Bucs Gameday

Chargers star dethrones Buccaneers' Tristan Wirfs as NFL's highest-paid lineman

Tampa Bay Buccaneers lineman Tristan Wirfs' big 2024 contract has finally been bested.
River Wells|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs warms up before a game against the Denver Broncos.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs warms up before a game against the Denver Broncos. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tackle Tristan Wirfs hasn't been practicing lately — he underwent a cleanup surgery in his knee and could miss the first four weeks of the season — but he remains one of the best tackles in football.

Wirfs was named a First Team All-Pro last year, becoming the first player to do so at both left and right tackle in NFL history. He has remained a stalwart in Tampa Bay and is arguably its best player, and the Bucs rewarded him in kind last year with a five-year, $140.6 million contract that made him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history. Wirfs has held that claim since signing that contract last year — until now.

Wirfs was finally dethroned on Sunday, as the Los Angeles Chargers reached an agreement with tackle Rashawn Slater. Slater signed a four-year, $114 deal, and while Wirfs' total money still has him paid higher, Slater's AAV of $28.5 million officially makes him the highest-paid lineman in the NFL.

Slater and Wirfs faced off against each other last year when the Bucs stomped the Los Angeles Chargers 40-17 at SoFi Stadium. They won't face each other again this upcoming season, but the two remain among the best in the league at their respective positions.

Wirfs could miss the first four games of the regular season should he remain on the team's PUP list once training camp begins, which would put him on track for Week 5 against the Seattle Seahawks on the road.

READ MORE: Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield throws shade at Cleveland Browns

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River Wells
RIVER WELLS

River Wells is a sports journalist from St. Petersburg, Florida, who has covered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since 2023. He graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Florida in 2021. You can follow him on Twitter @riverhwells.

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