Despite a slight slip in the rankings following a battle with injury, Tampa Bay's elite blindside protector remains a top-tier force according to league scouts and executives.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers should have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL in 2026.
Leading the way for the o-line is undoubtedly left tackle Tristan Wirfs. The Bucs drafted Wirfs with the 13th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft after trading up with the San Francisco 49ers.
He has since become not only one of the best tackles in the NFL, but one of the league's best players at any position. Pete Prisco of CBS Sports recently ranked Wirfs 22nd on his list of the top 100 NFL players for 2026.
Wirfs has a strong case as the best tackle in the league. If he's not the best, he isn't far off.
ESPN recently surveyed league executives, coaches, and scouts to determine the top 10 players at 11 different positions. According to those surveyed, Wirfs is the NFL's 3rd best tackle.
Wirfs Actually Dropped 2 Spots In The Rankings
The only tackles ranked above him were Penei Sewell of the Detroit Lions and Trent Williams of the San Francisco 49ers.
Being ranked third at one of the NFL's premier positions is very impressive, but Wirfs actually dropped two spots in the rankings. He was the top tackle in last year's survey, but a 2025 season in which he missed five games and was not as dominant as we are used to caused the fall.
"Last year's No. 1 battled a knee injury that cost him five games. He's undoubtedly elite and one of the best size-and-agility athletes in the game. But evaluators saw uneven moments last season once he returned.
"When I saw Chase Young beating him off the edge pretty clearly, I was like, 'That's new,'" an NFL coordinator said.
"Wirfs still posted the third-highest pass block win rate among tackles (95.5%). His rare talent should keep him in the top three for a while.
"'He makes the very difficult look extremely easy,' an NFC exec said. 'There's probably another level he can still get to. Still so much untapped potential.'"
Those surveyed obviously think Wirfs can play better in 2026 than he did a season ago. Now healthy, that seems like a solid bet.
Even with a slight drop-off in play, Wirfs is still regarded as one of the best in the NFL. He continued to be ranked as the best tackle by some of those surveyed. The lowest anyone ranked him was eighth.
Final Thoughts
Wirfs has been fantastic since coming to the Bucs. He has already helped win a Super Bowl and has committed to the team long-term by signing a five-year contract extension in 2024.
Baker Mayfield's blindside is in good hands with Wirfs. After a disappointing, injury-plagued 2025 season, Wirfs and the rest of Tampa's o-line should have a bounce-back year in 2026.
If the offensive line can play up to its potential this season, the Bucs' offense could return to being one of the best in the NFL.
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