Despite injury setbacks and statistical dips, Pete Prisco’s latest rankings cement Tampa Bay’s offensive pillars as elite talents poised for a high-stakes resurgence in the 2026 season.
CBS Sports Senior Writer Pete Prisco released the 2026 edition of his "Top 100 NFL Players," and Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield and Tristan Wirfs made the list.
Mayfield appeared as the 80th-best player, and Wirfs appeared as the 22nd-best player on Prisco's list. Wirfs dropped two rankings from the 2025 edition, and Mayfield dropped 23 rankings.
Prisco noted their injuries as part of their falls. Wirfs missed the first three games of the season with a knee injury, but his production did not drop when he returned to action.
The 27-year-old finished last season with elite Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades, cementing himself as a top-5 offensive tackle. He ended the year with a 92.7 overall grade (second), 84.9 pass blocking grade (fourth) and a 91.6 run blocking grade (third).
Wirfs accomplished such high grades across 778 snaps, which ranked 45th out of the 89 qualified offensive tackles. While the 6-foot-5 offensive tackle maintained his elite production, his quarterback did not.
Mayfield, coming off a career-high 2024 season, regressed last season. He not only dealt with injuries to himself, but to the receiving core, too. Injuries limited his production severely, ending a two-season 4,000-yard streak.
He threw for 3,693 yards, 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Prisco said the talent is still there, but Mayfield just wasn't the same player he was in 2024.
A part of his struggles could be the switch from Liam Coen as offensive coordinator in 2024 to Josh Grizzard in 2025. Tampa Bay had a top-5 offense under Coen's guidance and dropped to the 20s range under Grizzard.
The 31-year-old could see a resurgence under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who is implementing a spread offense. Mayfield would throw the ball to multiple receivers throughout the game, rather than favoring a star receiver.
Tampa Bay's franchise quarterback is also in a contract year, potentially putting a chip on his shoulder to perform. The two parties aren't close to a contract extension, and training camp is next month.
The Buccaneers are in a difficult position. They never paid a quarterback over $50 million, and that's what they'll most likely have to offer to retain Mayfield.
A healthy season for Mayfield, plus a healthy receiving core and a new offensive coordinator, should prime him for a return to elite production. Prisco ranked the 6-foot-1 quarterback 57th last season.
Two Buccaneers making Prisco's top-100 players of 2026 shows the talent on the team, enough to overshadow an injury-plagued 2025 and make the playoffs in 2026.
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