Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ rookie offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs is a special talent. It’s rare to find a rookie that immediately plays at an all-pro level right off the bat. A starter for the Buccaneers from day one, Wirfs has not only lived up to but exceeded expectations.
Expectations Exceeded
I don’t think anyone thought Wirfs would be THIS good, this quickly.
I’ll even admit, I had Wirfs as my OT4 in the draft. I thought his passing sets needed work and his consistency was lacking. But boy was I wrong.
Not only has Tristan Wirfs been one of the best rookie tackles this year, he’s been one of the best offensive lineman in the NFL. But don’t take my word for it…
Tristan Wirfs hasn’t allowed a sack in his last 10 games (405 pass-blocking snaps)
The longest streak of any rookie OT 💪 pic.twitter.com/XybLRk7lhs
— PFF (@PFF) December 31, 2020
Wirfs is playing phenomenal football 15 games into his career. The rookie was tasked with protecting the greatest quarterback to ever play the game, he’s nailed it. Talk about a start to an NFL career.
It’s a shame Wirfs didn’t make it to the Pro-Bowl in 2020. This years roster consisted of David Bakhtiari, Trent Williams, and Terron Armstead.
That’s a pretty loaded lineup for offensive tackles, and hard to argue putting in Wirfs over Bakhtiari or Williams, but I think he should have edged out Armstead, who is having a down year compared to previous seasons.
One could make an argument for Wirfs being in the offensive rookie of the year conversation. Right now it looks to be a two man race between Justin Herbert and Justin Jefferson, but I think Wirfs easily comes in at number three, if not higher.
We’ll see if Wirfs can keep up his consistent play in the playoffs, and into year two. But as of right now, it looks like Jason Licht hit a grand slam.
