The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are picking up the fifth-year option of two-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, according to Pewter Report.
The fifth-year offensive lineman will cost the Bucs $18.244 million in his fifth year; he's a former first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
“That will be a huge raise for Wirfs, who will make $2,822,914 in base salary in 2023 and have a $5,163,464 salary cap hit in 2023 that includes prorated signing bonus money,” wrote Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report on Friday.
“There is a chance that Wirfs may not even have to play on his fifth-year option. With Pro Bowl and All-Pro credentials, Wirfs has already established himself worthy of a contract extension that might come later this year. That’s happened before in Tampa Bay.”
If Wirfs does indeed get a contract extension, it could be worth more than $25 million next season. The market was already reset by Houston Texans left tackle Laramy Tunsil when he signed a three-year contract extension worth $25 million per season, with $50 million guaranteed.
Wirfs will become an unrestricted free agent in 2024-25 and could reset the market again unless Tampa Bay re-signs him to an extension or gives him the franchise tag. He could move to left tackle to replace Donavan Smith in 2023, which would certainly lend credence to him doing so.
With Wirfs getting the fifth-year option, the Buccaneers have now picked up the fifth-year options of all of their first-round picks dating back to wide receiver Mike Evans, who was the team's first selection in 2014, per Reynolds.
Tristan Wirfs figures to be an instrumental part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offense in 2023 and beyond.
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