The Buccaneers’ 2025 season didn’t leave much room for individual honors. Tampa Bay opened 6-2, then stumbled to a 2-7 finish and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019. But even in a year the Bucs would rather move past, one of their biggest names still earned another nod from his peers.
Tristan Wirfs has landed at No. 52 on the NFL Top 100, as voted on by NFL players. That makes him the second Buccaneer on this year’s list, following quarterback Baker Mayfield at No.
- It also keeps Wirfs’ streak alive for a sixth straight year, with an appearance on the ranking every season since 2021.
No. 52 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026…@Buccaneers OT Tristan Wirfs! @NFLFilms pic.twitter.com/L4pmXzAEHt
The placement is a noticeable drop from last year, when Wirfs checked in at No. 28. His 2025 season was interrupted by injury, as he missed four games while working back from offseason knee surgery and needed time to get fully back into rhythm.
Even with that slide, the respect around the league is still obvious. Players who line up against Wirfs keep pointing to the same thing: his size, his movement, and the way those traits translate on the field.
"For somebody to be that big and to move the way that he moves, it just doesn't exist," Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins said.
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Arik Armstead offered a detailed breakdown of what makes Wirfs so difficult to deal with.
"Obviously, coming out, he's jumping out of pools, he's running in the 4.8 range at 330-plus pounds," Armstead said. "Those physical traits that are even more elite than other NFL players seperates him, and he's become a technician as well, too, he's really honed in on his craft... I think he's getting better and better each year, too."
Wirfs enters this season healthy and will try to climb back up the list in 2026. Tampa Bay reports to training camp on July 28.
In Other News...
Former Buccaneers Receiver Still Waiting On His Next NFL Break
Sterling Shepards run in Tampa Bay ended after two seasons, and the veteran receiver is still looking for his next NFL landing spot. He gave the Buccaneers a steady presence across 28 games, producing 71 catches for 705 yards and two touchdowns, but the team moved on for 2026 as it reshapes the receiver group around younger options and other veterans following Mike Evans departure.
Shepard has kept himself in the mix by working out for the Ravens recently, a sign that teams are still at least taking a look at what he can offer. For now, though, the market has not moved in his favor, and his next opportunity remains one of the quieter roster-watch storylines for a Tampa Bay offense trying to retool without one of its most familiar targets. [Read more 🡒]
Young Bucs Defender Sent A Team First Message Fans Will Notice
With several contract decisions looming for the Buccaneers, Yaya Diaby is already making clear where he thinks the first priority should be. The young outside linebacker, speaking on the Pewter Report Podcast, put the focus on the bigger picture around the roster rather than his own situation, while Tampa Bay also weighs future deals for Baker Mayfield, Vita Vea and Chase McLaughlin.
Diaby also sounds ready for a larger voice in the locker room after Lavonte Davids departure. He talked about stepping into a more vocal leadership role this season, a shift that matters for a defense trying to establish its identity and for a player who appears willing to embrace more responsibility as the offseason decisions keep stacking up. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs May Finally Have A Backfield Edge They Can't Waste
The Buccaneers may be lining up for something they have not always had in recent seasons: a backfield with enough depth and variety to make a real committee work. Bucky Irving, Kenneth Gainwell and Sean Tucker each bring a different skill set, and that gives Tampa Bay a chance to lean into two-back personnel packages instead of forcing one runner to do everything. For offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, that kind of flexibility could open up more ways to stress defenses and keep the run game from becoming predictable.
Gainwells pass-catching and protection ability make him a natural piece in those looks, while Tucker gives the group a more downhill edge when the Bucs want to change the pace. The bigger question is whether Tampa Bay actually commits to using all of it, because a backfield this balanced can be an advantage only if the team is willing to keep rotating and let the matchups dictate the plan. [Read more 🡒]