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Dec 25, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs (78) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Does Tristan Wirfs' injury put the Buccaneers' Super Bowl aspirations in jeopardy?

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By JC Allen | Last updated Jul 9, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers received devastating news Wednesday after finding out All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs would miss all of training camp and potentially multiple games to start the season.

If you remember last season, Wirfs suffered an MCL Sprain to his right knee in a November game against the San Francisco 49ers. The injury held him out of the remainder of that game and their next game after their bye week against the New York Giants before he returned with a brace on his knee in Week 13 against the Carolina Panthers. Wirfs finished out the season, and that was the last we heard of his injury.

Fast forward to OTAs and Mandatory Minicamp, and Wirfs was a non-participant, still sporting a bulky knee brace. According to the Tampa Bay Times reporter Rick Stroud, Wirfs underwent microscopic surgery after reaggravating his knee in the offseason and additional damage was found. The recovery time is serious, and placing him on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list is more likely than not. Wirfs would then miss the first four games of the season.

The Buccaneers' first four opponents of the 2025 season are the Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans, New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles. The Falcons will bring a pair of rookie first-round picks to the table as Heck's first start for Tampa Bay, followed by a stout veteran pass rush from Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson of the Texans. Will McDonald IV and Jermaine Johnson await in Week 3 against the Jets, with the vaunted pass rush of the Eagles in Week 4.

Tampa Bay signed veteran swing tackle Charlie Heck after losing Justin Skule in free agency, but he has just one start at left tackle and just 80 snaps at the position. It's unlikely the Buccaneers make any significant moves, as it doesn't appear like Wirfs will miss more time than the first four weeks.

Can the Bucs stay afloat?

Heck comes in with a similar situation to Skule as a tackle that has underperformed to this point in his career. The Bucs are likely banking on Heck to have a similar jump under the tutelage of offensive line coaches Brian Picucci and Kevin Carberry, but changes to the offensive philosophy might need to be tailored while Wirfs is out and Heck is starting in his place.

First-year offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard may be more inclined to lean on his running game through the first four weeks with Wirfs out. However, Heck hasn't been particularly great in that area, with just an average 46.54 run-blocking grade per Pro Football Focus. While his passing blocking grade is better, it's not by much, with a 57.54 grade. He'll need to make a lot of strides between now and the start of the season.

Working in Heck's favor is that he will have an entire training camp to work against the first team defense and have two joint practices to improve. Although Heck will be the most affected by the loss of Wirfs, Ben Bredeson will also have a bigger spotlight on him. Bredeson was effective last season, earning him a new three-year extension to remain with the team, but you can't ignore the effect Wirfs has in making his job easier. However, Bredeson had his best game of the season last year when Wirfs was sidelined in Week 13 against the Giants.

At the end of the day, the loss of Wirfs will undoubtedly hurt the Bucs with four strong teams to open the season. However, it's not a cause for panic. The Buccaneers will need to adapt until he gets back and have enough firepower on offense to stick with any of their opponents. If the Bucs can pull off a 2-2 record during that stretch with 13 weeks of the season left to play, their Super Bowl aspirations will not be lost. It's an unfortunate blow, but one the Bucs will need to get over fast to start their season off on the right track.