JACKSONVILLE — Two-time first-team All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs returned to full-team drills during a joint practice with the Jaguars here, a milestone that puts the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ projected starting offensive line on track for Week One after a three-week hamstring absence.
Wirfs suffered the injury during a conditioning run at the start of training camp and spent roughly three weeks watching from the sideline before returning to limited work last week in Tampa. His participation in full-team drills signals the Bucs could field the same five-man front — Wirfs at left tackle, Ben Bredeson at left guard, Graham Barton at center, Cody Mauch at right guard and Luke Goedeke at right tackle — that powered one of the NFL’s best offenses in 2024 before injuries derailed the unit in 2025. Those five starters never once took the field together last fall.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield made no effort to hide his relief. “You can tell the whole O-line when he’s in there, there’s a relaxing style, just the comfort that it is when he’s in there,” Mayfield said. “They have so many reps together, communication, obviously the caliber of player he is.” He added: “The most important thing [is] we need him for the regular season, but, yeah, definitely great to have him in there.”
Mayfield got a brief taste of game action Saturday night in the Bucs’ preseason win over the Kansas City Chiefs but played just one series and threw four passes before being pulled. With Wirfs, Justin Skule and Benjamin Chukwuma all unavailable due to minor injuries, undrafted rookie Paul Rubelt — a 6-10 UCF product and native of Germany who entered the league through the NFL’s International Player Pathway program — started at left tackle on Mayfield’s blind side.
“Yeah, I mean, he is a giant wall, that’s for sure,” Mayfield said of Rubelt. “I definitely can’t see over him — can’t see over any of them, but definitely not Paul. He’s been thrown in the fire for us.” Mayfield praised the depth Rubelt’s development provides: “It’s been good for him, a lot of learning experiences. To be able to have depth this early in camp at tackle is good. So, I’m just hoping they continue to improve, but I’m proud of Paul.”
The Buccaneers are unlikely to expose any starters to live action in the preseason finale Friday, but Wirfs’ progression through full-team work this week puts the franchise’s preferred offensive line squarely on schedule for the regular-season opener.