The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have made important decisions ahead of the start of the season. The team has placed two of its key players on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.
Key Players on the PUP List
Left tackle Tristan Wirfs, two-time All-Pro, and Pro Bowl wide receiver Chris Godwin are the affected players. This situation raises uncertainty about their availability for the start of the season. Wirfs, who missed the mandatory minicamp in June, underwent arthroscopic surgery in July. Early indications suggest he could miss the start of the regular season. Godwin, for his part, suffered an ankle sprain in Week 7 of the previous year and also underwent surgery. Although his return was initially expected for the playoffs, his participation in the preseason is uncertain.PUP List Rules
Being on the PUP list, both players can be activated at any time for training camp or the preseason, provided they are medically cleared. They will be able to participate in team meetings, receive medical treatment, and train at the facilities, but they cannot practice under the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement. If any player remains on the PUP list during the preseason or final cuts, they will have to miss the first four weeks of the regular season.Team Adaptation
Given Godwin’s possible absence, the team relies on rookie Emeka Egbuka, who has shown a rapid adaptation to the system of new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard.Regarding Wirfs’ position, the team has signed Charlie Heck as a backup tackle and is evaluating their options. In addition to Wirfs and Godwin, the Buccaneers also placed Silas Dzansi, Sua Opeta, and Michael Pratt on the PUP list. Anthony Walker Jr. was placed on the non-football injury list and Desmond Watson on the non-football illness list. The team’s first official training will be on Wednesday, July 23. The start of the regular season will be against the Atlanta Falcons on September 7.What stands out is how cerebral he is. He’s very intelligent. I think we could put him in any receiver position, he understands the offense very well. He’s like a professional already.
Baker Mayfield
