After a short period of uncertainty about how close the two sides were, offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs was made the highest paid player at his position in NFL history today. The Buccaneers announced this morning that their 25 year old left tackle signed a five-year, $140 million deal with over $88 million guaranteed, also the most money ever guaranteed to an offensive lineman.
Wirfs has certainly earned the top spot, helping Tampa bring home a Super Bowl in his rookie year as part of Tom Brady’s wall of protection en route to Super Bowl LV, and he’s also been a 3-time Pro Bowler and has earned both a First Team All-Pro (2021) and Second Team All-Pro in just four short years.
Local and national media alike helped fuel rumors that there would be an elaborate holdout situation after Wirfs chose to sit out initial padded practices (even though he reported to mandatory camp), but both sides insisted throughout that they were drawing closer to a deal which is now in place.
Sources: Buccaneers and three-time Pro-Bowl OT Tristan Wirfs reached agreement on a five-year, $140.63 million contract extension that now makes him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history. Wirfs was in the final year of a contract scheduled to pay him $18.24 million… pic.twitter.com/J6LsFEB9Of
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 1, 2024
Wirfs was set to begin 2024 in the final year of his rookie deal, which would have paid him just over $18 million, a cap number that will now surely be better managed over the length of the contract, which is one of the chief reasons that NFL teams tend to push for re-signing players before the end of their rookie contracts in order to keep the player without any chance they will hit the open market. Wirfs will now be tied to the Buccaneers, who seek a fifth consecutive NFC South title this year, until at least 2029.
Baby Julius may have had his nap interrupted today but he didn’t seem to mind one bit. Watching from his mother Meredith’s arms, he couldn’t take his eyes off his daddy, Tristan Wirfs, now the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman. pic.twitter.com/upE7cO5Ce7
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) August 1, 2024
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THE CONVERSATION.