The Buccaneers received encouraging news Tuesday as wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. and left tackle Tristan Wirfs both passed their physicals, allowing them to come off the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list and begin ramping up ahead of the regular season.
Godwin Jr. is returning from a dislocated ankle suffered late last season, a significant injury that sidelined him for all of the offseason program. Wirfs, the team’s cornerstone offensive lineman, has been rehabbing from knee surgery that kept him out of training camp. Passing their physicals means both are now eligible to begin participating in team activities, walkthroughs, and eventually full practices.
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Although the Bucs don’t expect either player to be ready for Week 1, this development is a key step toward reintegrating two of their most important offensive contributors. Had they remained on the PUP list into the regular season, both would have been required to miss at least the first four games.
Head coach Todd Bowles emphasized the long-term importance of the move. “They’ve both worked hard to get to this point,” Bowles said. “We’ll bring them along carefully but getting them back in the building and closer to football shape is a big plus.”
Godwin Jr. is expected to be a central piece in Tampa Bay’s passing attack once healthy, while Wirfs remains the anchor of the offensive line. While each is likely to miss a few games to start the season, their clearance marks real progress and a boost for a Bucs team looking to hit the ground running in 2025.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Key starters for Bucs pass physicals in first step towards returning