Bucs Nonetheless Have Lots Of Monetary Flexibility
The Bucs got here to phrases with proper sort out Luke Goedeke on a well-deserved contract extension that can pay him $93.406 million over the following 5 years. Not too lengthy after additionally they locked up cornerback Zyon McCollum to a three-year, $48 million extension of his personal. The 2 former 2022 draft mates joined Tristan Wirfs, Baker Mayfield, Antoine Winfield Jr., Ben Bredeson, Chris Godwin Jr., and Vita Vea as gamers who the workforce has important money investments in past 2025.
Tampa Bay has confirmed below normal supervisor Jason Licht’s tenure that the workforce will put money into its home-grown expertise. However with a lot expertise blossoming and Goedeke now locked in on the third-highest APY for a proper sort out within the league whereas Zyon is available in at tied for twenty first at cornerback, how for much longer can the Bucs preserve their “window” open?
Rising Wage Cap And The Bucs’ Spending Habits
These eight gamers are due just below $170 million subsequent yr. Which will look like loads and even value prohibitive. However it’s not.
The wage cap in 2026 will doubtless be $300 million or extra. And even with these eight gamers drawing giant salaries the workforce nonetheless has lower than $214 million in wage commitments for the 43 gamers below contract in 2026. The Bucs usually preserve their money spending across the wage cap. Assuming that continues to be static in 2026, the Bucs would nonetheless have round $100 million to work with as soon as their 2025 rollover is factored in.
Bucs assistant GM Mike Greenberg – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Incoming Extensions And Re-Signings
That $100 million will not solely be devoted to exterior free brokers. Tampa Bay has a number of notable pending free brokers themselves.
Inside linebacker Lavonte David, huge receiver Mike Evans, outdoors linebacker Haason Reddick, tight finish Cade Otton, working again Rachaad White, security Christian Izien and defensive sort out Greg Gaines are all below offers that expire after this season. Add in that the 2023 draft class shall be extension eligible and a number of other gamers from that draft class are already taking part in at a stage that might require giant extensions.
Exterior linebacker Yaya Diaby is setting himself up for a payday of $15 million per yr or extra. Defensive sort out Calijah Kancey and proper guard Cody Mauch have been on comparable trajectories earlier than succumbing to season-ending accidents this previous week. And Baker Mayfield shall be in line for an extension that comes with an elevated wage. That is a variety of mouths to feed.
Some selections should be made. Based mostly on present valuations here’s what every participant might value yearly subsequent yr.
- Baker Mayfield – $55 million
- Rachaad White – $6 million
- Mike Evans – $24 million
- Cade Otton – $13 million
- Yaya Diaby – $17 million
- Haason Reddick – $22 million
- Lavonte David – $9 million
- Christian Izien – $3 million
Now earlier than you yell at me, “There isn’t any approach they will afford all of that!” remember that not all of those offers are required to get carried out subsequent season. Mauch had a valuation of $15.5 million and Kancey’s was $20 million previous to their accidents. There’s a a lot smaller probability they are going to obtain extensions this upcoming offseason now.
Diaby shall be extension eligible, however nonetheless has time left on his rookie deal. Additionally, the Bucs are already dedicated to Mayfield for $40 million, so the extension for him is basically solely a $15 million distinction. White is greater than doubtless gone subsequent yr, as he’ll wish to discover an opportunity to begin. There is a stable probability the Bucs could not wish to make investments $3 million right into a backup defensive again for Izien.
That leaves Mayfield’s increase, Evans, Otton, Reddick, and probably David – assuming he needs to play one other yr at age 36 – left to pay. That looks like loads. And it’s. However it’s not an insurmountable price ticket to beat.
Odd Man Out
Most groups commit about 60-70% of their wage cap to money commitments to their high 10 incomes gamers. The league common this yr is 63%. That strikes as much as 65% for simply final yr’s playoff groups. Seven groups are at 70% or larger led by Kansas Metropolis at 76%. This yr Tampa Bay has 62% dedicated. Assuming possession is invested in extending their present playoff window like they did in the course of the Brady years the highest finish of that vary subsequent yr can be $219 million.
Take out Mayfield, Wirfs, Goedeke, McCollum and Godwin Jr. as forgone conclusions with assured cash connected to them and Tampa Bay nonetheless has proper at $85 million with 5 gamers to go. Think about, if you’ll, 2025 is Lavonte David’s last trip, however Mike Evans comes again for an additional run. Now the workforce has $61 million left for 4 gamers.
In the event that they resolve to hold on to each Vita Vea and Antoine Winfield Jr. they’ve $24 million left for 2 extra gamers. That may doubtless imply the workforce has to go away one off of the next two gamers: Cade Otton or Haason Reddick.
Bucs OLB Haason Reddick – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
It could additionally imply that extensions for Yaya Diaby, Cody Mauch and Calijah Kancey are off the desk till 2027. Until…
Maximizing The Bucs’ Window
The Bucs might additionally deal with 2026 like they did 2021. That yr the workforce totally maximized the Tom Brady-led Tremendous Bowl window. With a $189.5 million wage cap, Tampa Bay spent over $230 million in 2021. That is a 22% premium over the cap. The 2021 season was a novel scenario because the cap contracted as a result of results of COVID-19 on league income the yr prior. However even when the cap was on the midpoint of the 2020 and 2022 ranges – $203.2 million – that also places the Glazer household’s funding in successful that season at 13% over the cap.
If the Bucs see an analogous alternative subsequent yr and make an analogous monetary dedication, they might open up one other $39 million to convey again everybody. This is not a sustainable mannequin in that they can not proceed to maintain and add. That’s to say, after subsequent yr there would must be selections made on who stays and who goes.
Bucs OLB Yaya Diaby and DT Calijah Kancey – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Would the Bucs wish to preserve all or a part of the Calijah Kancey/Cody Mauch/Yaya Diaby group? And for every of these gamers stored who goes among the many group already being paid. Vita Vea can be a free agent. Maybe the Bucs resolve an funding in a 340-pound man on the fallacious facet of 30 is just too dangerous when in comparison with second contracts for youthful gamers. Antoine Winfield Jr. can be previous his assured cash, as would Ben Bredeson and Chris Godwin Jr.
However assistant normal supervisor Mike Greenberg is balancing the cap, and extra importantly the money flows, to maintain the Buccaneers expertise collectively and the group aggressive.
And having too many good gamers which you can’t pay all of them is a superb downside to have within the pantheon of issues.
