Tampa Bay Buccaneers make Tristan Wirfs highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history. What do we know?
The Buccaneers appear to be making big moves ahead of the coming season, one of which is agreeing to the biggest contract in NFL history for an OL.
Not too long ago the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were crowned Super Bowl champions. Now, it would be fair to say that the 2021 title was the culmination of a few things, not the least of which was having the greatest signal caller in NFL history under center: Tom Brady. Today, the team is understandably different but one of the remaining members of that title-winning team has just been locked down and that’s a good thing.
Bucs & Tristan Wirfs agree to a historic contract
It’s now safe to say that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are securing their future. According to reports, the franchise has made an audacious move as it secured the services of one of the pillars of the team. Indeed, as per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the franchise has agreed to a five-year,$140.63 million contract with offensive tackle, Tristan Wirfs. What that means is that the 25-year-old will now be tied to the Florida-based outfit until 2029. Needless to say, this is a big move for both parties involved. To be clear, Wirfs is set to earn $88 million in guaranteed money.
A three-time Pro-Bowler, Wirfs is now the recipient of a contract that will make him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history. Where context is concerned, Wirfs was in the final year of a three-year deal that would have seen him earn $18.24 million. With this new agreement in place, he will now pocket $28.1 million annually which is understandably a significant increase on what he was making before. If you’re wondering, the previous highest-earning offensive lineman was Penei Sewell of the Detroit Lions.
Where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers themselves are concerned, it should be said that this is most definitely a move in the right direction for a team that is fresh off a much-improved campaign. In the 2023-24 NFL season, Tampa Bay won the NFC South and even managed to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round. This is to say that we’re talking about a team with a pedigree, and moreover one that clearly understands that it’s now a sum of all parts as opposed to one that depends on a single player.