“We Started Trying To Trade Up For Him At 7”
July 11th, 2025
As Bucs fans mourn the likely loss of All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs for a game or more to start the regular season, Joe is reflecting on all things Wirfs.
Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht added to those reflections recently.
Licht was a guest on Field Talk Podcast and revealed how strongly he wanted to draft Wirfs during the 2020 NFL Draft. Joe had seen reports of Licht trying to get into the top-10, but Licht put a pick on it with Yates.
“We started trying to trade up for him at [No.] 7.” Licht said. “So it worked out in our favor that nobody wanted to do that. I was willing to give up quite a bit to go up there, too.”
What a coup that was for Licht. Fans likely remember there were four highly-graded offensive tackles in that 2020 draft.
Andrew Thomas went off the board at No. 4 for the Giants, and then at No. 10 and No. 11, respectively, tackles Jedrick Wills (Cleveland) and Mekhi Becton (Jets) were taken next.
That left Wirfs in play and Licht panting like Joe always did at Crazy Buffet on Dale Mabry (R.I.P). Licht traded up one spot with San Francisco, from No. 14 to No. 13, to select Wirfs after the Raiders drafted receiver Henry Ruggs, who currently is serving a state prison sentence in Nevada.
Joe paused when Licht mentioned trading up to No. 7. Was he prepared to give up a 2020 second-round pick?
That’s likely what it would have required. And that pick turned out to be Antoine Winfield, Jr., whose huge forced fumble against the Saints in that year’s playoffs was key to the Bucs reaching the Super Bowl.
This whote story is a great example of what makes the draft so exhilarating and compelling.
Antoine Winfield Jr single handedly saved the Buccaneers season here.
Saints would have been on Bucs 40 yard line with 3 minutes left in the third and likely would have made it a 2 score game going into the 4th quarter.
Fired up the team, momentum shifted, and sent Tampa to… https://t.co/DBLKAZ3GQV pic.twitter.com/rtq08WCjbN
— Ashlie (@EMT_Ashlie) June 7, 2024
July 11th, 2025 at 7:32 pm
Best draft pick by Licht.
Teams really missed on Wirfs.
July 11th, 2025 at 8:08 pm
True !!! but having a tweaner safety that forces you to think he has good cover skills has cost the Bucs many many first downs !! And K Kupp loved the pick !!
Winfield is a great effort / good player, but he is know I’m with you. Gotta have a little more syrup or something. The Pepsi is just such a tweener in a lot of areas and last year. Yes last Year !! He was an absolute disaster. Hopefully he get back to form. If not, he is killing the defense execution and absolutely killing the cap……..Kids the NFL should be tough business and this is the tough business reality.
July 11th, 2025 at 8:26 pm
Loved seeing that play again……really saddened that DW45 didn’t turn out….was really great for us for a while.
July 11th, 2025 at 8:30 pm
Jedrick Willis is a Free Agent sitting at home waiting on that phone call. He’s only 26 years young, he’s worth a look.
It won’t hurt to bring him in for a tryout
July 11th, 2025 at 8:50 pm
I must hand it to ya Joe. You guys aren’t being critical of this messed up situation, but you ain’t exactly polishing the Glazer laser either. Your competition was berating those of us who are pissed off and left so much lipstick on that Glazer dipstick I’ll never read there again. No loss. 90%of what they do is podcasts. I don’t hear so well and I prefer to read anyway.
July 11th, 2025 at 8:55 pm
GM Lynch did us a solid allowing us to trade up one spot to get him…i remember. I was calling for him too….that jump out of a pool sold me, plus of course the other essentials. I just hope he gets back to 100% asap. We dont need to rush it but man hes gonna be missed those first 2-4 games.
July 11th, 2025 at 8:56 pm
LakelandBuc – Jedrick Wills has said he’s taking 2025 off to try to fully heal his injured knee.
He looked awful in 2024. As bad as Heck is, he’s still a better option than Jedrick.
July 11th, 2025 at 8:57 pm
Lakeland Buc: seeing as he’s only played 13 games the past 2 years. 92% pass rush win rate too. We only need him to last a few games, but I don’t know if he can back up on the right side. Worth an inquiry. Good suggestion. Gotta see if he’s healthy right now.
July 11th, 2025 at 8:58 pm
White Tiger: well I guess that answers that
July 11th, 2025 at 9:06 pm
What jumps out to me is just how right Licht was about Wirfs. He would have taken him over the other tackles. His drafting has become absurdly good.
July 11th, 2025 at 9:48 pm
Part I love is that Andrew Thomas is the next highest ranked tackle that was picked that year. Wirfs is always in the top three with every ranking and Thomas is somewhere between 15 and 20. The other two guys are even lower.
They all three missed bad on Wirfs.
Can’t get too cocky, you go back and look at some of the players we could have taken with our first round pick when we instead took someone who is no longer on her team, it’s a little painful. LOL
July 11th, 2025 at 10:16 pm
Fred McNeill,
Jedrick Willis spent 5 years in Cleveland
That wasn’t the ideal situation to judge a player on
Hmmm Baker Mayfield
July 12th, 2025 at 1:08 am
One great thing about Wirfs is it will be harder for Todd to coach and develop his regression.