Unclear Health Update Issued On Tristan Wirfs
August 29th, 2026
How healed is Tristan Wirfs?
It sounds like he’s not 100 percent with the season-opener 15 days away.
About five weeks ago, Wirfs injured a hamstring during a run a day before the first training camp practice.
On Tuesday in full pads against Jacksonville in a joint practice, Wirfs took about 8 snaps total and participated in some drills. He looked good.
The Bucs are being cautious with Wirfs, as they should be. Getting him to 100 percent likely is critical to Wirfs being his All-Pro self this season, which he was not last year because of a preseason injury.
On the Buccaneers Radio Network last night, general manager Jason Licht updated Wirfs’ status and implied Wirfs has hurdles to clear before he’s fully healthy:
“It was awesome to see Tristan out there moving around well, feeling good. We’re expecting him ready 100 percent here in a couple of (Licht cuts himself off) you know, he’s already looking good, but ready to play Week 1,” Licht said. “And then to have [the entire offensive line] out there in the first week is something we’ve been looking forward to for a long time.”
Joe will let fans read between the lines on Licht’s words. Joe’s takeaway is that Wirfs’ hamstring pull/tear was probably more significant than most fans want to think about.
August 29th, 2026 at 6:49 am
According to Licht, the Bucs injury report currently lists Tristan Wirfs as Questionable-ish, probably, kinda, maybe…shut up.
August 29th, 2026 at 7:15 am
He’ll play
August 29th, 2026 at 7:26 am
He better play and no starting OL better get hurt after I’ve see these backups
August 29th, 2026 at 7:33 am
Wirfs is too important to take any risk. If the Big T is not ready completely for week 1 play Chukhwuma.
August 29th, 2026 at 7:40 am
If he does not play, his backup will be targeted and Mayfield will be running for his life. Bowles had better hope Wirfs is healthy or the Glazers will start making calls to replace him like they did with Lovie when the Bucs get boatraced because of no offense.
August 29th, 2026 at 8:10 am
HOPEFULLY Wirfs is all healed up and stays healed up for 2026.
If not though, our 1st option would probably be to plug in Justin Skule for Wirfs (assuming Skule is 100% by then). Chukwuma is still too green IMO to be our starting LT.
Option 2 though is what we did last season when we moved Barton to LT (he played great IMO), moved Bredeson to Center (he was outstanding IMO), keep Mauch (RG) & Goedeke (RT) in their regular positions and start ‘someone else’ at LG. I’m not at all sure who the Bucs will keep at this point, but Feeney, Haggard & Schrauth seem like the most likely backups right now. Personally hoping though that we pick up a veteran OLineman (as well as a veteran CB) once other teams make their cuts.
August 29th, 2026 at 8:25 am
This is very concerning. Licht is always WAY too optimistic.
August 29th, 2026 at 8:31 am
I’m feeling good–we have completed the preseason and nobody (who matters) is on I.R. Even Morrison should be healthy in 2 weeks
August 29th, 2026 at 8:48 am
This season is starting out to be on the shakey side. Not good! Wirfs! Then there’s McMillan and Egbuka! Throw in the drops from Tez Johnson since he returned… The O may be in trouble 😞 to start the season.
August 29th, 2026 at 9:05 am
If he has to remain out, I foresee a whole lot of two tight end sets
August 29th, 2026 at 9:11 am
They can,t have best lineman in the league have a lingering problem this year.make sure he is ready!
August 29th, 2026 at 9:24 am
Bucs will have to keep the 6 10 German dood who really should try out for the for Orlando magic with the,German Brothers. The Daniels droids,will be crying Sunday because they cant keep 3 QBs now.
August 29th, 2026 at 9:25 am
Here we go again folks…
What a bummer.
I like Wirfs – A LOT – However he is starting to get the “injury prone” label slapped on him and I don’t like that one bit.
He only missed 3 games from 2020-2024.
Then missed 5 games in 2025 and he is again starting the year injured.
Not good but I really hope Wirfs can play week one and have another long-term healthy run with the Bucs.
We absolutely need him if we are going to make the play-offs this season.
August 29th, 2026 at 9:36 am
Zac Robinson has me concerned. I don’t see motion like Coen – where a receiver remains in motion at the snap. I don’t see aggressive play calling. Yes, it was preseason- then riddle me this – why did Jacksonville look way more creative offensively than us? Guys were wide open on the throw backs to the TEs. Our offense has not looked good. Did we even cross mid field? 75 yards of offense? That’s a terrible look preseason or not. Absolutely nothing worked – and it’s all because of backups? Sorry but Jacksonville played backups too and boat raced us.
Better come out firing in Cincy!!!
August 29th, 2026 at 9:36 am
Sit him… Let him get healthy. Bucs are more than likely going to lose week 1 even if Wirfs was 100% healthy. Don’t let it be a lingering health issue all season.
August 29th, 2026 at 9:37 am
Uh oh. I can see Barton being penciled in at LT to begin the season again.
August 29th, 2026 at 9:41 am
Chukwuma is ready to start if necessary-he already started 2 games last year and played well against both teams. Bucs rand for 174 in his first start in which he allowed 0 sacks and no pressures. Bucs passed for 369 in his second start and he allowed 1 sack.
Chukwuma has a very high ceiling as he was an undrafted free agent who only played 2 years of college ball and is learning at an exponential rate. Benjamin had a PFF grade of 62.5 which would place him in the mid 30’s and he is going to be even better with another camp under his belt.
Skule at 29 has hit his ceiling a while ago and is most likely going to decline from here and his PFF grades are only nominally better than Chukwuma. Skule allowed 7 sacks last year.
August 29th, 2026 at 9:50 am
Off subject but we need to keep Jack Pyburn…I understand he is versatile enough to move inside….he is too good to let go
August 29th, 2026 at 10:50 am
TBBucsfan..
I totally agree on Pyburn. The guy is just a football player with obvious traits that will make him a very good Olber. The room is crowded but you CAN’T cut this guy or even try to stick him on the PS. He’s just too good.
August 29th, 2026 at 10:51 am
Yep, Barton at LT again and Bredeson at C. (Start practicing it) Gonna lose that Bengals game anyway with our DB’s….Now Scott has an ankle sprain?
yep here we go….starting 0-1 but then I think we win the next three.
August 29th, 2026 at 10:52 am
And yes, let Pyburn take Braswell’s spot….
August 29th, 2026 at 11:35 am
TBBF … ‘Off subject but we need to keep Jack Pyburn…I understand he is versatile enough to move inside….he is too good to let go’.
OK TBBF, I’ve gotta ask … “Why would we want to move a 258 lb OLB inside? You’re only talking 3 guys inside in a 3-4 defense, and we’ve finally got some really big guys who can handle the inside. And I think we grabbed them because the smaller guys weren’t handling the inside.
I admittedly don’t know much about Pyburn, but with Bain, Diaby, Muhammad, Walker & Nelson, my guess is that a 6th OLB would have trouble getting much field time. Wouldn’t be surprised though to see him end up on the Practice Squad.
August 29th, 2026 at 12:05 pm
TBBF: I like that idea, if he can flip between inside and outside LB, it could open a roster spot at another position. One way or another, he seems to be keeper, can’t ignore his knack for getting in to the backfield.
August 29th, 2026 at 12:22 pm
If we need to rest him in weeks 1 and 2, so be it. Those games will be Cincinnati and Cleveland.
August 29th, 2026 at 12:42 pm
If he had an issue with the left leg i would be fine with it. When it comes to injuries the Bucs are one of the biggest cover up teams in the league. Last year Tristan had a secret trip to Cleveland for experimental STEM CELL surgery which kept him out of the lineup for 4 weeks. Did this work because I was under the assumption that Cartilage didn’t heal. Don’t be surprised if Tristan retires before the end of this contract.
August 29th, 2026 at 2:24 pm
DR Says: “Option 2 though is what we did last season when we moved Barton to LT (he played great IMO), moved Bredeson to Center (he was outstanding IMO), keep Mauch (RG) & Goedeke (RT) in their regular positions and start ‘someone else’ at LG.”
I agree 💯. I’m not all that worried. It’s what I’ve been saying to myself, while listening to all the panicking and bed-wetting, after last night. Hopefully, we won’t be seeing very much of what we’ve witnessed during this preseason. Depending on who is OUT… They’ll move guys around and plug holes that way, just as they did last season. And, they were VERY successful in doing so. Cause, as bad as it really was… THIS O-Line held up quite nicely, and definitely held their own. It’s all that you can ask for. They gave us a SHOT. Now, they weren’t the VERY best… But, they weren’t the VERY worst, either. They were still GOOD ENOUGH. Good enough, to be around the middle part of the league… And, good enough, where PLENTY of other teams could only have wished for. Cough, Cough… HERBERT, for one. It was nowhere NEARLY as BAD as what some of these over-exaggerated posters want you to believe. They were mediocre. It could’ve been A LOT WORSE. They might have really struggled some in the run-game, BUT they still gave Baker PLENTY ENOUGH ‘time’ to throw. Someone, had the stat awhile back, that he had the 16th-Best (or worst) most time, with a clean-pocket (tho I saw-it with my eyes). If true… That is THE literal definition of “AVERAGE.” Right on the nose.
August 29th, 2026 at 2:34 pm
They were DEFINITELY good enough to WIN with the remaining schedule, that WE HAD to finish-out the season with. Ya can’t deny that. I saw-it with my own eyes, and I ‘watched-it’ VERY closely. He had plenty enough clean-pockets, and plenty enough TIME to throw-it. It wasn’t the O-Line’s fault. They held up, and did their part… They gave ‘em a chance. I’m a lot more worried about our new OC. I’m afraid that we will be a lot more Canales, than COEN. I haven’t liked the pace, the tempo, the rhythm, or the ENERGY. We’ll see…
August 29th, 2026 at 3:04 pm
He need to toss a few telephone poles and jump out of the pool to get ready.
August 29th, 2026 at 3:06 pm
All our first stringers are always hurt. And when they get better they almost immediately get hurt again, and again. Bucs are paying these guys a bunch of money to sit on the bench and collect a pay check. I’m sorry but this is just ridiculous. We have a run on hamstrings just from PRACTICE!! Don’t these guys STRECH before going out there???!!!!! They all get so easily hurt in practice, imagine them playing all out in a game…..oops back to the bench. Maybe stop looking for good deals on players because they are not super good and spend the money on guys like Vita. He always plays.
Just fed up.
August 29th, 2026 at 3:08 pm
Melvin I would watch out for the Stainks….They are at the criticlal season end time to get a playoff game in Tampa again. Win the Division again would be unprecedented.
August 29th, 2026 at 3:10 pm
The NFL thinks the last 4 weeks and the Stainks are the key to the title.
August 29th, 2026 at 3:13 pm
Wirfs will be just fine and ready to roll week 1. Lots of these training camp injuries tend to heal up right when camp wraps up.
August 29th, 2026 at 4:31 pm
Our LT is breaking down quickly.
August 29th, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Glazers should have let TB go. This team is a mess and the season hasn’t even started. So much uncertainty, poor management, failed coaching, lack of accountability, mediocre talent brought in to replace. Not looking forward to another failed season and false hope.
August 29th, 2026 at 6:52 pm
The drama queens are all out in full force today because our 3rd and 4th stringers lost to the Jags 3rd and 4th stringers. LOL! Typical low IQ nonsense.
Anywho, as for the health updates, the team is either completely clueless and has a terrible medical staff (most likely), or the Bucs think they’re somehow getting an advantage by giving conflicting takes.
Over the last couple of years, there’s been so many times they’ve said someone is coming back, and instead they spend an extra month or two on the active roster not playing when they should have been moved to IR to avoid eating up a roster spot. Then, on the other end, all the news will be about someone done for the year, or out for much longer, who is suddenly activated and started the same week that ‘insiders’ told us the team was telling them they couldn’t play for another month.
So basically, I don’t really trust anything the team says when it comes to injuries, and you’re best off to just look at historical data on whatever the injury is. For example, last year with Mike Evans, the historical data said he’d be exactly when he came back – meanwhile all the reporters around the team were telling us he was aiming to be back for the playoffs (PLAYOFFS!). Then with other injuries, it the other way around.
I really think it’s the medical team – and I’m disappointed I never heard about any changes taking place. Having guys sit on the active roster instead of going to IR, missing injury return windows by 6-weeks, that’s a massive disadvantage for the team, and it can only come from the team doctors giving bad info, unless there’s some brilliant master plan at work and the Bucs are still waiting to use that card when it matter most.
August 29th, 2026 at 6:52 pm
Hey Joes, the Chiefs are trading for a left tackle from the Ravens. If OL depth is so thin, why isn’t Jason dealing 6th or 7th round picks like other GMs? If he waits til cuts, the decent talent will already be traded away. This issue cornholed the team last yeR
August 29th, 2026 at 6:54 pm
YeR. = year. I am beginning to think Jason is not all in and/or perhaps part of the prob along with Bowles.
August 29th, 2026 at 8:19 pm
Sadly TW just doesn’t have the musculo skeletal comp for the league. I love this guy and wish the best for him but he’s only a shade ahead of Jason Odom (love you bro… Go Jackets!) and when it comes to staying power. Lichtme unwisely has ignored that and it’s gonna be a problem (last season), this season, and very soon won’t be because he won’t be around.
August 29th, 2026 at 9:15 pm
ANY FU@#ING GIVEN SUNDAY! TAMPA BAY ALL THE WAY!!
August 29th, 2026 at 9:41 pm
WHEN WILL SEE WIRFS OUR BEST PLAYER ON OFFENSE LINEDUP AGAINST BAIN OUR BEST PLAYER ON DEFENSE!!! AND THERE BOTH HURT!!! WHAT?!?!?!
August 29th, 2026 at 11:36 pm
Steve V …lol 5-12 calm down there big fella.