Tag: tristan wirfs

Tristan Wirfs earns All-Pro honors, other Bucs players earn votes

Tristan Wirfs set history on Friday when he was named an All-Pro by the Associated Press and their voting members. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a long history of teams with great players. All of them have become franchise staples, and the current Bucs team has the luxury of having another.

Tristan Wirfs set history on Friday when he was named an All-Pro by the Associated Press and their voting members. Earning the honor wasn’t history, but he became the first offensive tackle to earn the honor as both a left and right tackle.

 

It was Wirfs’ second time earning All-Pro honors, the first coming in 2021.

Wirfs earned 28 votes, while other Bucs on the team earned votes but not enough to be a first-team selection. Mike Evans earned 10, rookie Graham Barton earned 1, Vita Vea earned 3, Lavonte David earned 3, Chase McLaughlin earned 1, and Bucky Irving, alongside Tavierre Thomas, also earned one for special teams roles.

Wirfs found out about the selection when the team surprised him with his family informing him of the honor which they shared on social media.

 

One Bucs player is named to the NFLPA All-Pro team for 2024

On Wednesday, the NFLPA put their media hat on and announced their All-pro selections, and one Tampa Bay Buccaneer made the cut.

The NFLPA loves to lift up its members, who are the players that bring us the game of football every Sunday, and Monday, and other days for that matter. The NFLPA creates guidelines for the players, the league, and the media in some cases.

On Wednesday, the NFLPA put their media hat on and announced their All-pro selections, and one Tampa Bay Buccaneer made the cut.

Franchise cornerstone Tristan Wirfs earned the honor from the NFLPA when they announced the team on Wednesday. He played in 16 of the team’s 17 games in the 2024 season and earned a PFF pass-blocking grade of 93.7 in the process.

 

 

PFF also didn’t credit Wirfs with surrendering any sacks this season and only allowed 11 pressures on 638 pass-blocking reps. His consistency has paved the way for this team to be in the state it is, as well as quarterback Baker Mayfield turning his career around.

On Friday, the NFL writers will announce their All-Pro selection, we can expect to see Wirfs listed there as well.

Chase Young vs. Tristian Wirfs is a battle to watch in Week 18

Chase Young struggled versus Tristian Wirfs in Week 6, but can he get the better of the All-Pro in the season finale?

The New Orleans Saints versus Tampa Bay Buccaneers may not feel like an interesting game on paper, but Chase Young versus Tristian Wirfs will be an interesting battle to watch in the season finale.

There has been a greater respect placed on Young’s pass rush ability in the recent weeks, primarily due to his two sack performance against the Washington Commanders.

He. along with Cameron Jordan, has been the face of the improvements along the defensive line since the move to Brian Young as defensive coordinator. Young has the fifth-most pressures in the NFL.

Wirfs has been one of the best left tackles in the league and could be in line for an All-Pro team. His 4.3 pressure rate allowed is the lowest among all left tackles with 200 pass block snaps.

Wirfs and Young squared off in Week 6 for 26 snaps. Young pressured the quarterback one time. Both are formidable talents, so Young could get the best of Wirfs. The chance of that happening is one of the reasons that matchup is one to watch.

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Tristan Wirfs is in a tier of his own with his 2024 performance

The Tampa Bay Bucs communications team shared a graphic on Wednesday that really paints a picture of just how good Wirfs has been in 2024.

No one is questioning whether or not Tristan Wirfs is among the best offensive linemen in the NFL. Sometimes, the question is asked, “Just how good is he?” and occasionally, a stat will pop up that exemplifies his talents.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers communications team shared a graphic on Wednesday that really paints a picture of just how good Wirfs has been in 2024.

Timo Riske of PFF shared a graphic breaking down offensive linemen’s pressure and block rates with 500+ snaps. This caught the attention of the Bucs communications team.

 

It shows that of offensive linemen with 500+ pass block snaps, Tristan Wirfs, has the league’s highest one-on-one block rate (86.4%) yet has yielded the lowest quarterback pressure rate (4.3%) of any tackle.

There isn’t much more you can ask out of your franchise tackle. Wirfs being the leader in those categories hopefully paints a full picture of just how great he has been, despite injuries, in 2024.

5 Buccaneers players to watch in Week 15 vs. Chargers

Week 15 features a matchup between two current playoff teams in the Chargers and Buccaneers.

The Chargers are 3-0 against the NFC South with a chance to make that 4-0 this weekend against the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay is first in the NFC South with a 7-6 record, so every game is crucial for their postseason chances.

The same can be said for the Chargers, who are 8-5 but far from a lock to make the playoffs. Without further ado, here are five Buccaneers players to watch this Sunday afternoon:

RB Bucky Irving

Irving has become the Buccaneers’ most dynamic tailback this season. The rookie is dealing with a back injury and is a question mark for Sunday, but if he plays, the Chargers will need to account for him. In his last three fully healthy games, Irving has combined for 50 carries, 312 rushing yards, 111 receiving yards, and three touchdowns.

TE Cade Otton

Otton has broken out in a big way this year and has become a go-to target for QB Baker Mayfield. The tight end already has career highs in catches (57) and receiving yards (576) while his four touchdowns are tied for the most in his three NFL seasons.

OT Tristan Wirfs

Now in his fifth NFL season, the Iowa product has become one of the best offensive tackles in all of football. In his first four seasons, he made three Pro Bowls and two All-Pro squads. He’s been the best pass-blocking tackle this season amongst 133 qualifying OTs according to Pro Football Focus. His matchup against the Chargers’ elite edge defenders will be crucial to who wins this game.

DT Vita Vea

Similar to Wirfs, Vea has become one of the best in the league at his respective position. The seventh-year defensive tackle is particularly effective rushing the quarterback, as he has 37 pressures and six sacks in 2024. Vea and fellow lineman Calijah Kancey could wreck havoc against the Chargers’ suspect interior offensive line.

DB Tykee Smith

Muchlike Irving, Smith is a major question mark for Sunday’s game. With multiple DBs out for the Buccaneers, Smith has stepped up recently. He’s become a big-time playmaker for Tampa Bay’s defense, as he has two interceptions, seven pass deflections, and three forced fumbles this season.

Several notable names miss practice for Bucs on injury report

Apart from the team being without All-Pro Antoine Winfield Jr., they also miss several other prominent names from Wednesday’s practice. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had a constant problem this year when it comes to getting bit by the injury bug. The team seems to be dealing with it on a larger scale than we could have ever thought heading into Week 15 against the Chargers.

The team is without All-Pro Antoine Winfield Jr. but several other prominent names were listed as not practicing from Wednesday’s practice.

Ten players were listed in total, with some notable names, including Mike Edwards, Tristan Wirfs, Ben Bredeson, Mike Evans, and Bucky Irving. These are all starters and players who, if the team were without them, could be in trouble come Sunday against the Chargers.

All of these situations will be worth monitoring as the week progresses and more injury reports get published.

Two Bucs stars miss practice as team prepares for Raiders in Week 14

As we approach Sunday, the injury report shows two key starters to watch going into this critical game. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday in their Week 14 matchup, and there is a lot on the line. With a win and loss by the Falcons, the Buccaneers could get their second-longest winning streak of the year and jump into the lead of the NFC South.

As we approach Sunday, the injury report shows two key starters to watch going into this critical game.

Mike Evans is on the injury report with a did not practice designation due to a hamstring and calf injury. Tristan Wirfs is also on the injury report with a foot and knee injury. There hasn’t been much discussion by Todd Bowles or either player about missing the game in Week 14.

Both players had these same injuries going into last week, so this could be a lighter workload to not overdo their injuries so they lead to a longer stint away from the team. We should know more by Friday’s injury report which we will have on Bucs Wire when it gets published

Is Tristan Wirfs playing today? Injury updates for Bucs OT

The Bucs’ starting tackle, with his knee injury, was on the team’s final injury report on Friday.

The Bucs’ starting tackle, with his knee injury, was on the team’s final injury report on Friday. The injury kept him out of last week’s win against the New York Giants, but his status for Week 13 against the Panthers remained unsure.

Tristan Wirfs injury update

Tristan Wirfs was not listed among the inactive players on the team’s official report before kickoff, indicating that Wirfs would be starting for the team. His return means Justin Skule goes back to being a backup offensive lineman for the team.

Baker Mayfield and the entire Bucs offense will be happy to see him return to the lineup. With the return of Wirfs this week and Mike Evans last week, the team will only be down one major offensive weapon: Chris Godwin.

Liam Coen will be able to be more aggressive with his playcalling as a result.

Bucs offensive tackle depth chart

  • Tristan Wirfs, LT
  • Justin Skule, LT
  • Luke Goedeke, RT

PFF puts a number on Tristan Wirfs’ impact on the Bucs pass game

Thanks to PFF, we can quantify just how good Tristan Wirfs is with the various things they can track.

Tristan Wirfs has been the best player on the Buccaneers since Tom Brady retired at the end of the 2022 season. Wirfs was drafted in the 2020 NFL Draft and immediately emerged as one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL.

Thanks to PFF, we can quantify just how good he is with the various things they can track.

Pro Football Focus credits Tristan Wirfs with the lowest pressure allowed of any offensive tackle in the NFL. They have him allowing pressures on just 1.6% of his pass-blocking reps on the year, the next closest being 1.8% from Lane Johnson on the Philadelphia Eagles.

Wirfs has long been a favorite of PFF graders, earning several high grades in his career. His career run-blocking grade is 67.7, and his pass-blocking grade is a whopping 92.5, which is rare for them to give out.

They also tracked over 3,518 pass-blocking snaps in his career and only have him on the hook for 12 sacks in his career.

Bucs’ Tristan Wirfs placed on the latest cover of Sports Illustrated

In the latest edition of Sports Illustrated, the Bucs offensive tackle is on the cover as the team discusses the emergence of athletic offensive linemen. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be without Tristan Wirfs for a couple of weeks following his sprained MCL against the 49ers in Week 10. Despite his absence, he is making a special appearance from something he had been working on in weeks past.

In the latest edition of Sports Illustrated, the Bucs offensive tackle is on the cover as the team discusses the emergence of athletic offensive linemen.

Tristan Wirfs is on the cover alongside the New Orleans Saints’ Caesar Ruiz. They both are among the biggest but most athletic offensive linemen in the entire NFL. Wirfs has had a strong athletic profile going all the way back to high school, where he was a state champion wrestler and then became the anchor for the Iowa Hawkeyes in college.

That athletic profile and background led to him being one of the top prospects in the 2020 NFL Draft and eventually one of the best tackles in all of football.