The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have watched their season go off the rails thanks to injuries on the offensive side of the ball — first wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin then offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs.
Things might be finally turning around, and at the last possible moment for the Buccaneers, who are 4-6 and losers of 4 consecutive games headed into a Week 12 road game against the New York Giants.
According to the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud, Wirfs was active at practice on Thursday after suffering a sprained MCL in a Week 10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The Buccaneers had their bye in Week 11.
“Not to bury the lead, but Tristan Wirfs is practicing,” Stroud wrote on his official X account on November 21. “It may be on a limited basis and that could be a game time decision. But remarkable he could possibly play Sunday with the MCL sprain. He’s wearing a substantial brace on his knee.”
The Buccaneers are also on track to get NFL All-Pro wide receiver Evans back from injury in Week 12 — Evans has been missing since he injured his hamstring in a Week 7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Wirfs Went Out Against Defending NFC Champions
Wirfs had to be helped off the field in the second quarter after a play in which he was blocking against All-Pro edge rusher Nick Bosa. He was replaced in the lineup by Justin Skule.
From ESPN: “The Buccaneers believe that All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs suffered a sprained MCL in the first half Sunday against the 49ers, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The three-time Pro Bowl selection and team captain will require additional testing, including an MRI, to determine the severity, the source told Fowler.”
Wirfs is one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL and has played his entire career with the Buccaneers after they selected him in the first round (No. 13 overall) of the 2020 NFL draft out of Iowa.
Wirfs signed a 5-year, $140.6 million contract extension with Tampa Bay in August that included $88.2 million guaranteed — the biggest contract for an offensive lineman in NFL history.
Wirfs Has Been Durable Throughout Career
Wirfs started every game for the first 2 seasons of his career and has only missed time due to injury once, when he missed 4 games due to ankle injury.
Wirfs started all 17 games for the Buccaneers in 2023 and had started the first 10 games in 2024.
The Buccaneers have been plagued by injuries on the offensive side of the ball in 2024. In Week 7, leading wide receiver Godwin went down with a dislocated left ankle that will keep him out for the rest of the regular season. Evans, who is trying for his 11th consecutive 1,000-yard season, also went out in Week 7.
The Buccaneers have a lot of work to do if they’re going to make the NFC playoffs for a fifth consecutive season — they’ve already lost both games to the Atlanta Falcons this year but have a favorable schedule down the stretch, with 6 of their remaining 7 games against teams which currently have losing records.
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