One of the most important parts of this Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense has not yet been present for OTAs, and from the looks of things, Tristan Wirfs won’t be very involved this offseason.
That is, unless the Bucs and Wirfs were to agree on a new contract.
Arguably the best offensive tackle in football, Wirfs is set to play the 2024 season on the fifth-year option which will pay him over $18 million. But, the way he sees it, Wirfs should be extended and given some long-term security before he steps foot on the field once more.
It’s justifiable for the former first-round pick to want a new deal, and hopefully both sides can come to an agreement. However, if they cannot, there are a few teams which will be lurking, hoping negotiations fall apart.
The Raiders could use Tristan Wirfs if one particular player doesn’t pan out
The first team that could potentially try and steal Wirfs from the Bucs, whether it be via trade or as a free agent after this season, is the Las Vegas Raiders. Opposite Kolton Miller, the Raiders were going to count on 2022 seventh-round pick, Thayer Munford, to start.
Then, they drafted DJ Glaze in the third round, this year, out of Maryland. Munford was definitely replaceable, and there were many who thought the Raiders could have gone offensive tackle in the first round of this year’s draft. Instead, they waited until Round 3 to address the position.
Could Glaze end up being the answer? Absolutely. Would Wirfs be an immediate upgrade and a sure thing? He would.
The Raiders should be watching this situation closely.
Cleveland should be all-in on Tristan Wirfs if he becomes available
One of the teams many believed would try and address the offensive tackle position in this year’s draft was the Cleveland Browns. Instead, the only rookie Cleveland added was the undrafted Lorenzo Thompson out of Rhode Island.
Last year, Jedrick Wills played 565 snaps at left tackle. He gave up 29 total pressures, five quarterback hits, three sacks and was penalized six times. If you asked Pro Football Focus, Wills was mediocre at best, as he was given an overall grade of 54.0 on the season.
Meanwhile, Jack Conklin has some serious injury issues. He was lost early last season with a torn ACL and MCL, therefore his health is no where near a guarantee. Last year’s fourth-round pick Dawand Jones could wind up being a long-term answer, but he’ll need to improve in run blocking.
If Wirfs were to become an option for the Browns, then Cleveland should be trying to make a deal happen before this year’s trade deadline. If not, then the Browns should be eyeing him seriously in free agency next year.
The Commanders may be in the market for a tackle next offseason
The Washington Commanders still have a long way to go before becoming a contending team. But, at the very least, they believe they have their franchise quarterback in Jayden Daniels. And, that’s a good start.
Their current starting tackles are veterans Cornelius Lucas and Andrew Wylie, neither of which are irreplaceable. Last year, Lucas played only 227 snaps, but in those snaps, he was awful in the run game. And, with Daniels being a mobile quarterback, your offensive tackles need to be nimble and capable in the run-blocking department.
Wylie, meanwhile, played 974 snaps in 2023 and gave up nine sacks, six hits and 42 total pressures. Giving up nine sacks on the season is unacceptable, and the Commanders likely want that number cut in half this coming campaign.
Washington did draft Brandon Coleman in the third round this year, who may end up being a starting-caliber player early on. But, there’s no guarantee. Wirfs is as close to a guarantee as you could get.
With a franchise quarterback in place, the best thing the Commanders could do for Daniels is to go out and get a cornerstone offensive tackle to help protect him. Wirfs is as good as it gets, and he’d be welcomed to Washington. There may not even be a price the Commanders wouldn’t pay, at this point. He’d be that valuable to the future of this franchise.
