Wirfs, Bucs agree to practice limits as deal looms

TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs and coach Todd Bowles said Monday that the two have an agreement to keep Wirfs out of team padded periods of practice for precautionary reasons as the two sides work to negotiate a new long-term contract.

Wirfs is currently slated to play under the fifth-year option in his rookie contract in 2024 if a deal cannot be reached.

“I know he wanted to do some individual periods. He’s here in good faith while his contract gets done, and we’re trying in good faith to negotiate a contract, and hopefully something gets worked out soon,” Bowles said. “But the fact that he’s here and not holding out — when he gets it done or whenever it gets done — he can come in and step in and not lose any plays mentally by being here.”

Wirfs reported to mandatory minicamp but did not participate. A source told ESPN that he did have a calf strain heading into camp, but Bowles said he is fully healthy now. Wirfs had fully participated in every training camp session (four practices) until the team put on pads for the first time Monday, which is when backup swing tackle Justin Skule stepped in for Wirfs.

“I talked to Coach Bowles about it. I told him … ‘I have to be out here. I gotta be out here. It’s just not in my DNA [to miss camp]. It’s hard enough missing OTAs.’ I was in the weight room window watching the guys practice. I just told Coach Bowles I wanted to be cautious. There’s a lot at stake and I was out there when [former center Ryan] Jensen went down a couple years ago. Just trying to be as smart as I can, and now, I’ve got a little one to look after.”

Wirfs welcomed his first child with longtime girlfriend Meredith Sutton, a boy, Julius Patrick Wirfs, on April 1. He has indicated that he wants to remain in Tampa long term, and the Bucs would like that as well, believing Wirfs has the makings of a future Pro Football Hall of Famer.

As for Jensen — he suffered what proved to be a career-ending knee injury during a training camp practice in 2022 when he got rolled up on at the end of practice by defensive lineman Logan Hall. Although Jensen was able to make it back for one game that year — the wild-card round of the playoffs — the knee wasn’t strong enough to continue, and he announced his retirement Feb. 2.

Wirfs said he believes they’re making headway on the new deal.

“It would have been nice to have been done with it already, but that’s part of the business that I’m still learning about,” Wirfs said. “I think we’re moving good. I think these last couple days things have been really, really good. Just gotta bring it home. I think a couple of the guys in the class below me getting extensions — that might have sped things along a little bit. I’m super happy for those guys. I love those guys — Penei’s awesome, Christian’s awesome. It’s been interesting learning this side of it, learning the business side of it. But I think it’s been great.”

In April, Penei Sewell, the seventh overall draft pick in 2021, signed a four-year contract with the Detroit Lions worth $112 million with $85 million guaranteed that made him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history. Then the Minnesota Vikings struck a deal with Christian Darrisaw, the 23rd overall pick in the 2021 draft, on a four-year deal worth up to $113 million with $77 million guaranteed.

Wirfs said it’s just “part of who I am” as to why he didn’t hold out.

“Just wanting to be out there with the guys, not letting them down, just knowing what’s at stake almost — we got close last year,” Wirfs said. “Every rep counts. Being out there as much as I can, building that camaraderie, building the continuity with everybody, with the line; we got a new guard competition, a center competition, so it’s like wanting to get all of our communication down and be on the same page. So just trying to be out there with my guys as much as possible.”