The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been on fire the past few NFL off-seasons by snatching their third consecutive NFC South Division title. But, when it comes to performing at the playoffs, they don’t seem to keep the magic going. To address the lack of consistency, the Buccaneers’ general manager, Jason Licht, is trying to tie up his star players. QB Baker Mayfield, LB Lavonte David, WR Mike Evans, and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. have already signed their contract extensions.

But there’s one big name whose contract negotiations still stand in the balance: All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs, who’s entering his first-year option, hasn’t signed yet. Although talks are progressing between the two parties, there isn’t any confirmation. Amid those contract talks, Wirfs decided to skip the Buccaneer’s voluntary OTAs, which prompted Baker Mayfield to share some of his insight behind the stalled negotiations. He says, “I know those front office guys, pretty well, they like the guy as well, as he is a homegrown talent.” It seems Tristan’s contract situation might be wrapped up sooner rather than later.

Wirfs aims to become the highest-paid offensive tackle in NFL history, and he’s got a solid case. In the 2021 NFL season, Wirfs helped the Buccaneers win the Super Bowl alongside the “GOAT” Tom Brady. Then, he went on to make the NFL All-Pro Teams in 2021 and 2022 at different positions. After starting as a right tackle, Wirfs switched to left tackle and absolutely crushed it.

Meanwhile, in 2023, Wirfs had one of his best seasons yet, starting 17 games and playing all 1,100 snaps. Thus, for the first time in his football career, he didn’t concede a single holding penalty. Nonetheless, the contract circus surrounding Tristan has led to fans calling his situation a “hold-in.” Keep in mind that it’s not a “hold-out” where the players refuse to visit the training camps for practice. Instead, he is at the training camp. Although not practicing, he continues to engage with coaches and other teammates.

However, Tristan is not the only Buccaneers player who recently made the headlines with contract extensions. Mayfield also faced a similar situation, where his contributions to the team played a crucial role in securing the bag.

Will Baker Mayfield and Tristan Wirfs’ loyalty to the Buccaneers pay off?

Tristan has been a star performer in the Buccaneers’ team over the last few seasons. However, Baker Mayfield is also stealing the limelight with his recent performances. Mayfield was coming back from a split season between the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams. After wearing the Bucs jersey, Mayfield’s performances soon touched greater heights as he completed last season with 4,044 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and a passer rating of 94.6 amidst 10 interceptions. On the back of a strong season, he captured the third spot in the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award.

Taking over the legendary Tom Brady and competing against Kyle Trask, Mayfield lived up to the hype. Analyzing his numbers in one season, Mayfield did justify some expectations. This led to him being offered a three-year contract extension worth $100 million, with $50 million guaranteed. For now, the Bucs fans would be hoping Tristan also follows Mayfield’s decision and puts pen to paper. With the new season just around the horizon, the Bucs fans could have their eyes set on the Super Bowl if everything goes according to plan.