The PR Bucs Monday Mailbag is where PewterReport.com’s Mark Cook answers your questions from our Twitter account. You can submit your question each week via Twitter using the hashtag #PRMailbag.

Below are the questions we chose for this week’s edition of the PR Bucs Monday Mailbag.

Question: Are the Bucs going to use Tristan Wirfs primarily at the right tackle position or will they test him out somewhere else?

Answer: Tampa Bay drafted Tristan Wirfs in the first round and let veteran Damar Dotson walk for one reason – to have Wirfs be the team’s right tackle this year. That doesn’t mean he isn’t the team’s left tackle one day down the road, but in 2020 Wirfs is expected to come in and be the team’s starter on the right side.

Iowa RT Tristan Wirfs – Photo by: Getty Images

The lack of a traditional training camp and preseason will make things much more difficult than in year’s past as Wirf’s will be thrown into the fire early against some of the NFL’s most fierce pass rushers without the benefit of a preseason. But from all indications the Buccaneers front office and coaching staff believe Wirfs, who started at Iowa as a true freshman, is up for the challenge.

He will have some bumps along the way and we could even see veteran Joe Haeg get the nod in the season opener at New Orleans against Pro Bowl defensive end Cameron Jordan and Wirfs rotating in for a few series. Yet Tampa Bay fully expects Wirfs to eventually the the reins and be a fixture for years to come as the team’s starting tackle.

Question: Any chance you think the Bucs will still move Cameron Brate or O.J. Howard in trade to upgrade position of need?

Answer: There is a little chance of that happening at this point. The Bucs’ addition of Rob Gronkowski would make some think that the position is expendable, but at the end of the day, no one can say how healthy the 31-year old star will stay over a 16-game season. And what is the position of need? Safety? Pass rusher? Some could argue could argue those two positions are question marks due to inexperience in the team’s depth, but I wouldn’t classify either as a position of need.

Bucs TE O.J. Howard – Photo by: Getty Images

If the Bucs were to trade Cameron Brate or O.J. Howard, and Gronkowski were to get banged up, now tight end all of a sudden becomes a position of need. Teams can’t have 22 Pro Bowl-caliber starters. There will always be some units stronger than others, but to trade a player from a strong group then it makes that unit weaker and one that people would say needs an upgrade.

Unless there is a major rash of injuries somewhere on the team, this is who the organization plans to roll with in 2020.

Question: What’s your manly guess of Bucs’ record in 2020, and I only want the number if you would bet $100 on it yourself.

Answer: I have bet on the Bucs once in my life, back in the summer of 2017 when I was visiting Vegas. I dropped $20 at the MGM Grand on the Bucs reaching the Super Bowl and winning. So I would not advise anyone to use my prediction as a gauge for putting your hard earned money on the line.

Bucs head coach Bruce Arians and NFL ref – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

With that said, I would feel comfortable taking the Bucs to win 10 games in 2020. Tampa Bay won seven games last season with a historically bad defense the first half of the season, 30 interceptions from Jameis Winston and an offense that found ways to beat itself on a regular basis.

Now, a year later, this is a more experienced football team, and in my opinion, a much better football team. I think the Bucs win at least 10 games this season and would feel comfortable betting on that number. But believe they can be a 12-win team when it is all said and done.

Question: Reports are that the Power 5 conferences – noticeably the BIG 10 – will cancel their season. What are the ramifications for the NFL such as the offseason with the NFL Draft? Will the NFL play games on Saturday?

Answer: I have been reading the same thing, and think if the BIG 10 does in fact cancel football in the fall, then we could see a domino effect with the rest of college football following suit. The MAC has already cancelled its season.

There is plenty to debate, but the thing that is almost certain – not having college football in 2020 – will put some athletic programs in a hole they will be difficult to recover from. Many athletic departments have already slashed salaries of coaches and those in the athletic department, and laid off many employees. College football is the big money generator for most athletic departments, and that loss of revenue will have a trickle down effect for the rest of the college sport calendar and possibly for years to come. Some schools may never recover.

Alabama HC Nick Saban – Photo by: Getty Images)

As far as affecting the NFL, it is hard to say without knowing if the cancellation of the fall football season would mean universities trying to play football in the spring, if the COVID-19 situation is under control. But, it is hard to fathom asking college football players to play 20-plus games in a calendar year with the return of college football next fall, too.

And what would that do to the NFL Draft that takes place in April normally? I think we would see many high profile college players opt out of the season, which would also throw NFL teams for a loop as far as evaluation and scouting with less game film to study.

If college football is cancelled or even postponed, and Saturdays are open this fall, I could see the NFL want to play both Saturday and Sunday to expand its audience. That is of course if the NFL can still have a season of its own with the country still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.