Rondé Barber: August Return Of Tristan Wirfs “Determined By Him”
July 17th, 2025
Legendary Bucs cornerback Rondé Barber loves calling himself a true Bucs insider.
It’s accurate. He not only works for official team media, he spends time with players and Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht.
So Joe feels obligated to be hypersensitive to everything Barber says, and Barber seems to enjoy sharing information that perhaps he shouldn’t.
Barber was back on his WFLA-TV streaming show today that appears to be underwritten by the Buccaneers. Joe’s basing that on the sponsors and the partnership between WFLA and the team.
This morning, Barber strongly implied that the return of Tristan Wirfs could be prior to the regular season and might be a decision made largely by Wirfs.
“If he’s able to get back before training camp’s over, that’s determined by him,” Barber said of Wirfs.
Like nearly every Bucs-loving human, Barber is troubled by the potential loss of Wirfs for four games after knee surgery this month.
“I don’t know that there’s a bigger loss to this offense that you could have than your starting left tackle,” Barber said. “I mean, obviously, maybe your quarterback. But in terms of position players, there’s nobody better.”
Joe agrees that Wirfs is a deserving All-Pro at left tackle. But as Baker Mayfield says, as does the film, the offense runs through Mike Evans.
Take No. 13 off the field and the entire complexion of the offense changes and so would a defense’s approach. The Bucs can survive for a stretch without Wirfs. Without Evans? Joe wouldn’t wager a nickel on that.
July 17th, 2025 at 12:12 pm
I don’t want to see Charlie Heck trot out there to protect Baker’s blind side. Pat Kirwan doesn’t want to see that, and I respect Kirwan.
Hope Jason investigates the horrible decision process that led to the surgery now instead of in February and holds the responsible parties accountable.
What an old creamsicle bucs thing to have happen.
July 17th, 2025 at 12:19 pm
Joe … ‘The Bucs can survive for a stretch without Wirfs. Without Evans? Joe wouldn’t wager a nickel on that.’
So why would anyone have any doubts that Mike will retire as a Buccaneer? As you wrote Joe … ‘The offense runs through Mike Evans’.
Same reason Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, Tim Brown, Steve Smith, Isaac Bruce and other legends didn’t finish their careers with the teams that defined them: Things change.–Joe
July 17th, 2025 at 12:21 pm
Ha! Great points Joe! Although, I know LD wrote this and I can hear his voice all through this! lol GO BUCS!
Always a bad idea to guess who wrote what. Poor success rate with that. –Joe
July 17th, 2025 at 12:22 pm
“I don’t know that there’s a bigger loss to this offense,” Barber said. “MAYBE your quarterback …”
MAYBE? … Yes, MAYBE … which also always means MAYBE NOT!!!
Ronde, “The Insider,” just implied he and the Bucs don’t believe Baker is necessarily better than Trask.
Trask 2025 is loading …
j/k of course
July 17th, 2025 at 12:28 pm
Sorry Joe,I strongly disagree, it all depends who you have behind that person. I rather dress a Healthy Godwin, Ebuka, Jmac and Wirfs than Evans, Godwin, Ebuka and Heck.
July 17th, 2025 at 1:11 pm
The team needs both of them on the field! A no brainer.
July 17th, 2025 at 2:01 pm
See ya week 5! Godwin will be roughly 4 weeks behind ole Tristan.
July 17th, 2025 at 2:16 pm
“Joe agrees that Wirfs is a deserving All-Pro at left tackle. But as Baker Mayfield says, as does the film, the offense runs through Mike Evans.”
Yea, well if Heck can’t protect his blindside it will be Mayfield running to save his life, won’t even have the time to facilitate the offense.
Proof that playing the most important position, doesn’t make you the best player.
July 17th, 2025 at 2:29 pm
Sly Pirate: what on earth would make you come to that off the wall conclusion?
July 17th, 2025 at 2:35 pm
Sounds to me like there’s a 50/50 chance Wirfs plays either week 1 or at least avoids the PUP list.
July 17th, 2025 at 2:38 pm
I’m pretty sure most know and common sense tells the rest, that just because you play the most important position, doesn’t mean you are the “best” player.
July 17th, 2025 at 2:40 pm
Evans has definitely been the straw that stirs the drink but given the depth and dynamic skill sets of our WR group and pass-catching RBs I am less certain of that being the case this coming season. Would respectfully say that Mike getting 1K again is of far less importance than keeping him healthy so we have him when it’s go-time late in the season and hopefully into the playoffs. J-Mac, EE, Otton, Culp, pick your poison. Play action chaos should be crazy effective with two RBs catching 80-90% of balls thrown their way, two starting quality TEs on top of ME, JMac and EE.
July 17th, 2025 at 2:50 pm
As Ronde says, it’s a PUP decision, to PUP or not to PUP. Some media reports say PUP is likely.
July 17th, 2025 at 3:32 pm
Back week 1…that’s a long shot but I hope we don’t PUP him so he can come back before week freaking 5!!!!
July 17th, 2025 at 3:59 pm
Well PUP rules have changed this season it’ll be a 3 week loss not a four week loss so we’d see him back week 4 worst case.
July 17th, 2025 at 4:57 pm
Whatever. I’m drinking hard whether it’s Pornstache Charlie or Tristan out there.
July 17th, 2025 at 6:08 pm
Hope we bring in a free agent OT for a look
July 17th, 2025 at 6:16 pm
It’s hard to even speculate when all you get is his knee needed “a little cleaning up” or “a minor thing that just had to be taken care of”.
Reminds me of last year when all we heard about SVD was he had a “shoulder”. I would have been happier last year if they just said you will see him in 2025.
July 17th, 2025 at 6:48 pm
I don’t see him going on PUP, he’s back sooner I think. I could live without him the first game and think the team will be fine. I hope he’s healthy for the 2nd game against the Jets. They have a good defensive front and Aaron Glen looks to be a very smart coach who can motivate his guys as well, he could be the one the Jets have been looking for if they don’t dumpster fire the whole thing. I don’t think Atlanta’s front is that great even with the 2 rookies. ME13 should feast, I would love to see him be the first 2000 yd. receiver in the league, how cool would that be.
July 17th, 2025 at 7:44 pm
Heck has been playing with the ones and will play that all of camp. Let’s see what happens then. Not now.
July 17th, 2025 at 10:24 pm
I knew he wasn’t even gonna miss time.
Watch Godwin suit up week 1 and we blow out Atlanta 55-10.
July 18th, 2025 at 5:41 am
Wirfs has 9 weeks from his surgery to the start of the season. For a simple knee scope that should be plenty of time for him to start the season. My prediction, and I’m sticking to it, he’s back for the home opener against the Jets. First two games are on field turf indoors. Why put his knee on turf? Home opener. Can’t keep Wirfs from those throwback jerseys.
July 18th, 2025 at 8:58 am
This guy is more important than Evans. We don’t have depth, he is the best in t h e league and he is on running and passing plays. Evans gets to take running plays off.
July 18th, 2025 at 9:51 am
Defense, respond!
July 18th, 2025 at 2:38 pm
If you think Evans if more important than Wirfs you’re absolutely clueless.