Wirfs: Baker Mayfield’s blindside gets vulnerable as Bucs’ All-Pro Tristan Wirfs to miss start of 2025 after knee surgery

Baker Mayfield will have to watch his blindside early in the 2025 NFL season. That’s because the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback won’t have Tristan Wirfs blocking for him to begin the new season.

NFL insider Jonathan Jones broke the news on Wednesday with the help of Buccaneers beat writer Rick Stroud.

“Buccaneers All-Pro LT Tristan Wirfs will miss the start of the season following surgery on his right knee, source says. An unexpected offseason setback to the reigning NFC South champs,” Jones wrote.

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Wirfs has appeared in four Pro Bowls and was named a First-Team All-Pro twice. Last season, he played over 1,000 offensive snaps on the O-line for Tampa Bay, the NFL's top-five offense.

Thanks in part to the Super Bowl-winning offensive tackle, Mayfield had his best professional season in 2024, throwing for a career-high 4,500 yards, while also boasting a career-best for touchdowns (41) and passer rating (106.8). Mayfield took 40 sacks in the 2024 regular season, the second-most in his NFL career.

In 2024, Wirfs had a Pro Football Focus (PFF) pass blocking grade of 94.1, which led all offensive tackles in the NFL. Heading into this season, the Bucs are ranked as the sixth-best offensive line in the league, with PFF noting that Luke Goedeke and Cody Mauch have developed into standout blockers. Last season, the Buccaneers offense averaged 399 yards per game, the third-most in the NFL.

It's expected that Wirfs won’t be ready to play until Week 5.

Tristan Wirfs' likely replacement?

With Tristan Wirfs sidelined for the foreseeable future, it means Todd Bowles would likely turn to another veteran tackle who signed with the club earlier this offseason.

Bucs reporter Rick Stroud said on X:

“The Bucs signed 49ers free agent left tackle Charlie Heck, who is likely to replace Wirfs to start the season.”

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Heck joined Tampa in March, inking a one-year deal worth $1.6 million. Heck, 28, has been primarily utilized as an insurance policy for situations like the one the Bucs are currently in. He started just two games for the Niners last year.

He is versatile, having played at tackle, right tackle and offensive lineman previously for the Niners, the Arizona Cardinals and the Houston Texans.

About the author

Joel Lefevre is an NFL journalist at Sportskeeda with over six years of experience in the field with GRV Media, Corus Entertainment, News 1130 and 93.1 The One Radio.

Joel graduated in Broadcast Journalism at the Western Academy of Broadcasting, and being an avid NFL fan, these two passions came together.

His favorite team is the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Joel has followed them through the highs and lows ever since they made the AFC Championship Game in the 1996 season. His favorite sporting moment was their 2017 AFC Championship Game because it was as close as the Jaguars ever came to winning a Super Bowl. A missed call on a Myles Jack fumble recovery took away a touchdown that could have sent Jacksonville to the Super Bowl.

When not writing Joel loves reality TV, in particular Big Brother and Survivor, and is a former houseguest on Big Brother Canada Season 4. Family and loved ones are extremely important to Joel and he keeps in touch with them as much as possible, and also enjoys going to the movies, going for walks and taking care of his dogs.

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Edited by Krutik Jain