Things had been trending positively for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the team was dealt a significant blow on Wednesday with training camp fast approaching.
According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, star left tackle Tristan Wirfs—an All-Pro and the highest-paid player on the roster by total salary—underwent knee surgery and is expected to miss the “first couple games” of the upcoming season. The procedure was needed after Wirfs re-aggravated a knee injury originally sustained during a Week 10 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers last year. He’s expected to begin the season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, which would sideline him for at least the first four games against the Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans, New York Jets, and Philadelphia Eagles.
Wirfs had been wearing a knee brace during both training camp and minicamp, but according to Stroud, a recent procedure uncovered previously undetected minor damage in the knee. As a result, he’ll miss the start of the season, with his responsibilities likely falling to newly added swing tackle Charlie Heck. Now entering his sixth NFL season, Heck started two games for the 49ers last year but struggled, earning a 41.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.
While Wirfs likely opted for surgery now to speed up his eventual return, his absence will still be a major loss. With lingering uncertainty around wide receiver Chris Godwin as well, the Buccaneers may find themselves less than fully healthy when Week 1 arrives.
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