Plenty Of Cash Lying Around
April 9th, 2014
The data folks/spreadsheeters at ESPN are always talking about money, and they’ve informed Bucs beat blogger Pat Yasinskas that Tampa Bay remains a whopping eight figures under the 2014 salary cap.
Yes, even after bringing in a stunning, league-leading 19 free agents since Feb. 3, the Bucs have ways to go to meet Lovie Smith’s goal of spending every last nickel available.
Today on ESPN.com, Yasinskas reported the Bucs are about $13 million under the 2014 salary cap. For the data hungry, Yasinskas had this to say about the Bucs’ latest new contracts.
Some people were wondering how Wright, who was a starter in Chicago, fit into the safety situation with Dashon Goldson and Mark Barron. Wright’s one-year contract makes it very clear the Bucs view him as a backup.
Wright’s deal includes a $730,000 base salary and a $65,000 signing bonus. But the minimum benefit allows Wright to cost only $570,000 against the cap.
[Wide receiver Lavelle] Hawkins signed a similar deal. His one-year contract features a $730,000 base salary. Hawkins will receive a $65,000 bonus if he’s on the 53-man roster for the opening game. But Hawkins will only count $570,000 against the cap.
Back to the $13 million available, the Bucs could do an awful lot with that cash. They could use some to add players, obviously, but some could be used to help lock up Gerald McCoy long term. The Bucs will also need a few million or so to sign their draft picks and, as Joe understands the rules, they can rollover money into next year’s cap.
Imagine if the Bucs rolled over $5 million and parted ways with Dashon Goldson and Carl Nicks after this season. The Bucs would be able to go on another shopping spree in the 2015 offseason.
April 9th, 2014 at 6:09 pm
The good news keeps coming today. Keep looking for hidden gems to help our team!! We’re looking good going into the draft. Hawkins is already paying dividends getting the receivers up to speed. No doubt VJax is picking his brain.
April 9th, 2014 at 6:13 pm
Enough cash to make Alex Mack an offer cleveland couldn’t match… state tax free state and plenty of beaches… come on down!
April 9th, 2014 at 6:13 pm
McCoy’s cap hit is already something like $15.75 million this season. I would think that extending his deal will probably save money on the cap, rather than cost money on the cap?
April 9th, 2014 at 6:14 pm
so we have eight million dollars left because five million is for the rookie. L & L make it rain
April 9th, 2014 at 6:22 pm
Let’s be realistic. 3 millionish goes to rookies. Probably want to have 3-5 million hanging around during the season for flexibility to sign guys in case of injury or whatever… Actual space then is about 5-7 million, which isn’t a boatload. They should lock up McCoy. They can’t really afford Mack right now.
April 9th, 2014 at 6:27 pm
Man the filters on this site suck.
April 9th, 2014 at 6:33 pm
Joe ,
You are right on. No one out there to spend on, so lock up McCoy and save the rest for next. We can be buyers again by parting ways w hawk and nicks. It helps that the qb position is only cost us about 6 million a year.
April 9th, 2014 at 6:39 pm
For the last time, I’m going to pull my hair out if somebody says use some of the 13mil in cap space to extend Gerald McCoy. McCoy’s $15,627,253 cap number is included under the 133mil cap for which we have 13mil remaining. If McCoy is extended this year, his 15mil cap hit goes down and money is added to the 13mil in cap space not taken away (that is unless you think his new contract would be in excess of 16mil a year- not happening!).
The OverTheCap rookie pool estimate for the Bucs 2014 draftees and UDFAs is 3.3mil.
There are some 10mil in additional cuts (2 cuts so far this week) that I identified in an earlier post. There will be lots of money for the 2nd free agency that starts after the draft.
April 9th, 2014 at 6:39 pm
Guys this also has to cover practice squad and they have to have a few mill in reserve in case of injuries. They are done shopping except for minimum salary guys to fight for roster spots. Every team in the league needs to be about where the bucs are soon enough.
Not actually a story as written. At least not a complete one.
April 9th, 2014 at 6:48 pm
Macabee, not necessarily. You have to consider signing bonuses as well with a new contract. McCoy will get paid based off what Suh signs for. If Suh signs a 4 year deal that is back loaded in the final years he’ll have to get a good size signing bonus. The bucs may want to break out McCoys bonus evenly or pay a larger portion of it in the first year. Could be over 15 million with base and bonus in the first year of the deal. Correct?
April 9th, 2014 at 6:55 pm
Dang looks like Mack might be going to the jags
April 9th, 2014 at 6:58 pm
Mort Says:
April 9th, 2014 at 6:39 pm
April 9th, 2014 at 7:02 pm
Posey99,
The Bucs don’t do signing bonuses or at least they didn’t in the past. If they did offer a signing bonus or roster bonus, common practice is to spread that over the life of the contract. McCoy would be a safe player to do that with as he is likely to play his contract out. They did so with Vincent Jackson, may have backfired with Nicks. Bottom line no way will they use 2014 cap space, too much flexibility to do otherwise.
April 9th, 2014 at 7:44 pm
SO happy Mike Williams HORRIBLE contract is GONE!
Doms DUMB move number 423.
Next season, Nicks and Goldson are gone.
Maybe Vincent Jackson two.
Thats 30 million right there boys!!!
April 9th, 2014 at 8:38 pm
Orca: right now, that’s true. Once the season starts, the whole 53 plus practice squad counts.
April 9th, 2014 at 8:45 pm
santonio holmes is still out there somewhere i’ll take him over any bum a** reciever on the market right now lol
April 9th, 2014 at 9:22 pm
Just more evidence of how bad Dominick was
April 9th, 2014 at 9:47 pm
I think McCoy counts 15 million towards the cap. A new deal that matches Geno Atkins deal would save us between 3-4 million actually. No a DT is valued 15 mm per. He’s still reaping the final overpaid top 3 draft picks before the rookie wage scale.
I see McCoy getting a dea in the 5 year 52-56 mm total range.
Then next man up is Lavonte David at a deal near 7 million per.
April 9th, 2014 at 10:37 pm
Mack is not an option. We have already signed a free agent center. Unless either one is a flex position player it would be foolish to sign Mack.