Pay Cut For Will Gholston
March 24th, 2022
It’s rare to find a quality, durable NFL starter, especially one coming off two powerful seasons and sporting a Super Bowl ring, taking a pay cut with a big and grateful smile.
But that’s Bucs defensive lineman Will Gholston.
He’s a prototype 3-4 defensive end, ferocious against the run and a capable rusher. Gholston led the team in quarterback hits in 2020 and then had a career high 4 1/2 sacks last season. He hasn’t missed a game in years.
However, in free agency last week, Gholston sniffed around and then came back to the Bucs to accept a one-year, $4.5 million contract this week. The Bucs made the deal official today.
That’s less money than Gholston earned in 2021 and in 2020.
As Joe already wrote, Gholston is a Tampa-first guy, so he said today. But Gholston also noted that Todd Bowles and the defensive coaches of the Bucco Bruce Arians regime gave his career a positive jolt and he hopes Bowles, if he moves on, looks for Gholston to come with him one day.
He praised defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers for helping him maximize his strength.
There are lots of Bucs coming back this season, but Joe sees all of them accepting a raise, Ryan Jensen, Chris Godwin, Leonard Fournette and more. Gholston? He’s a different kind of guy.
The Bucs are very lucky to have him.
March 24th, 2022 at 1:48 pm
He complimented my Jordan’s once and now I think about that every time I wear them. Super cool dude.
March 24th, 2022 at 1:49 pm
Smart guy.
Become a known part of a winning Brady team.
Just like Willie McGinest did.
Increase your future value exponentially.
He’s a young guy. Smart move.
LFG
March 24th, 2022 at 1:50 pm
Howard is so psyched he’s ready to follow Brady through walls
March 24th, 2022 at 1:55 pm
Relieved to have Will back in the fold. What a freakin underrated player. Never gets enough respect for just grinding through the dirty work that is often times not sexy, but sets you up to win games.
March 24th, 2022 at 1:56 pm
He’s been highly productive in a 3-4 since 2019, 3 of his 9 years in the league. Over that span the Bucs paid him $30 MILLION.
If you want to be honest about it, he should be paying the Bucs to play for how he started his career and what we paid him.
I’m happy to have him back.
March 24th, 2022 at 2:04 pm
Holding down that left side of the line in the run game….we’re very lucky to still have him. I’ll admit, i was worried he would go to another team. Welcome back big Will!
March 24th, 2022 at 2:05 pm
Well, this changes my draft
March 24th, 2022 at 2:09 pm
I’m glad he’s going to be on the team and I hope he retires as a Buc.
March 24th, 2022 at 2:15 pm
He should be a life long Buc. Great team guy too.
March 24th, 2022 at 2:17 pm
Can we do a $9.20 Gholston donation to his own charity like we did for Big Mike?! I think this deserves it as well to let him know our appreciation for him, who he is and what he’s done for on the field and in the community…
Can someone start this pa-pa-please?! 🙏
March 24th, 2022 at 2:31 pm
Looking at Big Will’s contract on Spotrac, I’m willing to bet that he’ll be with us at least through next year. He’s only counting as a $2.1 mil CAP hit this year, but $3.0 mil next year in Dead CAP. Seems likely that he’ll be with us at least through 2023 to avoid the Dead CAP hit.
What’s strange about how they wrote his contract though is how they spread out his $3.0 mil Signing Bonus ($600K over a 5-yr period using Void Years). Seeing that on more & more contracts though (no idea what the big benefit is for the team, but there must be one).
After including Gholston’s contract, Bucs now sit at MINUS $1.9 mil salary CAP with 59 players signed (#30 in NFL). Still haven’t included Perriman or Ryan in the salary CAP though. Hopefully our Top-3 guys restructure (Brady $20.3 mil; D Smith $18.4 mil; LVD $14.8 mil), enough to free up about roughly $25-$30 mil (should be doable, but not by much).
March 24th, 2022 at 2:40 pm
bucs are fortunate they have great character players
March 24th, 2022 at 2:41 pm
Defense- that money if cleared should get us gronk n suh back i assume with enough for a draft picks…maybe another signing here or there depending on who gets cut who we trade for and so on.
Don’t no one forget after this draft going into camp we will have picks to use for next yr to trade with and if we win the superbowl those picks won’t be worth as much at the end of the year.
Personally I like stencil but I rather us get another beast oline in the draft or steal one with a draft pick like with Mason.
I’m interested if jpp is done in Tampa infelt like last year he was a skeleton of him self but he did play through it.
I imagine we restructure bradyband sign gronk with that money.
Restructure Smith and sign suh.
Lvd money will be draft picks..
From there the punter n kicker will be examined cause they are over paying.
March 24th, 2022 at 2:47 pm
“Bowles, if he moves on.” The only thing potential employers outside of OneBuc Place are going to think about Bowles, is how he cost Brady the chance at another Super Bowl Title with his zero blitz call that even father Dungy chastised afterwards. Not going anywhere.
March 24th, 2022 at 2:51 pm
@MadMax
I still think they will go DL on the 1 pick,…There is not much depth…..Not sure but last year Suh signed his contract by this time……But the difference is cap situation was different and my guess is they wann go younger on defense……..
March 24th, 2022 at 3:18 pm
yeah but what did rojo get from kc and for how many years ???
March 24th, 2022 at 3:22 pm
if will runs into financial issues because he hasn’t made enough money in his career, he can sleep under the field, in the irrigation room with baker mayfield, and maybe get a cameo in a commercial…
but for some reason i think big will is doing just fine
#BucForLife #BFL #LFG
March 24th, 2022 at 3:56 pm
Last year was his best he has really excelled in Bowles system. It’s unfortunate that he’s having to take a pay cut in order to stay.
March 24th, 2022 at 4:12 pm
A team absolutely, positively has to have some players like Gholston to assure success…….never complains….works hard….does the dirty grinding work….little glory….fantastic community citizen & teammate.
As far as restructuring….I was wondering if we actually may be able to do some work with Shaq Mason….extending his contract…..signing bonus….void years etc…..
We also have about $7mil wrapped up in a K & P……(way too much)
March 24th, 2022 at 4:39 pm
Well there’s one good vet to help bring along whoever we draft. Having Will back is fine, but we need to come out of this draft with a starting calibar DT.
March 24th, 2022 at 4:44 pm
Excellent signing.
March 24th, 2022 at 4:47 pm
I told yall how good he was years ago when everyone was blowing smoke in GMC butt. Still one of my favorite Bucs. He been an elite run stopper before Bowles
March 24th, 2022 at 5:00 pm
Always been a good Buc.
March 24th, 2022 at 5:46 pm
Dude is an all time Buc for what he has done on and off the field. We are definitely lucky to have him and I hope that he retires as a Buc.
March 24th, 2022 at 7:35 pm
Nobody is Jonesing for Gholston and he’s on the wrong side of 30. Willing to take less to stay in Tampa. Only a 1 year deal so the writing is on the wall – Bucs are picking a DT on day 1 or 2 of the draft. Guaranteed.
March 24th, 2022 at 8:25 pm
Will Gholston deserves to be on the ring of honor!… He Loves being one of us and embraced our community. Team player is a understatement and has been a major part ofthe last few years of dominant DL performance! Go Big Rockstar!
March 24th, 2022 at 8:51 pm
Oh how we’d all love a pay cut to 4.5 million.
March 24th, 2022 at 9:30 pm
@zz…yeah, im still on beef up the D line, but our first might need some O line attention now….then we hit D.
March 24th, 2022 at 9:34 pm
I’ll have to say I dont know where we go….as long as we get CB Alontae Taylor and P Matt Araiza…..then whatever with the other picks….we’re in win now mode
March 25th, 2022 at 9:27 am
Just sign him to a multi… he’ll be here, and get more money. Win Win for everyone. He deserves more money