One devastating piece of news has dominated the feeds of Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans in recent weeks. Superstar offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs has undergone knee surgery and is set to miss significant time.
Wirfs is one of the cornerstones of Tampa Bay's roster, and the impact of losing him for any period can't be understated. But in the NFL, a "next man up" mentality is preached constantly. With Wirfs out, players below him on the Buccaneers' depth chart have the opportunity to step up.
That opportunity may be enough to earn one undrafted rookie a roster spot.
Buccaneers' rookie Benjamin Chukwuma could make the final roster
You might want to learn Benjamin Chukwuma's name. The undrafted rookie is looking like a likely member of the Buccaneers' final roster.
Chukwuma has had a unique journey to the NFL. He had never played in a football game until two years ago. Chukwuma walked on at Georgia State shortly after moving to Georgia from Nigeria. He had no football experience, but his physical stature caught his coach's eye.
After two full seasons at Georgia State, Chuckwuma is still raw. He has less than 1,000 total offensive snaps under his belt, but he's shown the potential to be an NFL-caliber offensive tackle. He started 11 games in 2024 and allowed just two sacks. He has the athleticism to match up with NFL edge rushers, even if his technique is lacking.
NFL teams were hesitant to use a draft pick on Chukwuma, but the Buccaneers scooped him up soon after the draft was over. And they sent a clear message when they did it, giving him more guaranteed money ($300,000) than any other undrafted free agent in the league this offseason.
With that contract, Chukwuma already seemed to have an inside track to making the final roster. After Wirfs' injury, it seems like a lock. Veteran Charlie Heck is set to fill in for Wirfs, but Chukwuma isn't far behind Heck on the depth chart. In the case of one or two more injuries along the offensive line, he may end up seeing real playing time as a rookie.
Hopefully, Chukwuma is given ample time to develop. He still has so much to learn about playing offensive tackle, but his limited sample size shows that he could grow into a real role in the NFL. If the Buccaneers develop him well, Chukwuma could be the next Jordan Mailata.