Tristan Wirfs Playing Left Tackle? Jason Licht Isn’t Sure About That – JoeBucsFan.com – Tampa Bay Bucs Blog, Buccaneers News

Question.

While slugging it out with 30 other reporters, niceties won’t get the job done.

So when Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht stood at the podium at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis at the combine yesterday, elevated from the throng of #NFLMedia gathered before him, Joe had no choice but to bark this question at Licht before anyone else could get a full sentence out of his or her mouth.

“Can Tristan Wirfs play left tackle?”

As you likely know, JoeBucsFan.com legendary columnist Ira Kaufman said early last week on his podcast, that he learned starting left tackle Donovan Smith will be a cap casualty.

Joe understands some folks, aka the Smith haters, plan to dance on his football grave if/when Smith is released. Many believe it’s real simple: Plug Wirfs in at left tackle and have Luke Goedeke play right tackle. Task completed. Smith expunged.

Licht’s reaction to Joe’s question didn’t sound like he is eager to see his All-Pro right tackle moved.

“That remains to be seen,” Licht said about Wirfs playing on the left side. “We haven’t seen it yet in the NFL.

“I think he has all of the traits to do it if that were the case to do it, but we haven’t had any spring practices, OTAs or anything like that yet.”

Todd Bowles told Joe 1-on-1 yesterday that flipping from one side of the line to the other is much more complex than most folks realize. And Wirfs dominating at right tackle doesn’t mean he would automatically have the same success at left tackle. Some can flip; others can’t.

This Joe has been clear on Wirfs potentially moving to the left side: Hell no!

Joe rigidly follows a simple motto of “don’t fix something that isn’t broken.” Wirfs at right tackle sure as hell isn’t broken.

If Smith is toast, OK. Then go get a left tackle in the draft or someone looking for work when the free agency dinner bell rings two weeks from today.