Evidence Tackle Tristan Wirfs Is An Elite Pass Blocker
May 29th, 2022
Crazy good numbers.
Joe thinks one can make a great case that Bucs right tackle Tristan Wirfs is the best tackle in the NFL.
Jeff Kerr over at CBS Sports had an interesting stat he twittered yesterday. Kerr listed the fewest sacks given up by a tackle the past three seasons. Philadelphia’s Lane Johnson led the league with two, and Dallas tackle Tyron Smith had three. Next was Wirfs was tied for third (with Packers tackle David Bakhtiari) with four sacks allowed.
Then Joe quickly remembered, Smith and Johnson are veterans. They played the past three regular seasons. However, Smith has only played in 26 games the past three seasons. Johnson has played in just 32. Wirfs has played 33 games (16 games his rookie year, 17 last year).
So this further demonstrates what a monster Wirfs is. Johnson (nine seasons) and Smith (12 seasons) are savvy veterans. Wirfs is just getting started.
If Wirfs keeps this up, in 20 years folks will talk about him the very same way old Bucs fans talk about Lee Roy Selmon, Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks.
If Wirfs maintins this pace, he will be a legend.
Fewest sacks allowed by OT — last 3 seasons (min. 1,000 pass blocking snaps)
1. Lane Johnson — 2
2. Tyron Smith — 3
T3. Tristan Wirfs — 4
T3. David Bakhtiari — 4#Eagles #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/LWykGlmxCX— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) May 28, 2022
May 29th, 2022 at 9:52 am
He’ll be, A BuCing Legend
May 29th, 2022 at 10:00 am
Joe
You mentioned the number of games… I’d like to know the number of times the quarterback dropped back. We all know Brady passed more than anyone else the last two years.
Here’s to a very healthy Buccaneer team this year 🍺
May 29th, 2022 at 10:01 am
And did he give up any sacks vs the Eagles on one leg? just sayin……stud!!!!
May 29th, 2022 at 10:05 am
Remember the other tackles that went before him?
Man we knocked it out of the park. Did other teams think right tackle so not the same value?
The dude is a dang tree stump.
May 29th, 2022 at 10:51 am
Good point David! It’d be a better metric if you calculated number of sacks allowed per pass attempts (or 100 pass attempts). I have a feeling he’d come out on top.
May 29th, 2022 at 11:24 am
The 49ers have to be kicking themselves in the ass for taking kintlaw and letting the bucs have Tristan.
May 29th, 2022 at 11:34 am
If Wirfs didn’t have to play against the Saints 2 times a year he probably wouldn’t have any. I think Cam Jordan has to have at least 3 of the sacks. It felt like he had 4 in the last game against them.
May 29th, 2022 at 11:34 am
And he’s only going to get better…..
I’d love to see a strongest man competition between he and Vita. The kind where they toss boulders and stuff.
May 29th, 2022 at 11:56 am
One of the sacks he gave up was after his ankle was wrecked and he unwisely came back in
May 29th, 2022 at 12:00 pm
How many OL’s were picked before TW?
May 29th, 2022 at 12:15 pm
Don’t disagree….but why use 3 years as a benchmark when Wirfs only played 2?
May 29th, 2022 at 12:56 pm
No one is better than Licht at drafting offensive linemen.
May 29th, 2022 at 1:33 pm
The OL is clearly a superior unit. And, yes, TB12 drops back very frequently. But, remember how quickly TB12 gets rid of the ball whether targeting someone or throwing it away.
Some math genius needs to calculate an OL metric that grades OL performance vs time until release vs throwaway percentage vs threat level from pass rushers at time of throw.
In other words, TB12’s exceptional speed getting rid of the ball must make the OL look better than it would protecting the “average” QB. How do you fairly evaluate the OL against the TB12 favorable bias?
May 29th, 2022 at 1:53 pm
Bird, yes they did. RT don’t have the same value as left. Wirfs was never going to be a LT. He would be nearly as good on the left side. People calling for him to move there will never see it. Do you want the the best RT in football, or a good moderately good LT. Career RT he is.
May 29th, 2022 at 2:04 pm
Bird. +1
May 29th, 2022 at 2:07 pm
Not sure about that. *Should* Wirfs be a a RT for his Bucs life? Yes. Will he? Different story.
Joe can promise you Wirfs’ agent wants him to be a LT (unless he’s paid LT money to play RT). Key will be in three years when Wirfs, contract runs out.
Important to watch as far as the future of Wirfs is Donovan Smith. Possible free agent after 2023 season.
Moving from right to left and left to right not a simple move for a tackle. Some can pull it off many cannot.
May 29th, 2022 at 3:50 pm
#Joe, of course his agent “wants” Wirfs to be a LT even if he’s in no rush to see him there…If you get my point.
At this point, Wirfs has more to lose than gain by moving there. Moving there in 24, right before his contract year, and then underperforming would be bad for him. Being a historically dominant RT thought be able to be a dominant LT is better than being proven not to be a dominant LT. If I’m him, and his agent, I wouldn’t make that move until after his extension was secure. In those talks, you could say pay my guy like a LT or move him this year. Now if he get his extension after 23, then it’s a different story.
May 29th, 2022 at 6:02 pm
Every OL who plays for Brady, steps up their game. Just saying.