The Buccaneers may be heading into their biggest test of the season without one of their most important players.
Tampa Bay is set to visit the Chicago Bears in Week 9 on Sunday Night Football, but left tackle Tristan Wirfs landed on the injury report after missing Thursday’s practice with a toe injury. If he’s unavailable, that would be a major setback for the Bucs as they try to pull off a road upset.
Wirfs is the kind of player Tampa Bay can’t really replace. A five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, he’s the cornerstone of the offensive line, the guy tasked with protecting Baker Mayfield’s blind side and helping create running lanes. He also owns the second-highest pass-blocking grade among all offensive tackles, according to Pro Football Focus.
That matters even more against a Bears defense that has already piled up 22 sacks this season, tied for fifth-most in the NFL.
What makes the situation even more uneasy is that it’s not clear when Wirfs picked up the toe injury. He played through Sunday’s game without any obvious issue, and there was no mention of an injury afterward. Now the Buccaneers are waiting to see whether this is something minor or a problem that could linger.
If Wirfs can’t suit up, Ben Chukwuma would be the next man up at left tackle. Chukwuma already stepped in earlier this season, replacing Luke Goedeke in Week 7, and Tampa Bay has confidence in him. Todd Bowles has even said Chukwuma has a future as an NFL starter.
Still, there’s no getting around what this would mean for the Buccaneers. Facing a Bears team that looks like a Super Bowl contender, Tampa Bay would much rather have its best players on the field. For now, Wirfs’ status is the biggest thing to watch heading into Sunday night.
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