Thanks To Mike Evans, Bucs Cleared Up A Bunch Of Cap Space
March 17th, 2024
That was quick.
This seems so odd to happen so soon.
Greg Auman of FOX Sports confirmed it and Luke Easterling of Bucs Wire reported it as well. It seems the Bucs already re-did Mike Evans’ new contract. As a result, the Bucs have cleared about $17.5 million in cap space.
The original wording of Evans’ new contract was “framed” for “non-accounting purposes,” per Auman. In the days after, the contract was reworked for cap purposes for 2024.
Now this could be for all sorts of reasons. Tristan Wirfs is slated to count $21 million against the 2024 salary cap, so it’s unlikely this move was made to extend his contract.
Joe, of course, is hung up on an edge rusher. Might this extra cash enable the Bucs to trade for a proven edge rusher? You know, someone with the name of “Haason Reddick?”
This is correct, though the new version of the Evans contract is what always made sense from a cap standpoint. Original was framed for non-cap accounting purposes, just in terms of whether money was paid out in 2023 league year vs. 2024. https://t.co/DrRDDuhVu4
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) March 17, 2024
March 17th, 2024 at 5:18 am
Goes to prove the 12th man on any football team is the accountant.
March 17th, 2024 at 6:02 am
A big thank you to Mike Evans. Tom Brady had done it for years so his teams could get the players they need. I applaud Mike for staying here and making the deal. It’s a win-win for all.
Yes to Haason Reddick too.
March 17th, 2024 at 6:12 am
Kick the can – Kick the can – Wheeeeeeeeeeee
Bucs have almost $100M in debt (dead cap $) already on the books over the next 4 years.
And we just added another $17.4M to that debt total.
Sooner or later, so much “accounting wizardry” turns into a serious accounting nightmare. Just ask the Saints…..
I guess if our country can get away with it indefinitely (allegedly) – then so can NFL teams. The difference is, the Fed has a $ printing press – the Bucs don’t.
March 17th, 2024 at 7:09 am
Smart move considering the salary cap increases every year. AND we need and Edge rusher.
March 17th, 2024 at 7:46 am
I disagree. Not smart. It means we have less to spend in future years. Players salaries will only increase in the future. The Bucs are sitting at 42 million in dead cap money. That would be enough to sign top edge, center and CB.
March 17th, 2024 at 7:48 am
I would love to see the Bucs trade for Reddick. The question is what do you have to give up? I feel pretty sure the Eagles want a 1st rd pick for him — at least. If the Bucs could somehow fleece the Eagles into trading him for a 3rd or 4th, it would be another classic Licht steal.
Bucs need to be able to trade and sign him to a new contract = get permission and talk to his agent before a deal is final. This would allow the Bucs to still draft an Edge, G/C, RB and TE.
March 17th, 2024 at 7:53 am
But still way less than the Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos or New Orleans Aints.
March 17th, 2024 at 7:57 am
You can always, always, manipulate numbers the way you want. The problem with our country having the “Feds” printing press is the rest of the world lets us get away with it and when they get tired of it, that’s when our country will be in trouble. The Bucs only stretch the rubber band so far and Mike Greenberg is good at it.
March 17th, 2024 at 7:57 am
Jason Licht is a Genius! And Mike Evans is a true Buccaneer.
Id be happy to See Hassan Reddick join the Bucs.
Or Connor Willians, Dalton Risner, or Connor Williams.
Still alot of guys out there that would help this team.
And still another wave of Free agency to come
And more contracts to rework, more money to spend.
And what we arent talking about.
The Bucs are a very desirable destination.
We have a probowl QB. No state tax. A great front offie and organization.
And we are the defending NFC South Champs, with a still shiny SuperBowl ring.
Its not hard to find people who wanna play here.
Great time to be a Bucs fans!
March 17th, 2024 at 8:13 am
@ pickgrin
Want to talk about “kick the can”?!
Ask an Atlanta fan about “Kirk the can”! In comparison, the Bucs cap situation is jussssssst fine!
His contract has single-handedly screwed their cap over for the next four years. Pummels it if he doesn’t work out and you have to move on without his non-deal-throwing, broken heel stupid-wealthy, non-performing choking self anytime over the next couple of years.
And…the entire world is picking the Falcons to win the NFC South. The Bucs had a nice run, but, fugettaboutit!
I love how mainstream sports media keeps funding the chips that rest on the team’s shoulder(s)!
March 17th, 2024 at 8:14 am
“non-deep-throwing”
March 17th, 2024 at 8:35 am
You self-proclaimed General Managers are funny as he!! . You were crying the same thing year after year. Don’t have the money to sign people. Can’t sign our own. We are broke. Brady’s salary broke us. But here we are. Cap goes up every year. They rework contracts
Move players and get other teams to make deals. You need to to just need to shut up because you don’t have any more of a clue how to run a franchise than I do.
March 17th, 2024 at 8:39 am
Proudbucsfan, I agree 100%, about ALL of it.
March 17th, 2024 at 8:41 am
With all these high salaried players, you’d think we could win more games than we do…….that leaves coaching.
We need another great draft this year.
March 17th, 2024 at 8:42 am
Reddick trade n sign?
March 17th, 2024 at 8:48 am
A lot of our “can issues” come from Jensen and Shaq, which will work themselves out
March 17th, 2024 at 8:57 am
@Beej -don’t forget gage…those are 3 guys that had injuries that buried us in the cap situation. Gage wasn’t as bad but def doesn’t help.
March 17th, 2024 at 8:58 am
If they are making moves like this then it only makes sense if yiu are going to make significant moves
Reddick for a 4th and sign Connor Williams
A Reddick/Latu/YaYa/JTS/Watts rotation would definitely fix the pass rush problems. Can cut Nelly and get 1.8M
March 17th, 2024 at 9:13 am
The following would be an interesting stats…by team:
1) Non-Contributing Roster Spots / 53 Total Roster Spots
* Jensen, for example, would make up 1/53
* Someone smarter than me could even break it down (cumulatively) break it down by 17 games…acknowledging there may be some season-ending injuries 12 games in (for example)
2) NCRS Salaries / Total Team Market Cap
With this last stat, we can then judge the efficiencies of the coaching staffs “working with what they have” … “next man up”.
Just a thought…
March 17th, 2024 at 9:13 am
DBS well said. I don’t think the next GM will be coming from this crowd.
March 17th, 2024 at 9:25 am
I smell an edge rusher signing coming. Joe – you’ve seen this many times – cap space created and a FA quickly signed or a trade is made. Fingers crossed.
March 17th, 2024 at 9:28 am
Snagging Haason Reddick might just put Joe in orgasmic coma.
March 17th, 2024 at 9:32 am
Fortune favors the bold. Go get a pass rusher.
March 17th, 2024 at 9:32 am
Bucs asked ME13 to re-structure to free up cap space, he said “sure”
Chargers asked same of Keenan Allen, he balked.
Keenan is now a Chicago Bear
March 17th, 2024 at 9:40 am
Allen was asked to take a pay cut, Evans was asked to take a chunk of cash up front
March 17th, 2024 at 9:42 am
Seems like strong evidence the initial Evans contract was contingent on resigning Mayfield. This deal structure would have forced the Bucs to take a major cap hit if they parted ways with Evans this year. The initial structure would have allowed both parties to part without consequence.
March 17th, 2024 at 9:45 am
I think I’ve finally figured it all out. There is NO NFL Salary CAP…there ARE NFL Salary “guidelines”.
At the risk of being politically incorrect a room full of mental midgets could have concocted a more transparent, easily understood set of “rules”? “Suggestions”.
The “Cap” “Guidelines” stories change everyday! NOBODY including apparently some folks inside the game can truly figure these “rules” out? Some teams like the Saints apparently go through “cap hell” every season yet they sign QB’ and any other players they wish.
No need to get political…it’s the fault of “labor” and “ownership”. The NFLPA has MAJOR and earned influence over the “LABOR AGREEMENT”. STOP with all the freaking games.
Rules interpretations on things like holding, interference etc are sometimes truly tough. Making simply ACCOUNTING RULES shouldn’t require rocket science!!!
March 17th, 2024 at 9:47 am
Picking up H. Reddick would be awesome.
Plus it would allow the Bucs to focus on other positions of need in the draft next month.
March 17th, 2024 at 9:48 am
You guys freaking out over dead cap don’t understand how it works. Guaranteed money is the only name of the game and that can even change when a new contract is signed. Plus we have the ability to trade good players which we have. Salary cap goes up, but if you pay Wirfs now, in 4 years he is back to average salary because players make more. If the guys are good we resign them before the final year where we have kicked the money. The new contract guarantees even MORE. It’s NOT a plus situation, where they still get the OLD guarantee AND the new one. The ONLY “risk” is signing a BAD player to a big contract. Mike, Winfield and Wirfs are exactly the opposite. Mike will sign another 2 year contract so kicking the can doesn’t matter. Same with Wirfs and Winfield.
March 17th, 2024 at 9:48 am
@Beeej: The Chargers asked Keenan Allen to take a pay cut. Mike just re-arranged when he gets his money, and from which checking account it comes. Big difference.
March 17th, 2024 at 9:55 am
“Beeej Says:
March 17th, 2024 at 9:32 am
Bucs asked ME13 to re-structure to free up cap space, he said “sure”
Chargers asked same of Keenan Allen, he balked.
Keenan is now a Chicago Bear”
Restructuring is NOT a pay cut. When a player ‘restructures’, he isn’t giving up a dime. It’s always in the player’s favor since he gets his cash up front.
Allen was asked to take a CUT. Huge difference.
March 17th, 2024 at 10:06 am
Reddick is Big Meh
March 17th, 2024 at 10:08 am
Yup, saw a few articles refer to it as “restructure”, but in the same paragraph they mention “pay cut”
March 17th, 2024 at 10:09 am
I suspect the Glazers are all-in again.
Nice!
And Billy Bucco is correct: the danger is signing a bad player to a huge dealio. Restructuring a solid player has little downside risk.
March 17th, 2024 at 10:12 am
Let’s hope that all these moves can produce the desired results!! A competitive team!! And if the football guys shine down… another chance at a Lombardi!
March 17th, 2024 at 10:19 am
Need to take care of signing Antoine Winfield Jr to long-term contract and also Tristan Wirfs.
March 17th, 2024 at 10:20 am
Tampa has become a very well run organization all of the sudden. Jason Licht has grown into the position of GM. Look at the big
Picture and you will see that since about 2017 the team has been making good desicions with player personal. Yes licht had blunders: agauyo, winston, etc… but overalll he is a top gm in the league prove me wrong
March 17th, 2024 at 10:44 am
Sign of a healthy locker room
March 17th, 2024 at 10:45 am
I suspect that though that dead money has accumulated, they suspect that the cap will continue to go up. It’s still puts us at a disadvantage, but we are competitive now with a new small window for a championship. We staved off rebuild. But we are going to have to play for a championship in the next three seasons, after that, a rebuild may be required.
March 17th, 2024 at 10:45 am
Dear Beej,
I read the same article you did, apparently, as I also was thinking what you posted. Did a deep dive and see the term pay cut in most articles. The first articles definitely said restructure vs pay cut and I believe Allen said restructure originally. I can’t find any comments from the Chargers. But all of that is noise to the main point you made.
Evans is the ultimate team guy. A superstar worthy of major offers who didn’t do any of the things that 95% of others in his shoes do to squeeze the last penny out of their teams. I’m hard on Mike for the drops and I wouldn’t trade him under any circumstances. Contradiction? No, even Mike acknowledges the need to clean up some of the spills.
How fortunate the Tampa area residents are for Mike Evans being a Buccaneer. An NFL player with humility, extremely humble and kind. That’s the point. Whether Allen was asked to take less or stretch it out isn’t.
It’s a shame the comments aren’t more, much more about the love for Mike instead of politics and other subjects. Mike has taken pen to contract twice within a week.
No word on whether he dropped the pen either time 😄🫠🫡
March 17th, 2024 at 11:01 am
TomBucsFan Says:
March 17th, 2024 at 10:06 am
Reddick is Big Meh
^^^^^^^
You think averaging over 12.5 sacks a season in the last 4 years is “meh”? Okay.
March 17th, 2024 at 11:12 am
If the Bucs don’t address the edge this will be a lost season.
March 17th, 2024 at 11:15 am
Think we might be contenders to pull off a trade for Brandon aiyuk to replace gage or possibly a Reddick trade I’d be happy with either or our offense would be stellar with aiyuk added
March 17th, 2024 at 11:21 am
Say what you want about licht but he is a rare breed when it comes to picking folks up and he’s been solid and he’s not afraid to go all in to find ways to improve us even if it’s for the cheap
March 17th, 2024 at 11:30 am
TomBucsFan,,like Joe states Reddick averages 11 sacks a season.
Who else should they get?
March 17th, 2024 at 11:39 am
Parr rushers of interest
Derek Barnett and Jadeveon Clowney.
Clowney can still be a QB hunter. He played all 17 games last year, and had 9 1/2 sacks. He has always been great against the run
Barnett has sown ability, but injuries have held him back. Not a great help- but much better than JTS or Logan Hall will ever be.
Haason Reddick might be a good option. We also might be better served, waiting for the next rounds of cuts and FAs.
We have wasted at least 2 picks on defensive line who SUCK.
We need to sign a good pass rusher, then draft a good pass rusher( or two) with our first 3 picks.
Then we cross our fingers on YaYa and Watts.
And cut our loses on JTS and Hall. They suck, and are just taking up space.
Licht has done such great work, we can forgive him drafting those two flops.
March 17th, 2024 at 11:46 am
DBS,
Thank you! Drives me crazy every spring, these would be accountants, with their endless math, and how we wont have money to blah blah blah.
They are ALWAYS wrong, ALWAYS clueless, and ALWAYS Irritating!
Next spring, give it a break, huh?
March 17th, 2024 at 11:50 am
To many on this site constantly say Brady also restructured his contract so sick of hearing that he always got his money as a matter of fact last year we paid 34 million to a guy that is retired so how the hell do u call that franchise friendly that is so stupid to say
March 17th, 2024 at 11:51 am
We need a statue of this man in Tampa. As many times as he’s bent over backwards to accommodate this team.
March 17th, 2024 at 11:52 am
Isn’t whitehead an edge rusher?
March 17th, 2024 at 11:58 am
Bent over backwards plz we bend over & got it where the sun don’t shine he came here cause we were stacked all we need was a monkey or I call a glorifies freakin CHEAT to push the ship straight basically any moron paid 35 mill shud b able to do that simple task how the hell do u glorify a convicted cheat the last 2 years here was a JOKE!
March 17th, 2024 at 12:00 pm
Bent over backwards plz we bend over & got it where the sun don’t shine he came here cause we were stacked all we need was a monkey or I call a glorifies freakin CHEAT to push the ship straight basically any moron paid 35 mill shud b able to do that simple task how the hell do u glorify a convicted cheat the last 2 years here was a JOKE!
March 17th, 2024 at 12:07 pm
Chris says is obviously a real NE faithful
March 17th, 2024 at 12:10 pm
Brady gave it to Tampa where the sun don’t shine I do not support a convicted cheat if u do t👎
March 17th, 2024 at 12:22 pm
I might be in the minority with this, but I am just not all that enthused about handing a 30-year old LB a long-term ‘9-figure’ deal just to come to Tampa Bay to be ‘satisfied’ and to just wanna go chill at da beach with his fat bag of CASH… And, is “injured” all the dang time, etc. Let The RAMS Have Him.
March 17th, 2024 at 12:45 pm
Hey, I took an online course in wannabe NFL general management. Looks like several morons took the same course. It teaches how you save your cap space for…..for……some future day.
The reality is, if you want to win you don’t “save your cap,” you spend it, and you deficit spend it to stay competitive, keep fielding winning teams, solidify your culture, and suddenly your the Pittsburgh Steelers who haven’t had a losing season since the two thousand – otts.
March 17th, 2024 at 12:48 pm
Bucs making a move for sure. Still other players who could be reworked to make even more room
March 17th, 2024 at 1:50 pm
“BakerBucs” – Brady was FANTASTIC that 2nd Season… Unbelievable really, & SHOULD’VE won the MVP. You don’t know what you’re talking about, or are just ‘trolling’ (by the look of things), desperate for a response. Things only began falling apart (Gronk took that ‘hit’ vs the Rams early in the season and was never ‘right’ again), after losing Godwin & then having the AB complete total breakdown. Annnnddd, THE ‘first’ game ALL season that our entire DEFENSE was ALL together at the same exact time, was THAT GAME against the Rams in the Playoffs… Also, Wirfs was ‘out’ for that game too, if I remember correctly, & we STILL came within just one boneheaded play away from defeating the eventual Super Bowl CHAMPS!!!! Led by another miraculous, Brady-comeback. Brady & That Offense Put Up Just STUPID Numbers all season, EVEN without Gronk being healthy, but for maybe 4-games!!!! So, Don’t Know WHAT You’re Talkin’ Bout.
March 17th, 2024 at 2:51 pm
So in other words they kicked the ball down the road another year.
Which is fine.
I wonder if they’re having issues getting a long-term deal done with Winfield, since that would seem like the obvious place to create cap space.
Also, get the deal done with Wirfs already, he’s only going to get more expensive the longer you wait – and you already know he’s not going anywhere.
March 17th, 2024 at 2:51 pm
and won’t they clear even more with the signing of wirfs ?
we might have more than just one player coming in that warrants a large payout
March 17th, 2024 at 3:34 pm
@BakerFan
Settle down on the Brady disrespect until your guy actually gets us a SB. Brady did sign a team friendly deal. He sgned for less than Baker even though he is far better than Baker. He left a lot of money on the table throught his career and was never the highest paid QB even though he deserved to be.
The contract was also structured that way on purpose. Jason Licht had Brady’s cap hit while on them team low in order to maximize the talent on the roster while he was playing knowing it was a short window. Everyone knew once he retired we’d have to pay the bill and it was a bill well worth paying. The Saints did the same thing with Brees but where they messed up is they didn’t take their medicine last year like the Bucs did
March 17th, 2024 at 3:35 pm
Evans and Licht are both at the top of their respective professions ten years on. Bucs are blessed to have them. Both are class acts.
March 17th, 2024 at 4:23 pm
stpetebucfan Says:
“I think I’ve finally figured it all out. There is NO NFL Salary CAP…there ARE NFL Salary “guidelines”.”
Congratulations. You finally chose to take the Red Pill and see the light beyond the false light. Cleveland is taking a $13M cap hit on a new 800 yards a year slot receivers on the final year of his rookie contract on top of the $64M cap hit in 2024 for Deshaun Watson. The Bills let go of all their FA and last year contract players. Two extremes. The Bucs are probably doing it just about right within those guidelines. Get core players to restructure as needed. Add key pieces but don’t spend stupidly just to show you are doing something.
March 17th, 2024 at 5:42 pm
If JL makes that move now it’d be awesome. Evans always looks out. No excuse not to now. Because all else we’d need is to be had early in the draft (C,RB2,WR5). JL makes a splash w this EDGE Rusher and our Defense is top 5
March 17th, 2024 at 6:24 pm
Bucs have $100 mill in dead cap OVER THE NEXT 4 YEARS , combined ! Find a contending team that doesn’t have at least $20 mill a year in dead cap ! You can’t , because it’s not a lot. The AINTS have over 100 just this year and next year. So spare me the crybaby talk . Know what you’re saying before you say it. Go Bucs
March 17th, 2024 at 7:04 pm
Capt.Tim Says
“The Bucs are a very desirable destination.”
You would think so…and yet, that’s not what Baker Mayfield thought before he came here…according to him.
I think there are some players who know how good it is in Tampa, but there are still plenty of players (and nfl fans) who still assume we suck.
March 17th, 2024 at 7:08 pm
Joe, with all of this talk about Haason Reddick coming from you, I’m wondering if you gained some off the record insider knowledge.
Being off the record, I know you wouldn’t be able to confirm…but I’m suspicious!
March 17th, 2024 at 7:31 pm
I’m happy that Baker is Bucs QB and he was the right dude to come along to not crumble under the post Brady pressure.
But, he’s no Tom Brady and anyone that wants to put him at that level is ingesting some fine psychoactives combined with lots of alcohol.
March 17th, 2024 at 7:53 pm
It’s super cool how Mike and Baker chose not to break the bank to allow their team the chance to find some missing pieces.
March 17th, 2024 at 7:59 pm
Anybody that says any QB is as good as Brady is smoking crack, but the Bucs are lucky to have Baker since Brady is too old to play anymore.
March 17th, 2024 at 8:20 pm
How can you not love this guy.
March 17th, 2024 at 9:15 pm
I’d marry Mike Evans and I’m not gay.
March 18th, 2024 at 1:51 pm
I know they want to resign Wirfs and Winfield. That’s up to $37M in additional cap space to be found.