As expected, wide receiver Chris Godwin and tackle Tristan Wirfs were placed on the active/physically unable to perform (PUP) list on Tuesday, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' training camp set to begin on Wednesday morning. They were two of seven players on the Buccaneers' 91-man roster who will be sidelined at the beginning of camp.
The Buccaneers also placed tackle Silas Dzansi, guard Sua Opeta and quarterback Michael Pratt on the active/PUP list. In addition, linebacker Anthony Walker landed on the active/non-football injury list (NFI) and rookie defensive lineman Desmond Watson was placed on the active/non-football illness list.
All seven players continue to count against the team's 91-man camp roster limit and can be activated from their lists at any time. They cannot practice until they are activated but they can attend team meetings. By placing these players on those three lists before camp begins, the Buccaneers retain the option to later put them on reserve/PUP or NFI before the start of the regular season.
Thus, Tuesday's moves do not necessarily mean that any of these players will miss any regular-season time. However, if they are later placed on a reserve list, they will have to be out for a minimum of four games.
The most pressing concerns for the Buccaneers are the status of Wirfs and Godwin. Wirfs recently underwent knee surgery and is a strong candidate to start the season on reserve/PUP. Godwin continues to recover from the dislocated ankle and various other leg injuries suffered in Week Seven of last season. Wirfs was a first-team Associated Press All-Pro selection in 2024, becoming the first player in NFL history earn that honor at both left and right tackle. At the time of his injury, Godwin was leading the NFL in receptions (50), receiving first downs (33) and was second in receiving yards (576).
Opeta signed with the Buccaneers in 2024 to compete with Ben Bredeson for the starting left guard job. However, he suffered a knee injury in practice early in training camp and was placed on injured reserve. He started 10 games at multiple positions for the Eagles from 2020-23. Pratt spent all of last season on Tampa Bay's practice squad before re-signing with the team in January. He was a seventh-round pick by the Green Bay Packers out of Tulane in the 2024 draft.
Walker signed with the Buccaneers as an unrestricted free agent in March and once he returns to the field he will have a chance to compete for the starting linebacker job next to Lavonte David. Walker has played in 99 games with 83 starts for the Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins. Dzansi signed with the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2023 but has split his first two NFL seasons between Tampa Bay's practice squad and injured reserve. Watson signed with the Buccaneers this spring as an undrafted free agent out of Florida.
