign, a potential change to the left side of the offensive line could have a significant impact on his future earnings. Lane Johnson and Jawaan Taylor are the only two right tackles in the NFL who top the $20M AAV mark, while the league’s three top-paid left tackles (Laremy Tunsil, Trent Williams, David Bakhtiari) earn at least $23M per year. Ryan Ramczyk has the highest total contract among RTs at $96M, and his contract contains language that would bump his pay if he moved to left tackle and excelled.