Buccaneers' Tristan Wirfs prepping for potential position switch
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a big decision to make when it comes to their offensive line and it comes in the form of moving Tristan Wirfs to left tackle. The decision stems from the Buccaneers' other decision to cut eight-year starter Donovan Smith earlier in the offseason and it left a massive hole on […]
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a big decision to make when it comes to their offensive line and it comes in the form of moving Tristan Wirfs to left tackle.
The decision stems from the Buccaneers' other decision to cut eight-year starter Donovan Smith earlier in the offseason and it left a massive hole on the left side of the offensive line. Fortunately, Wirfs has all the tools to attempt a transition, but it's far from guaranteed to work. And the price of a failed transition is the absence of elite play, which is obviously a heavy one.
Either way, Wirfs is making sure he's prepared for whatever the Buccaneers decide to do.
"I've definitely been working it just in case," Wirfs told reporters Monday. "I've been working both, just covering my bases, you know. Nothing has been confirmed… I'll wait till the draft or wait till we sign somebody or whatever happens, [but], whatever happens – I'll be ready. But yeah, I have been working it."
It's obviously a very smart decision for Wirfs, because moving from left to right and even vice-versa is not easy.
"Moving from side to side is easy for some, but most often, it takes a while to adjust. In the immortal words of Josh Sitton, switching from one side to the other is “like wiping your ass with the other hand," former veteran offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz once infamously said.
The 2023 NFL Draft is going to be a major factor in all this
The 2023 NFL Draft is going to either outright tell us what the plan is or it's going to be a very, very heavy hint.
If the Buccaneers draft a left tackle such as a Broderick Jones or even an Anton Harrison at 19 then Wirfs is going to stay on the right side. Both of those players are considered left tackle prospects, whereas a player such as Darnell Wright is heavily considered to be a right tackle prospect.
If the Buccaneers draft Wright, there's a chance he eventually moves to the left side, but at the same time, if Wirfs' move is a successful one, why not just keep both players at the same position? It makes zero sense to move two productive players. So, it's almost guaranteed Wirfs is moving to left tackle if the Buccaneers draft Wright.
Regardless, we'll all have an answer, or at least a very good idea, of what's going to happen in a couple of weeks.
