Cap Casualty?
February 17th, 2026
Clock ticking?
Anthony Nelson has known no other NFL defensive coordinator than Todd Bowles. Will that change this fall?
Now is the time of year when front office suits have to decide who is earning their salaries and who can be spared. With the new league year starting on March 11, teams are looking to whittle salaries to make room for new free agents and to later sign drafted players.
Veteran NFL columnist Dan Pompei of The Athletic is looking at potential salary cap cuts coming soon. He sees Anthony Nelson possibly getting the ziggy.
The Bucs don’t have a glaring candidate to be cut who could save significant cap space, but Nelson, a holdover from Super Bowl LV, has been the subject of speculation. Soon to be 29, Nelson had three sacks last season and is going into the last year of a contract that calls for him to be paid $4.5 million. Cutting him would clear a path for second-year pass rusher David Walker, who missed his rookie season with an ACL tear and is attempting a return.
Well, the Bucs desperately need inside linebackers. Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht needs to bring in three linebackers (assuming Lavonte David retires). Sign two guys and draft one; sign one guy and draft two; sign three or draft three, whatever.
If Licht needs to unload salary to sign an impact linebacker, then the Bucs may need to move on from Nelson, who is a quality backup. Damn it, the Bucs need a stud on the field to start, not backups.
Perhaps the Bucs could rework Nelson’s contract? That’s fine to Joe, but at the end of the day, the Bucs need starting inside linebackers. If that means Nelson is a victim, well, the NFL is a business. Sometimes a cold business.
February 17th, 2026 at 12:08 am
I barely saw him play, and have no idea why Bowles would choose to do that. He is a good player, and better than those that are not backup. I say draft a few quality players, do trades, get them in free agency. Really do something.
February 17th, 2026 at 12:15 am
That would be a stupid move. This dude had more game winning plays than the rest of the defense combined. To save a few dimes in chump change. LOL.
February 17th, 2026 at 12:30 am
Anthony Nelson is the definition of quality role player, who has a knack for showing up in big moments. 4.5 million is pittance. How about the 12 mil in saving from no reddick who did jack squat last year?!
February 17th, 2026 at 1:10 am
“Cutting him would clear a path for second-year pass rusher David Walker”. Joe, I’m an optimist, true, but I’ve got this feeling that David Walker is the kind of football player that isn’t going to need alot of help clearing that path. And whoever is managing the budget should make room for Nelson.
February 17th, 2026 at 1:16 am
Was our best pass rusher sadly. Funny we cant draft anyone to save our lives then when we have someone who is our best we cut him.
In the end its no loss but he was our best
February 17th, 2026 at 1:53 am
Eh, 3 to 3.5 for one year, then if he blows up, he gets more next year, he is quality bu so I’d hate to see him go since we’re thin there.
February 17th, 2026 at 2:11 am
Next year will be the year Braswell will surprise everyone, too!🙄🤦
February 17th, 2026 at 2:46 am
Nelson is that nice 2nd backup who shines once a year. Last season in New Orleans and the season before in Carolina when the Bucs were on the ropes but he is usually invisible. Better than Braswell so he has been a good 4th round Licht selection but it might be time for him to move on given the cap and how below average the Bucs are at his position.
February 17th, 2026 at 2:52 am
Cap casualty?? Cutting Nelson will only save 600K not sure that is a good move to give up a good back up for that kinda money.
February 17th, 2026 at 3:47 am
DestinJohnny, there is no ‘we’. It is JL & TB. It is ‘they’.
February 17th, 2026 at 4:32 am
Ring of honor AC/DC and bud light loving GM has committed professional malpractice against our franchise
February 17th, 2026 at 5:06 am
What happened to all the extra cap money that the Bucs were supposed to have now that they were out from under Brady’s contract?
February 17th, 2026 at 5:15 am
Ask him to sign an incentive heavy contract. No guarantee how Walker will be coming off injury.
February 17th, 2026 at 6:19 am
Brilliant Guru Stuff. Keep Bowzo Dump Nelson
February 17th, 2026 at 7:25 am
Id be shopping that all world midget safety who takes a bigger bite than his value out of the cap, AWJ. Im sorry, but I’d like to see a S willing to hit patrolling our soft zone. Seriously, if you’re give up 10 yd/play, you might as well make them pay for it.
February 17th, 2026 at 7:27 am
Probowl Defensive MVP, pffft. If that’s your biggest honor in a season, say no more
February 17th, 2026 at 7:28 am
Shouldn’t there be talk of Dean not returning?
February 17th, 2026 at 7:38 am
“If Licht needs to unload salary to sign an impact linebacker, then the Bucs may need to move on from Nelson, who is a quality backup. But damn it, the Bucs need a stud on the field to start, not backups.”
I’m almost certain we’ll restructure players to free up cap over cutting a low cost player like Nelly. Not only would his role as a rotational player need to be filled, but we’d have to replace his spots on special teams as well. I like Nelly, still think he’s the best run defender in that and the his size gives us that 4-3 DE length we had in a player like JPP.
We don’t need to clear roster space for David Walker. All we need him to do is stay healthy and upright through camp.
February 17th, 2026 at 7:39 am
LOL he will go to a team that knows how to use DEs. He will sacks than any Bucs next year.
David Walker won’t get more than 2 sacks…. If he even plays.
Another Licht Loser
February 17th, 2026 at 8:16 am
Good depth piece….probably better served unloading one of our many overpriced vets than a quality backup that knows the system and is relatively cheap. Let go of Godwin and Winfield for picks and cap space. We need a dynamic TE, DE and LBs. Can’t have two dudes eating up $30 million in cap space when we have younger guys just as capable and much cheaper.
February 17th, 2026 at 8:26 am
A stud linebacker can still get hurt. Can’t put all your eggs into this one basket you still have to build a football team. Having said that Anthony Nelson doesn’t play enough snaps to make that kind of money. It’s time to gut the back end of this roster
February 17th, 2026 at 8:49 am
You don’t Cut a guy that is always Available!
Cutting Nelson will only save 600K! What kind of replacement are you going to find for those tablescraps?
February 17th, 2026 at 9:43 am
It’s content like this from Mr. Pompei that tells me many of us here are as qualified as many of these sports writers to spout our opinions. This makes zero sense. If we cut/trade our cap savings could be 4.5 M but we would have to replace him so we won’t realize that full cap savings and we would take on nearly a million in dead cap.
February 17th, 2026 at 9:44 am
Nelson is a quality role player who is better than Hall, Braswell, Reddick and Zyon combined. Instead of losing him, don’t re sign LVD and Quit overpaying for crappy players like Zyon.
February 17th, 2026 at 10:43 am
I see the same stale players on this roster…I like Nelly, but he’s always been a poor man’s Nassib, and Nassib wasn’t exactly a world beater, but he was less lumbering and had a higher motor. What’s funny is Nelly, as a rotational player has made more game changing/saving plays than Gerald McCoy did in his entire career in Tampa. That being said, we’ve seen his ceiling, and I’m ok if we move on.
I get every roster has its role players, but sometimes, in moments, you hope for a little more from those players. Seems like every championship roster has those players, and yet Gaines, Hall, Braswell, Nelson, we’ve seen their ceiling and I wouldn’t hate replacing all them with new bodies. Might cost us a little more, but better depth is how you win championships.
February 17th, 2026 at 12:12 pm
ZOOboy, how can you compare Nelson, a limited but productive role player who isn’t a liability as a backup, to Braswell, who is a TOTAL nothing in his NFL career. He could be worse than JTS.
February 17th, 2026 at 1:07 pm
“I get every roster has its role players, but sometimes, in moments, you hope for a little more from those players.”
Good brother, Nelly scored a TD in a game in which our offense only scored, 1 TD.
February 17th, 2026 at 1:26 pm
Two years ago, Nelson sacked Jalen Hurts for a safety. Last season he had a pick six. He’s made more plays than anyone else in the front five. He knows the defense. Keep him.
Nelson is 6’7″, stop using him in coverage. Instead, have him work on batting balls down (something the Bucs rarely do) and then put him in the middle of the line focusing on rushing the passer and batting down throws.
February 17th, 2026 at 2:24 pm
Nelson has been a credit to Licht’s drafting, a good value pick – but let’s review – Wirfs and Winfield were great picks in 2020 but Licht followed that up with the ego-driven “special teams” draft in 2021 with JTS and Trask – nobody from 2021 is on the team now – 2022-2025 are on rookie deals with maybe Hall / White / Ko leaving – there are 6 draftees prior to 2020 still on the team with 5 of them departing sooner rather than later – Evans, Godwin, VV, Dean, and LVD – so who’s left ? Nelson. And if Nelson goes there will be no long-term Licht picks in a year or two – and with Licht rarely signing FAs to more than one-year deals what is Licht’s legacy ? NADA – the first Bucs SB was a long-term project of Dungy and Rich McKay – Brady was HC and GM for # 2 – get rid of Bowles AND Licht – keep Nelson
February 17th, 2026 at 3:03 pm
It does not make sense to cut Nelson to only save $1.9M, when Walker is an injury unknown – Or while P Riley Dixon occupies a $3M roster spot and could be backfilled by a Day3 pick or Priority UDFA.
There’s at least 4 college punters worth a late Day 3 pick that would save the $1.9 alone….Licht has a record of spending picks on ST…So, it makes sense to look for that to happen.
February 17th, 2026 at 10:16 pm
Good lord. You gave Riddick his snaps. Wasted yout money and blame the better player