Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs (78) reacts after a victory against the Philadelphia Eagles. Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Buccaneers offensive lineman lands high on PFF Top 50

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By JC Allen | Last updated Jul 20, 2025 2:00 PM ET

Since landing with the Buccaneers, left tackle Tristan Wirfs has been everything the team has hoped and more.

Adding another All-Pro to his belt this season, Wirfs became the first player in NFL history to be named to the team as both a right tackle and left tackle. In his five short seasons in Tampa Bay, Wirfs has been named to an All-Pro team three times and has made the Pro Bowl in four consecutive years. He's been an anchor on either side of the line for the Bucs.

After capturing the top spot on the ESPN top 10 rankings, Wirfs finds himself with more adoration this offseason, landing at number 13 in Pro Football Focus' top 50 players in the NFL.

"Wirfs has been one of the NFL’s premier pass protectors since entering the league in 2020, and he reached new heights in 2024. He led all offensive linemen with a 94.1 pass-blocking grade, allowing zero sacks and just one quarterback hit all season. Over the past five years, Wirfs ranks second among tackles with a 91.7 pass-blocking grade and leads the position with a league-best 2.3% pressure rate — nearly a full percentage point ahead of the next closest tackle."

Wirfs allowed just 13 pressures all season in 2024, didn't surrender a single sack and was the odds-on favorite to win the NFL's inaugural Protector of the Year award. Unfortunately, Wirfs is now at risk of missing part of the season due to a lingering knee injury that stemmed from Week 10 last year. He is expected to start training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list, and while he could be activated at any time before the season, it's expected he will miss at least the first four games of the season on the list.

It's a huge loss for the Bucs, who now have to get backup Charlie Heck ready to start the season. It likely changes their game plan over the first four weeks with how they want to run the offense. However, Wirfs has bounced back from injury before and is no doubt to reach the same level of success he has found pre-injury.