Isn’t it crazy how quickly an offensive line can go from good/borderline great to serviceable/lacking depth?
That’s what’s happened to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since they announced NFL All-Pro left offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs would miss time — we don’t know exactly how much yet — with a knee injury.
While it should be pointed out that Wirfs is unique to the point of there haven’t been many players like him in NFL history — full stop — it doesn’t mean there isn’t still talent on the roster. They just need a little help.
The Buccaneers went out and added a couple more offensive linemen to address depth and injury issues on July 24, with Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times reporting the franchise signed former Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle Tyler McClellan and veteran offensive guard Michael Jordan, who started 11 games for the New England Patriots in 2024.
“Bucs are signing a couple offensive linemen,” Stroud wrote on his official X account on July 24. “Former Chargers OL Tyler McLellan, 26, (6-8, 355 pounds).; and OL Michael Jordan, who played for the Bengals, Panthers and Patriots. In fact he started 11 games for NE last year. Bucs waived OL Silas Dzansi with a failed physical.”
Through his first 6 seasons, Jordan has approximately $5.2 million in career earnings.
Backup OL Sua Opeta Goes on PUP List
Jordan might have a clear path to making the 53-man roster after guard Sua Opeta was placed on the PUP list to start training camp while he continues to recover from a torn ACL last August.
From CBS Sports: “Opeta is still dealing with the torn ACL suffered last August that landed him on Tampa Bay’s injured reserve, forcing him to miss the entirety of the 2024 campaign. The team can activate him at any point before the regular season begins, and once healthy, he will likely serve as the backup left guard behind Ben Bredeson.”
Opeta last played in 2023, when he started 6 games for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Jordan Fourth Round Pick by Bengals in 2019
Jordan, 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds, was a fourth round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2019 NFL draft after earning All-American honors at Ohio State in 2018. He started 19 games across his first 2 seasons with the Bengals before playing for the Carolina Panthers for 2 seasons.
He spent 2023 on the practice squad with the Green Bay Packers before getting a chance with the Patriots, where he started 11 games before he was released on December 3.
Jordan ended up with an overall grade of 51.4 from PFF in 2024 — 109th out of 136 eligible players — and was discernibly better in pass blocking situations (60.4) than he was in run blocking situations (44.8).
Buccaneers Tread Water Until Wirfs Returns
Wirfs was voted the No. 1 offensive tackle in the NFL in ESPN’s annual preseason position rankings.
“Wirfs earning first-team All-Pro honors at left and right tackle is an incredible feat,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote on July 13. “No other player in NFL history has done that. Perhaps even more impressive: Wirfs did so in his second NFL season of playing each position (2021, 2024) … ESPN Research attributed two sacks to Wirfs, an impressive number for a left tackle. His 95.9 pass block win rate led all tackles.”
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