Buccaneers make Wirfs highest-paid O-lineman

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs have reached agreement on a five-year, $140.63 million contract extension that makes him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday.

The deal includes $88.24 million guaranteed, a source said, the most guaranteed money for any offensive tackle in the league.

The Buccaneers announced the five-year extension Thursday. The team did not disclose the value of the deal but confirmed that Wirfs received the largest deal for an NFL offensive tackle and the largest in Buccaneers history.

“If anybody deserves to be the highest paid in franchise history and the highest-paid O-lineman in the history of the NFL, it’s this guy right here,” general manager Jason Licht said Thursday.

After the deal was done, Wirfs was greeted by quarterback Baker Mayfield, who told him, “You deserve it brother.” Mayfield was also sitting in the front row of his news conference, along with offensive linemen Robert Hainsey, Luke Goedeke and Justin Skule.

“His teammates are here [and] everybody is excited for Tristan because of what he embodies as a leader, a person, a player — a freakish athlete — all of those things,” Licht said.

Wirfs, a three-time Pro Bowler, was in the final year of his rookie contract and slated to play under the fifth-year option that paid $18.24 million this year. He now is contractually tied to Tampa Bay through 2029.

His $28.1 million salary passes the $28 million per year that the Detroit Lions’ Penei Sewell received in April.

Wirfs, 25, reported to mandatory minicamp in June but did not participate so not to risk injury. He was then kept out of team padded periods of practice for precautionary reasons as the sides worked on the new contract. Coach Todd Bowles had said earlier this week that both sides were negotiating in “good faith.”

On Monday, Wirfs thanked his teammates for supporting him during the negotiation process, saying, “Baker has had my back, everyone’s had my back this whole time. There’s no bad blood anywhere. But I was like, ‘I’ve got to be out here with the guys, I’ve got to do something.'”

Deals by Sewell and Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw helped move things along between Wirfs and the team.

“It was important to us to make sure we have Tristan as long as we can. Hopefully he retires a [Buccaneer],” Licht added.

Also on Thursday, top outside linebacker YaYa Diaby was carted off the field during training camp practice with what coach Todd Bowles said was a left ankle injury.

Diaby was later diagnosed with a high ankle sprain after having X-rays and an MRI on Thursday afternoon, a source told ESPN, adding, “He’s good.”

The injury occurred during the two-minute drill at the end of practice. Several teammates kneeled as the cart came out onto the middle of the field.

Diaby is not expected to play this preseason and the focus will be on getting ready for Week 1, which Diaby is optimistic about.

The Buccaneers have given out two $100 million deals this offseason, along with the three-year, $100 million deal they signed with Mayfield in March. They also gave Antoine Winfield Jr. a four-year, $84.1 million contract that made him the highest-paid safety in the NFL and signed wide receiver Mike Evans to a two-year, $41 million contract.

Wirfs was a first-team All-Pro in 2021 and a second-team selection in 2022. He joined the Buccaneers as a first-round pick out of Iowa in 2020.

“It’s pretty surreal to think about it,” Wirfs said when asked to reflect on the past four years. “I feel like a completely different person almost, especially being able to go see my son after meetings are done. It’s a crazy feeling. You look back, and it’s like, where have four years gone? I remember my first camp out here with Tom [Brady], like ‘I’m in the huddle with Tom Brady right now.’ Now it’s Baker Mayfield, Luke Goedeke, my best friends — [Robert] Hainsey, ‘Schooly’ [Justin Skule]. It’s been an incredible journey. A lot left ahead, and I’m excited for it.”