Bucs get good news - mostly - on their star left tackle as training camp gets underway

It appears as though the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' biggest roster question mark provided an answer on Wednesday morning at One Buc Place.  Albeit, not a totally clear one.

LT Tristan Wirfs is at training camp and participating in activities on Wednesday morning.  However, according to Fox Sports' Greg Auman, Wirfs is expected to be a limited participant in training camp activities.

It's certainly good news for the Buccaneers and their fans that Wirfs is in the building and on the field with his teammates.  Shows he wants to be there and be a part of the team.

It's also understandable that he's wanting to limit himself in certain activities to limit the risk of a significant injuries.  Players suffer season-ending injuries every season in training camp and the preseason. Russell Gage suffered a non-contact knee injury that ended his season in August last preseason with the Bucs.  Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey suffered a torn meniscus in July last year.

Bucs general manager Jason Licht has shown a clear willingness to reward his own home-grown talent, as he's done with Mike Evans and Antoine Winfield, Jr. this offseason with extensions as well as bringing Jordan Whitehead back to Tampa Bay.

How that reward hasn't come the way of Wirfs, who's been among the best tackles in the league for all of his first four seasons, is somewhat surprising.  Sometimes rookies far outplay their rookie deals, and they're paid accordingly before it expires.

Wirfs is entering the fifth-year option year on his rookie contract and will make $18.244 million this season per OverTheCap.com .  That's not chump change, but it's still not at the market for what he's believed to be due.

The Bucs have to pay Wirfs.  They have little choice.  They can't let arguably the best young tackle in the entire league walk.

But until they do, Wirfs will continue to play it as safe as he can while he waits for Licht to deliver the offer he's been waiting for.

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