First day of Bucs camp, and the left side’s already limping Tristan Wirfs, still easing back from knee surgery, hits the PUP list. Silas Dzansi? Same spot, same list. Add guard Sua Opeta and second-year QB Michael Pratt to the sidelines, and suddenly, Todd Bowles is looking at depth charts like a man checking for exits. The O-line was already thin. And then came the twist: promising young tackle Garrett Greenfield?

Well, the Bucs recently announced that they have placed the 25-year-old offensive tackle on the reserve/retired list. Todd Bowles and Co. signed Greenfield to their practice squad at the start of this year. A couple of weeks later, he signed a reserve/future contract. But now his unexpected departure has left the Bucs’ offensive line in uncertainty with the regular season inching closer.

The Bucs have already kicked off their training camp, which will be followed by the preseason before the 53-man roster announcement. Prior to 4:00 PM ET on August 26, the NFL teams are required to reduce their 90-man roster to a maximum of 53 players on the active/inactive list. In the case of Greenfield, who’s now on the reserve/retired list, he doesn’t count against the 90-man or 53-man roster.

The Bucs still retain his rights, preventing him from signing with another team unless released or traded. With the 53-man roster deadline almost a month away, it’s unlikely Garret Greenfield will be a part of the final 53-man roster. However, if he chooses to unretire after the deadline, Todd Bowles and the Bucs might consider creating an open roster spot, and Greenfield will be required to go through standard reactivation procedures.

Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Seahawks in 2024, Greenfield arrived in Tampa Bay on January 1, 2025. Will he show up for the 2025 season or not? That we shall see. But in the meantime, Bowles’ roster is hit by the injury bug ahead of the 2025 season.

Injury woes mount for Todd Bowles and Baker Mayfield

NFL teams aim to kick off training camp with momentum, but so far, it’s the injury bug stealing the spotlight. And for Baker Mayfield and the Bucs, it’s no different. As camp gets rolling, they’ve found themselves caught in the same cycle: big plans on paper, setbacks on the field. With second-year tackle Greenfield out of the picture due to an unexpected departure, the Bucs placed five of their players on the PUP list.

Leading the chorus is left tackle Tristan Wirfs. The Tampa Bay team confirmed that Wirfs, 26, had arthroscopic surgery this month on his right knee after he sustained an injury last season. The Buccaneers drafted Wirfs with the 13th overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. And since then, the sixth-year tackle has started all 79 games of his career (16 last season). The four-time Pro Bowler inked a five-year, $140.6 million contract extension last year.

Meanwhile, Todd Bowles and his crew have also placed veteran wide receiver Chris Godwin on the PUP list. The wideout signed a $66 million contract extension this offseason. However, his left ankle injury that he suffered last season keeps interrupting his 2025 offseason. The 29-year-old went under the knife to repair his ankle dislocation. And he’s now going to miss part of training camp following the surgery. Godwin, who recently changed his name on his jersey, ended his 2024 season with just 50 passes for 576 yards.

Along with Wirfs and Godwin, the Bucs placed offensive tackle Silas Dzansi, guard Sua Opeta, and backup quarterback Michael Pratt on the PUP list. They also sidelined LB Anthony Walker Jr. with a non-football injury. Just like that, seven Buccaneers are already out—due to injuries, illness, and everything in between.