The last day of Buccaneers training camp came with a plethora of good news for the team as they head into the regular season.
Early Thursday morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke the news that the Bucs would be removing wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. from the Physically Unable to Perform list prior to the start of the regular season. The move ensures Godwin Jr. will be able to practice with the team and possibly return before Week 5, as the placement on the PUP list would have kept him out for the first four weeks of the season.
Fast forward to after practice, when Tampa Bay’s head coach, Todd Bowles, confirmed the news of Godwin Jr., but also surprised the media on site when he revealed All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs would also avoid the PUP list to start the season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs (78) warms up before a game against the Atlanta Falcons. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
With Wirfs and Godwin Jr. off the PUP list, they can begin practicing any time. Schefter reported that the plan is for Godwin Jr. to start practicing around Week 2 as he starts to get into football shape and will ramp up from there. Bowles confirmed the same timeline for Wirfs on Thursday, as well.
An early-season return for Wirfs was one of the best possible scenarios for the Buccaneers, as he completely changes how the offense is run. His replacement, Charlie Heck, has done admirably filling in for him through training camp and is still expected to start for the first few weeks of the season. However, the defending Super Bowl Champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, are coming to town in Week 4, and having the duo of Wirfs and Godwin Jr. back would go a long way in ensuring an early upset for the Bucs, who have had the Eagles’ number over the past few seasons.
There are still a lot of moving parts as the Bucs gear up to play their final preseason game, and the inclusion of Wirfs and Godwin Jr. on the active 53-man roster will have a trickle-down effect for players vying for roster spots. However, it is good news for the Bucs after the devastating injury that will sideline receiver Jalen McMillan for most of the season.
