SEVEN Days From Free Agency
March 6th, 2023
It’s high noon on a glorious Monday, and that means 2023 NFL free agency is exactly seven days away.
The bell rings next Monday when teams can begin negotiating with any and all pending free agents. By that afternoon, deals will be announced — to be executed formally two days later when the NFL’s new fiscal year begins.
The Bucs will get some fresh blood in the house but, barring a surprise, it might take until the very end of next week or later. Tampa Bay won’t be reeling in any expensive fish because they don’t have the salary cap room, though the Bucs might throw a net over their own free agents to keep them in-house: Jamel Dean and/or Lavonte David.
More interesting to Joe will be the many players walking out the door. Will Super Bowl defensive linemen Will Gholston and Rakeem Nuñez-Roches find new teams? What kind of cash will defensive backs Mike Edwards and Sean Murphy-Bunting command on the market? Will the Bucs quickly sign a new kicker after dumping Ryan Succop and his fat salary?
Might veteran safeties Logan Ryan and Keanu Neal be willing to stay in Tampa on the cheap? What will be Scotty Miller’s new home? Who is the surprise salary cap release?
One week from today: at Noon ET, the NFL’s legal negotiating window opens, essentially the start of free agency. pic.twitter.com/cFdQnrMZ5l
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 6, 2023
March 6th, 2023 at 12:12 pm
Restructure
• Chris Godwin (Saved: $14,190,000)
• Carlton Davis (Saved: $6,710,000)
• Vita Vea (Saved: (Saved: $8,565,000)
• Ryan Jensen (Saved: $8,501,250)
• Russell Cage: (Saved: $4,460,000)
Total Saved: $42,426,250.
Cap Space: – ($13,686,553)
Release/Trade
• Donovan Smith (Saved: $9,565,000)
• Shaquille Mason (Saved: $5,272,000)
• Leonard Fournette (Saved: $3,470,588)
• Cameron Brate: (Saved: $2,030,000)
• Ryan Succop: (Saved: 3,250,000)
Total Saved: $23,587,588.
Total Cap Space: $10,286,035
March 6th, 2023 at 12:15 pm
I am normally excited about free agency. But this year we will be sellers as opposed to buyers. I just hope we aren’t picked bare.
March 6th, 2023 at 12:17 pm
Looks like LUVMYBUCS is Mike Greenberg in disquise.
March 6th, 2023 at 12:20 pm
Note:
2021 offseason and their reported contract amounts:
• Edge rusher Shaq Barrett: Re-signed on a four-year, $72 million contract, with $36 million guaranteed.
• Linebacker Lavonte David: Re-signed on a two-year, $25 million contract, with $20 million guaranteed.
• Tight end Rob Gronkowski: Re-signed on a one-year, $10 million contract, with $8 million guaranteed.
• Running back Leonard Fournette: Re-signed on a one-year, $3.25 million contract, with $2 million guaranteed.
• Kicker Ryan Succop: Re-signed on a three-year, $12 million contract, with $6.25 million guaranteed.
March 6th, 2023 at 12:22 pm
Cont…
At the beginning of free agency in 2021, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had approximately $11.5 million in salary cap space
March 6th, 2023 at 12:26 pm
@ Joe Swanson
😎
March 6th, 2023 at 12:27 pm
Looks line White is gone
March 6th, 2023 at 12:29 pm
7 days until we see whose careers Blowzo will ruin next.
March 6th, 2023 at 12:32 pm
@ Joe Swanson
Haha good one
March 6th, 2023 at 12:33 pm
The rebuild is moving forward out of necessity! It is what it is!
March 6th, 2023 at 12:52 pm
Shake it up baby. Spring Cleaning time. TX for the stats LMB
March 6th, 2023 at 12:53 pm
@ HC Grover
Your welcome HCG
March 6th, 2023 at 1:33 pm
@LUVMYBUCS does restructuring really save that much cap room?
March 6th, 2023 at 1:47 pm
If Jamel Dean signs with another team the same day free agency opens, good bye, good riddance. This means he is only worried about the ca$h. I know he wants to get paid but I love these players that sign with teams like LA without learning about the standard of living and other tag along expenses. Tampa can accommodate him, he just needs to be patient. As for Gholston, he wants to stay here. As a ten year veteran, who wants to pick up and move. Plus he is an interior lineman that stuffs the middle. He has done a great job the last few years. Try to get him at a discount, plus he loves Coach Bowles.
March 6th, 2023 at 1:52 pm
They better try to restructure and keep Succop.
March 6th, 2023 at 2:01 pm
Thx for those numbers LUV. Will be interesting to see what the organization does. That’s a lot of restructures
March 6th, 2023 at 2:19 pm
Succop only has warning track power (45 yards) and is pricey. He might also screw around and win a game or two in 2023 when the Bucs are in the race for a top 3 pick. Kidding. Mostly.
March 6th, 2023 at 3:00 pm
@ Who Says Says Can’t Say
Short term yes! When a team decides to restructure a player’s contract, it is usually done to create immediate salary cap relief. This is done by converting a portion of the player’s BASE salary into a signing bonus, which can be PRORATED over the remaining years of the contract.
March 6th, 2023 at 3:07 pm
@ ABucAway
Your Welcome!
True, but as you know restructuring contracts has become an increasingly popular method for teams to strategically manage their salary cap and free up space for future roster moves. The problem is getting all parties to agree.
March 6th, 2023 at 3:27 pm
We will be hitting the bargain bin for young players with upside who have not earned the big paycheck yet.
We may not sign anyone in the first couple days of free agency.
March 6th, 2023 at 5:24 pm
Forget free agency. Draft speed, speed and more speed. Trade down and get more rookies. Treat 2023 as a long preseason for evaluation.
March 6th, 2023 at 6:31 pm
@LUVMYBUCS
We need to get you into One Buc Place ASAP!
March 7th, 2023 at 12:03 pm
@ SamuraiBuc
Appreciate you.