About $20 Million Remains
March 19th, 2018
Yes, free agency is in its second wave and the Buccaneers have plenty of Team Glazer loot to be players.
Over the weekend, Tampa Bay dumped salary for 2018 (Robert Ayers) and added huge contracts like roughly $8 million for defensive end Vinny Curry, and $10 million+ for center/guard Ryan Jensen. Both will meet local media this afternoon.
By Joe’s calculations — exact details on the contracts above haven’t been processed yet by the lovable internet salary cap nerds — the Bucs have about $20 million remaining available to spend this season. For a little perspective, Green Bay, Oakland and the Chargers had roughly that much to play with prior to free agency kicking off last week.
So now what?
Versatile offensive lineman Kevin Pamphile is still hanging around on the market, which likely means nobody wanted to cough up starter money for the Buccaneers’ 2014 fifth-round pick.
(Note that 2014 Bucs starting guard Patrick Omameh, 28, locked down $5 million last week from the Giants after the Jaguars paid Panthers free agent guard Andrew Norwell record-breaking cash to replace him. Omameh would look nice in a Bucs uniform right now.)
Pamphile at backup-lineman cash, say $2.5 million per year, could be prove very sweet for Tampa Bay’s offensive line depth. Pamphile, as Dirk Koetter has said many times, can play every position on the line, and Bucs fans have seen him get the job done well at times at guard and tackle.
Of course, signing a cornerback to start ahead of Ryan Smith would be awfully nice. And bringing back corner Robert McClain (three interceptions last seasons) feels like it would be wise move.
Or are the Bucs targeting a cornerback with a premium draft pick? With each passing day, that feels like it could be a reality.
March 19th, 2018 at 9:38 am
They should bring in Suh. period
March 19th, 2018 at 9:40 am
$20 million remaining = $20 mil extra for resigning our own guys next year.
Im not expecting them to sign anyone else this offseason. I hope they do tho.
March 19th, 2018 at 9:41 am
Given our history of drafting and developing cornerbacks, I hope we find some value in free agency. Even the money ball approach would beat the hot mess we had to ingest from our cornerback (those not named Grimes) play last season.
March 19th, 2018 at 9:47 am
How much cap space do we “have to” spend to get to 90% of the cap, the requirnent?
March 19th, 2018 at 9:53 am
@SteveK,
The 89% “cash” spend (different obviously than just “cap” spend) of each team’s cap is a rolling 4-year requirement evaluated by the league, not an annual requirement. Each team carries a formula in real-time provided by the league office, and thus it’s almost impossible for the cap guru (not Licht here) in each NFL front office to not meet that obligation every 4 year rolling average.
For what that’s worth….
Go Bucs!
March 19th, 2018 at 9:56 am
Bring in Suh…pressuring the quarterback takes all the heat off the secondary
March 19th, 2018 at 10:00 am
Yup….get Suh, but they wont.
March 19th, 2018 at 10:06 am
Has anyone thought that maybe since we have the 7 pick, if Chubb isn’t available, we pick denzel ward? I would love to see him in the pewter and red. I do not think we really need nelson anymore and barkley will not be there at 7. we could draft an edge rush in the second and pick a good back in the 3rd round, or trade up and get Michel or Guice.
March 19th, 2018 at 10:08 am
Go get E.J. Gaines! That’s what you do right now. Lock him down at 8 mill. Then save the rest for next year.
March 19th, 2018 at 10:11 am
The coaches who are in charge of developing the cornerbacks obviously can’t develope them and have no idea how to do that part of the job. It had to be free agency!
March 19th, 2018 at 10:12 am
sign pamphile, eric reid and ej gaines……
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!!
March 19th, 2018 at 10:13 am
what a bunch of wasted time on the “status woe” campaign that in truth was the “status whine” of a few so called fans!!!!!!!!!
Now we need to see the NFL GM Licht work on acquiring picks by trading gmc!!!!! Its draft time and the best way for this team to load up for the long haul!!!!!! Word on the street is that this regime has a 2 year pass to build this roster to what it should be!!!!!! A roster that we all can be proud of!!!!!!! You see the signs of the great work ethic and great locker room presense with “stand up” guys!!!!!!!!!!
The smoke screen was so thick, that the sheep could not see and were balling ship left and right!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 19th, 2018 at 10:13 am
Great rundown Joe. Agree about signing Pamphile for around $2.5-3 mil (we need some experienced depth on our OLine, especially at tackle, and Pamphile adds that). Agree with bringing back Robert McClain, but only if the price is right. Would also like to see us bring back Jude, if for no other reason than to let him compete in camp.
Signing another outside CB in free agency seems like a no-brainer to me. I’d still add one in the draft, but bringing on someone like Gaines or Breeland allows us to wait til say Rnds 4-7 (if we don’t sign a starting CB in FA we have little choice but to draft one in Rnds 1-3 IMO).
March 19th, 2018 at 10:21 am
I’d like to see Gaines or Suh signed. I know its not a popular opinion to bring him in but with each passing day his contract demands are probably going down. I don’t think anyone wants to pay him his desired amount of ~$15M. I would hate to see him sign with a NFC team (definitely don’t want him in the NFC South) especially if he signs for ~$8M or something we could easily afford.
Of note, GMC is our starting 3-Tech and I don’t want that to change, but he does need rest and he has been injured before.
If LA can contemplate pairing Aaron Donald and Suh, I don’t understand how the masterminds at One Buc can’t figure out how to do the same with McCoy and Suh.
March 19th, 2018 at 10:22 am
Signing Suh means we sign no one else. Pass. A talented guy who would fracture the locker room. Let him be someone else’s problem at an absurd price.
March 19th, 2018 at 10:23 am
We were praising vh this time last year, his rookie year was ok although his miked up appearance sounded like a girl!!! Give both young corners a chance. Omameh was a human turnstile here Joe, we need better than him.
March 19th, 2018 at 10:30 am
Sweezy money still out there to be had. Really more than that if you take top 51. Cap space not a problem. 2019 DJax gone, cap up another 10mil and something done with McCoy. That’s another 35mil right there. Go back to sleep 💤.
March 19th, 2018 at 10:37 am
@realist
word on the street is that licht is creating depth for the next GM and regime!!!!!!…..GMC wont be traded until next year when the new regime can utilize those pick!!!!!!!….the writing to on the wall!!!!!!!…..lame duck staff walking the plank!!!!!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!!!…..NOPASSESIN2018!!!!!!!…..GO BUCS!!!!!
March 19th, 2018 at 10:39 am
If you want to make this team better you go sign E.J. Gaines draft a corner or safety first rd pick !! And you bring in suh for a 2 year contract!! Gotta teach McCoy how to get nasty like a dam sapp!! Bucnation LEGO
March 19th, 2018 at 11:04 am
Sign E.J. Gaines ($8m) and Tre Boston ($4.5m) and re-sign Pamphile ($2.5m), Simms ($1.5m) and McClain ($1.5m)
Doing the above is within our grasp and will make it so we don’t have to “reach” on anyone in the draft.
March 19th, 2018 at 11:16 am
Resign pamphile for depth. Despite not being able to lock down the starting spot, I am sure he can fill in well enough to be a solid back up.
Resign McClain OR sign a FA CB
March 19th, 2018 at 11:19 am
“the Bucs have about $20 million remaining available to spend this season”
Wrong. Bucs have less than $10M left under the cap.
Jensen and Curry’s 2018 # will be a bit higher than you said – but even using that concervative $18M # as the #s for their combined contracts this year- we have under $10M left in cap space.
Current active Buccaneers contracts (minus Jensen and Curry #s) = $156M
156M + 18M = 174M
$174M + $1M (dead cap $) + $8.7M (rookie draft pool) = $183.7M
The Bucs have roughly $183.7M in contractual agreements so far this year. (once rookie contracts are signed)
Buccaneers 2018 cap # (including $15.2M rolled over from 2017) is $192.4M
$192.4M minus $183.7M in commitments = $8.7M in remaining cap space.
Even calculating with the most conservative # possible which is lower than reality dictates (“top 51” contracts only which is $150.6M + $18M for Curry and Jensen) the final # would be $14.1M under the cap.
(150.6 + 18 + 1(dead cap) + 8.7(rookies) = 178.3 / 192.4 – 178.3 = 14.1)
March 19th, 2018 at 11:31 am
I calculated 23 mil but there are still underachieving guys on this team that can be replaced based on the amount of money they’re making. Sweezy and Gholston both are candidates you be cut if they want to upgrade.
March 19th, 2018 at 11:32 am
Did you add back in the money saved from cutting Ayers? That puts us close to 20 mil.
March 19th, 2018 at 11:34 am
@Pickgrin
You seem to be keeping up with cap costs. Have you heard about our cap implications if we sign Suh? Obviously probably still to be determined in negotiations that I assume with involve the Dolphins.
I’ve read that simply cutting Suh represents a huge cap hit for the ‘Fins so they are willing to eat some of his salary to make him more enticing for a new team.
Let’s face it he’s overpaid but if the ‘Fins picked up enough he could be worth it.
March 19th, 2018 at 11:39 am
Here’s some real GM moves. Let’s think value first pick Chubb or Nelson, 2nd pick RB Michel, RB N Chubb, Or CB Jarie Alexander. 3rd SS Ronnie Harrison, SS Deshon Elliot, RB Rashaad Penny (if there grad N Chubb). As free Agency sign E.J. Gaines & resign Kevin Pamphile for depth. My Draft 1) B Chubb give up own 7th, 4th, 2019 3rd & try to trade Sweezy which clears 6 mil off our cap for there Cleveland 4th pick in the 1st round & 2018 3rd pick. 2nd If Michel gone grab Jaire Alexander, 3rd N Chubb, 3rd SS Deshon Elliot, trade 5 & 6 for a 4th grab Rashaad Penny double up RB. With 6 & 7 use on a guard & Tackle remember name Matinas Rankins G/T. See if Suh will sign 1yr 7/8 mil or resign McDonald for 1yr 2.5/3 mil. Now that’s a plan
March 19th, 2018 at 11:40 am
Unless they know Stevie T it’s gonna brake this year the suh signing would give a not of us fans a bit of confidence for next season
March 19th, 2018 at 11:49 am
The above is correct – it includes everything known (inc. Ayers release) and is probably at least $1M or more off (to the negative) because I used Joe’s figure of $18M for Jensen and Curry. Jensen will be at least $10.5M this year and Curry will be at least $8.5 or 9M this year.
We literally only have about $7M or $8M left in space under the cap.
Suh to the Bucs will never happen spbf. 0% chance – let it go….
March 19th, 2018 at 12:15 pm
“MY MONEY!!!”
– The Glazers
March 19th, 2018 at 12:28 pm
$20 million left,
So basically there’s not much to show for the money spent. They came into free agency with the most cap space in the NFC.
But they do have a new kicker
4 career backups with 73 starts in 21 combine years in the NFL.
March 19th, 2018 at 12:41 pm
I’m a little surprised the Bucs are not going to try to re-sign Charles Sims. I still believe he can be a weapon if used correctly.
March 19th, 2018 at 1:05 pm
sign a QB, we’re gonna need it when jw is suspended…..I predict he comes back and gets injured or suspended again. he will be spiraling out of control this year and we need a starter QB
March 19th, 2018 at 1:10 pm
@LakeLand – Signing two cornerstones of the offense long-term isn’t much to show? We literally locked up Jameis’ two favorite targets.
Why is everyone so pessimistic?
March 19th, 2018 at 1:21 pm
Joe, does that account for the draft signings?
Dave Says:
“Given our history of drafting and developing cornerbacks…”
You mean the whole 2 years spent on VHIII and the whole one year spent on Ryan Smith at CB?
March 19th, 2018 at 1:26 pm
813bucboi Says
“@realist
word on the street is that licht is creating depth for the next GM and regime!!!!!!”
I know you are trying to be funny, but for those who think that’s really the case, first, people on the street are not traditionally intelligent or mentally stable. Second, that’s not realistic at all.
If anything, Jason Licht is acting like a man who is not afraid of losing his job. This means the Glazers probably gave him assurances. It also means all this talk about him and Koetter being ‘lame ducks’ is most likely just fan talk and nothing more.
March 19th, 2018 at 1:28 pm
Robert Says
“sign a QB”
They already did.
Just to put it out there again, here is a list of all the bucs signings:
• QB Ryan Fitzpatrick – 1 Year
• WR Mike Evans – $82.5m, 5 Years
• WR Adam Humphries (Tendered) – $2.914m, 1 Year
• TE Cameron Brate – $41m, 6 Years
• CB Brent Grimes – $10m, 1 Year
• S Keith Tandy, 2 Years
• S Josh Robinson (Option)
• S Chris Conte (Option)
• T Demar Dotson (Option)
• C/G Ryan Jensen – $42m, 4 Years
• DT Beau Allen – $16.5m, 3 Years
• DT Mitch Unrein – $10.5m, 3 Years
• DE Vinny Curry – $27m, 3 Years
• K Chandler Catanzaro – $9.75m, 3 Years
• FB Austin Johnson (reserve/futures)
• RB Dalton Crossan (reserve/futures)
• LB Jeff Knox (reserve/futures)
• LS Drew Ferris (reserve/futures)
• G Avery Young (reserve/futures)
• T Brad Seaton (reserve/futures)
• T Givens Price (reserve/futures)
• LB Eric Nzeocha (reserve/futures)
• WR Jake Lampman (reserve/futures)
• WR Devin Lucien (reserve/futures)
• CB Maurice Fleming (reserve/futures)
https://www.joebucsfan.com/2018/03/hello-vinny-curry/#comment-3944449
March 19th, 2018 at 1:30 pm
Joe Sez:
“the Buccaneers have plenty of Team Glazer loot to be players”
That 20 million isn’t much at all if we hope to renew Kwon, Marpet, and Smith before next offseason.
If we want to sign anymore free agents, we probably need to dump Sweezy.
March 19th, 2018 at 2:01 pm
We got to pay big for some of our own guys that they plan to keep next year.
I’m down for E.J. Gaines and Pamphile for backup. Even though I really like McClain and thought he played very well last year.
March 19th, 2018 at 2:24 pm
SOEbuc,
I have stated this many times over
When the Bucs overpaid for Ryan Jensen, who have 25 career starts. They open the doors for Ali Marpet and Donovan Smith (who has 40 and 48 career starts) to seek more money than Jensen. Kwon Alexander will be playing for the low for his 4th season.
Here is their earning for this season:
Kwon Alexander- $1,907,000
4 yr(s) / $2,758,322
Ali Marpet- $949,581
4 yr(s) / $3,773,586
Donovan Smith- $1,262,571
4 yr(s) / $6,068,860
I’m 100% sure these guys don’t want to play the 2018 season under these wages
They haven’t made any noise (publicly) but I’m sure they are not happy
March 19th, 2018 at 2:30 pm
A couple people keep referencing that 20 million isn’t enough to sign our expiring blue-chip players next year… That is not the case as we are projected to have 60 million in cap space next year.. Not to mention there may be fat to cut if Sweezy, Gholston, Djax continue to underperformer they could all be cut with little to no penalty against our cap space for 2019.
A fun site I always play around with for cap and contact tracking.
http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/tampa-bay-buccaneers/cap/
March 19th, 2018 at 2:33 pm
In a correction of my above statement. It looks like the new contracts of Curry, Jensen were not included. So after their contracts, we will have around 40 million in cap space for 2019. That is with no rollover and no natural cap increase.
March 19th, 2018 at 2:34 pm
If these guys has to play this season under these salaries. They will seek the highest bidder in 2019. Also you have to keep in mind of Jameis Winston 2018 salary and his 5th year option.
Jameis Winston- 2018- $3,891,992
Jameis Winston in 2019 (5th year option).
($25,383,306)
This is from Spotrac
I’m not creating this
This is what the Bucs are facing
March 19th, 2018 at 2:50 pm
I am putting my donut down and lacing up the cleats as we speak…Ill knock heads for 7-10 million. lol
Glad the FA misery is over.
Go Bucs!
March 19th, 2018 at 3:18 pm
bonzai
im not trying to be funny….that’s the word on the street……licht is acting as if the glazers have pt a cap on FA’s and wont allow him to screw things up…..signing back ups to be starters has already gotten him in trouble and yet he’s at it again…..he’s building depth….not for dirk but for the next regime!!!!!…..funny how you believe @realists word on the street but want to dismiss the word I bring to you…..lol….
this is the word on the street!!!!
Joe Says:
March 16th, 2018 at 12:17 pm
no one wants to play for a lame duck staff
Have had no one tell Joe this, but guessing agents are steering clients away from the Bucs for this reason. They see a GM with only months left on his contract and a 5-11 team and agents see uncertainty in the near future.
STABILITY IS KEY!!!!!!!……this staff is anything but stable!!!!!!!……their protecting Winston and building depth for the next regime!!!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!!!…..NOPASSESIN2018!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!!!