BREAKING: Bucs To Pick Up Tristan Wirfs’ Fifth-Year Option

Pewter Report has learned that the Bucs will be picking up fifth-year option of two-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs. NFL teams have until May 1 to exercise the fifth-year option of first-round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft. For the Bucs, picking up Tristan Wirfs’ fifth-year option for 2024 is a no-brainer. Because he’s been to two Pro Bowls, the fifth-year option for offensive linemen is $18.244 million.

That will be a huge raise for Wirfs, who will make $2,822,914 in base salary in 2023 and have a $5,163,464 salary cap hit in 2023 that includes prorated signing bonus money.

There is a chance that Wirfs may not even have to play on his fifth-year option. With Pro Bowl and All-Pro credentials, Wirfs has already established himself worthy of a contract extension that might come later this year. That’s happened before in Tampa Bay.

Bucs OT Tristan Wirfs Has Been Consistent, LB Devin White Has Not

Bucs general manager Jason Licht and vice president of football administration Mike Greenberg picked up the fifth-year option of defensive tackle Vita Vea, the team’s first-rounder in 2018. But Tampa Bay agreed on a contract extension with the Pro Bowler on Jan. 8, 2022 – prior to 2022 regular season.

When Tristan Wirfs gets a contract extension, it will likely be more than $25 million per season. Houston left tackle Laramy Tunsil reset the market when he signed a three-year contract extension worth $25 million per season, with $50 million guaranteed.

The fact that Wirfs might be moving to left tackle to replace Donovan Smith this year will only solidify the chances of Wirfs resetting the market again in 2024 or 2025 when he is slated to become an unrestricted free agent. Unless, of course, Tampa Bay re-signs him to an extension or uses the franchise tag on the Iowa product.

Bucs linebacker and team captain Devin White, the team’s first-round pick in 2019, had his fifth-year option picked up for the 2023 season. Yet unlike Vea, and possibly Wirfs, White won’t receive an early contract extension prior to his fifth-year option season.

The team wants White to play his on his fifth-year option this year before deciding whether or not he’s worth $20 million per season – or more – that he’s pursuing. White has made his share of splash plays over the last four years, but has not been a consistent player.

White has griped on social media about not receiving a long-term contract extension this season, and he has requested a trade from the team. Licht has publicly said that the Bucs have no intention of trading him. It remains unclear whether or not White will attend the voluntary workouts this offseason or hold out of the mandatory mini-camp and training camp in protest.

Bucs Have Picked Up Fifth-Year Options Every Year Under Jason Licht

Bucs RT Tristan Wirfs and RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs have picked up the fifth-year options of all of their first-round picks dating back to Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans, who was Jason Licht’s first selection as Tampa Bay’s general manager, in 2014. Evans played on his fifth-year option before agreeing to a five-year, $82 million contract extension on March 9, 2018 prior to free agency.

Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston, the team’s first-round pick in 2015, had his fifth-year option picked up for the 2019 season. After a year in which he threw a franchise-record 33 touchdowns, Winston also threw 30 interceptions, becoming the NFL’s first ever 30-30 quarterback. Winston also threw an NFL-record seven pick-sixes in 2019 and was was not re-signed for 2020. Instead, the Bucs pursued and signed legendary quarterback Tom Brady, who helped lead the team to a Super Bowl LV championship.

Cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III, the Bucs’ first-rounder in 2016, had his first-round option picked up for the 2020 season, but was released midway through the 2019 season due to poor play. Tight end O.J. Howard, who was Tampa Bay’s first-round selection 2017, played on his fifth-year option in 2021, but was not re-signed afterwards.