A circular stapler apparatus for stapling tissue includes a staple and pledget assembly and a circular staple head operable to drive staples toward an anvil. A staple of the staple and pledget assembly has a pair of legs disposed substantially perpendicular to a crown of the staple in a first position. The pair of legs is operable to advance against a pocket in the anvil to form a staple with bent legs. The staple and pledget assembly includes the staple and a pledget configured to receive the pair of legs of the staple. The pledget comprises a bioabsorbable material. The pledget is configured to advance distal ends of the pair of legs to a position in which the distal ends are laterally offset from a plane in which the crown of the staple is disposed.