Raises Everywhere
March 25th, 2021
“You see what it says on top of the spreadsheet, Glazer? ‘Super Bowl champs.'”
Bucs fans liked to talk about 2021 Bucs free agents being eager to give the team a “hometown discount,” aka returning on the cheap for the gift of playing with Tom Brady in a state without income tax — for the city that holds the new Lombardi Trophy.
But if Ndamukong Suh gets the $9-million-plus-incentives salary that reports say he’ll have when he locks up his new contract this week, that would represent a hearty raise for 2021. Shaq Barrett got top edge-rusher money on the 2021 free agent market, and Chris Godwin chose the franchise tag, presumably versus a long-term offer from the Bucs.
Lavonte David got roughly a $2 million raise, and Ryan Succop will bank $5 million this year, about five times what he hauled in last season.
Rob Gronkowski is set to earn $10 million, including incentives, which is what he made last year.
That’s six of the Bucs’ Big 8 free agents, and Joe’s not seeing any “discount.”
Where Joe is seeing a deal for Team Glazer is in the Bucs locking down defensive tackle Rakeem Nuñez-Roches ($2.5 million per season) and guard Aaron Stinnie ($1.25 million for 2021). Neither got starter money but likely could have started — or competed to start — for another team.
Remaining Big 8 free agents are Antonio Brown and Leonard “Playoff Lenny” Fournette. Can the Bucs squeeze Playoff Lenny into a $3 million plus incentives deal for 2021? Joe would do whatever it takes to get that done.
March 25th, 2021 at 6:58 am
The discount is in them not going somewhere else, for the highest bidder. Not necessarily taking an under market deal. Some of us remember the Dexter Jackson post super bowl exodus. Lots of players take the extra millions to go to the highest bidder. I don’t know the offers they were given but history has shown that non-Superbowl winners pay premium for that Superbowl experience. But what do I know
March 25th, 2021 at 7:14 am
Shaq and LvD took discounts compared to market value despite getting raises. Where’s the evidence of that?? Last year’s market is not this year’s.–Joe
Godwin got the tag and it’s still less than Kenny Golloday gets annually.
You can get a raise (even a fat raise apparently in Godwin’s case) and still be paid less than your value on the open market. These aren’t exclusive concepts.
Fair points on Gronk and Suh who I hoped would have signed for a couple mil less but won’t complain at all that they’re back. Succop had to get paid tho, he was the best kicker on the market.
March 25th, 2021 at 7:19 am
I agree with Leighroy.
Did we really think that we were going to get Shaq, LVD and Godwin all three signed for the amounts we did?
I do not think that was any part of Joe’s early assessment on those guys.
But maybe I do not remember correctly.
IMO Gronk and Suh got fair market values. I think Succop got higher market value but as bad as we have been on getting kickers to perform – I am with the Bucs fans that say thank you.
March 25th, 2021 at 7:28 am
Why should Gronk & Suh take less, they were as valuable to this teams success as any player. IMO, Godwin got too much. When Evan’s got hurt it was Brown that stepped up not Godwin. Godwin was also a below average WR in the PO’s and SB. Can’t believe the hesitancy signing Brown. He is not going to acrew up and if he does put it in his contract Bucs can cut him. Two years $9 mil with incentives. He’s worth it. If he goes to jail, oh well sucks to be him.
March 25th, 2021 at 7:33 am
I’m sure the Bucs didn’t pay Succop any more than they needed. Both knew exactly what was being offered by the Titians. Ryan liked playing so close to home in Tennessee so it might have taken a bit more to entice him back.
March 25th, 2021 at 7:38 am
I don’t think AB is going to jail on a civil case but I wouldn’t put it past him to find a way. 2 years 9M is not going to happen either. At least not here not now.
March 25th, 2021 at 7:40 am
Joe is having buyers remorse I guess from this article.
Right as free agency was starting on March 15th.
Joe statement:
Shaq has balled out in the playoffs and Super Bowl. So yeah, if the Bucs can get Shaq for $20 million a year, Joe thinks that might be getting over on Shaq’s agent oily Drew Rosenhaus.
March 25th, 2021 at 9:08 am
The value will be in the guys signed for more than a year. The cap and contracts will explode next year.
March 25th, 2021 at 9:53 am
Since New England has re signed White, and Seattle signed Chris Carson, potential spots for Fournette are drying up fast.
It kind of looks like he will have to accept a deal with us, like it or not.
March 25th, 2021 at 10:10 am
Well you’ll never have hard evidence, it’s obv anecdotal. But compared to what anyone with a microphone or a website was projecting those two to get this year, they’re discounts. For the sake of discussion, what else am I, a layperson, to utilize?
March 25th, 2021 at 10:35 am
To be fair, Spotrac estimated LVD to get 12.71 as his market value and while 12.5 isn’t much less, it’s still less.
But on Shaq especially, you yourself wrote an article titled “Former Agent: Shaq Barrett Worth $22 Million A Year” in which I quote you, “So yeah, if the Bucs can get Shaq for $20 million a year, Joe thinks that might be getting over on Shaq’s agent oily Drew Rosenhaus.”
19.5mil sure looks like a discount to me!
March 25th, 2021 at 10:37 am
@Anonymous … “The cap and contracts will explode next year.” Somehow I don’t see how that can happen, at least not in the Bucs’ case. We’ve already committed gobs of money to 2022 & beyond in going all-in LAST YEAR & also THIS YEAR. Can’t kick that can much further down the street. Well, not unless we keep restructuring Brady & Evans contracts to the point where they’ll have to play until they’re 97 to make it pay off for us.
Bucs essentially ‘set the table’ for our SB run more in 2019 than in 2020. Not only did we bring in a new top-shelf coaching staff, but we also added several HUGE pieces in free agency in Shaq, Suh & Pinion, plus re-signed RNR & Minter (both had joined us halfway thru the 2018 season). Also had an incredible 2019 draft, adding White, SMB, Dean, Edwards, Nelson & Miller. And as a bonus we got JPP back from what had initially looked to be a career-ending injury.
Our 2020 additions filled in the blanks nicely, especially ion offense, when we added Tom Brady, Gronk, Brown & Fournette plus drafted Wirfs to plug a big hole. On defense we were able to franchise-tag Shaq, re-sign Suh, RNR & Minter plus draft Winfield to fill a huge hole in our Secondary. And oh ya, sign Ryan Succop to a 1-year deal. We added a LOT of talent for relatively little money.
Re-signing all of our starters & key rotational players this year has been HUGE, but like everything else it comes at a cost, someday. But hey, ‘strike while the iron’s hot’ as they say. In the meantime, I’m just hoping that we can hit paydirt again in these next 2 drafts. That’s what’ll keep us competitive in 2023 & beyond.
March 25th, 2021 at 10:40 am
Oh and my bad bc Shaq only signed for 17 avg/yr, plus 1 mil incentive. The 19.5 was Spotrac’s estimated market value, so even beat that still.
March 25th, 2021 at 10:53 am
I don’t know how or why the league ever started publishing player pay.
Do you know how much your co-workers make? It’s rude to even ask.