Reinforcements are coming, Bucs fans.
Left tackle Tristan Wirfs and wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. have each taken respective next steps in playing this season after both franchise players returned to practice on Thursday morning.
They will not be playing this Monday night against the Texans, but one can expect Wirfs to return quicker than Godwin. When they do, it will only boost what was one of the top five scoring offenses in the NFL last season.
When Can You Expect To See Tristan Wirfs And Chris Godwin Jr. Back?
News of Tristan Wirfs and Chris Godwin Jr. suiting up for practice was revealed just before they came out, with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport providing specifics on Godwin’s injury timeline.
Chris Godwin is recovering from a second surgery to fix some hardware in his ankle, a procedure that probably sped up his return. The team is hopefully for a Week 5 debut, though Week 6 is also possible. https://t.co/ZPPCrscXvB
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 11, 2025
In late July, it was reported that Godwin underwent a minor clean-up surgery on his surgically repaired left ankle. At the time, head coach Todd Bowles did not seem surprised about this procedure, and it felt like a minor setback for what the team has hoped would be a major comeback. What Rapoport shared is that it sped up the veteran wide receiver’s recovery, with the expectation that he will be back for Tampa Bay’s Week 5 matchup against the Seahawks on the road or when the team returns home to face the 49ers in Week 6.
Bucs WR Chris Godwin and HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
A lot will hinge, of course, on how Godwin’s ankle holds up and how quickly he can get back into football shape to get back to playing like someone who went on a tear in the first seven games of last season.
When it comes to the Bucs’ offensive line anchor, there is more optimism that he will be back sooner than the wideout. Wirfs was seen jogging with the rest of the big guys on Thursday morning. The All-Pro left tackle has been on the road to recovery since his own surgery over the offseason for his right knee, having been spotted in late August walking around without a limp.
His progress was the reason why the team opted to keep him on the 53-man roster to begin this season and not place him on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list before the season-opener. If they did so, he would automatically be out for the first four games.
Thursday marked the latest example of why Wirfs will likely beat that window. One can look at Week 3’s home-opener against the Jets or when the team faces the Eagles in Week 4 as when he could be back. The rest of the offense will surely welcome him with open arms, since his injury has meant shuffling the whole offensive line.
One key element to consider is that the Bucs can only elevate left guard Michael Jordan three times before signing him the rest of the season. If they do not want to sign him to the active roster, they can have Jordan play there for up to the first three games before having to make some decisions. The sooner the better when it comes to the offensive line reverting back to its original form and not playing multiple players (Graham Barton and Ben Bredeson) out of position.
It will not be much longer, which will only make offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard, quarterback Baker Mayfield, and the rest of the offense’s life easier.