Massive Salary Cap Jump Comes At Right Time
February 23rd, 2024
“So Jason, does this mean we can buy another running back, too?”
The Bucs have more wiggle room than was previously believed.
The National Football League announced the 2024 salary cap per franchise is $255.4 million. Yeah, yeah, those are numbers incomprehensible to the average Joe not named Glazer. What’s important is that cap total is about $13 million higher than expected.
So all team budget master have been thrown a curveball via the different cap number. And since the salary cap is always going up — since the NFL is a multi-billion ATM for owners — that means the 2025 cap will be higher than expected, too.
Last year’s cap ceiling was $224.8 million.
This is great news considering the Bucs are desparate to re-sign their Big 5 free agents: Baker Mayfield, Antoine Winfield, Lavonte David, Mike Evans and Chase McLaughlin.
If you don’t think McLaughlin is a Big 5 free agent coming off the best kicking season in franchise history, then you haven’t been paying attention to the way Todd Bowles wants to play football.
February 23rd, 2024 at 1:30 pm
Bucs still should have no problem signing everyone…
February 23rd, 2024 at 1:32 pm
This helps other teams like Houston and the New York Jets as well.
February 23rd, 2024 at 1:38 pm
60 million more than the Glazers paid for the team
February 23rd, 2024 at 1:41 pm
Baker drooling looking at the texts his agent just sent – asking price just went up. Godspeed Jason!
February 23rd, 2024 at 1:42 pm
LFG more glazer loot to spend.
February 23rd, 2024 at 1:44 pm
Go Bucs
February 23rd, 2024 at 1:47 pm
SBLV… We could buy a real home Clearwater for 120k back then also… same house is 450k now. Good for the Glazers! Now sign all 5 guys
February 23rd, 2024 at 1:48 pm
Let’s get M1K3 signed before free agency hits. Even if we pay him a little more. He’s worth it and deserves to retire a Buc.
February 23rd, 2024 at 1:57 pm
Bowles is the ultimate decelerator. Slow start offense but at least his defense regularly gives up a first possession score. Let’s kick field goals. Go Bucs.
February 23rd, 2024 at 1:57 pm
Great news!
February 23rd, 2024 at 2:08 pm
Sign all 5 plus Moore and a FA G or C. Get the rest in the draft.
DE/OLB
G/C
RB
TE
S
ILB
Assuming we don’t release CDIII or Dean. We know Gage will be released.
February 23rd, 2024 at 2:11 pm
That may have just saved the season.
February 23rd, 2024 at 2:14 pm
McLaughlin is 100% on my board for re-signing. We’d be crazy to let him walk.
February 23rd, 2024 at 2:15 pm
The players (and agents) will just ask for more money.
It is helpful to stop looking at the dollar amounts of contracts and rather look at a player’s salary as a percentage of the total salary cap.
For instance – franchise QBs are now making @ 15%-20% of their teams overall cap allowance. This percentage won’t change but the dollar amount will increase.
February 23rd, 2024 at 2:15 pm
McLaughlin is a must sign…… Not sure if anyone has any doubts here…..
February 23rd, 2024 at 2:25 pm
Inflation hitting the NFL also…..
February 23rd, 2024 at 2:27 pm
LFG!!
February 23rd, 2024 at 2:33 pm
Could be good but human nature and the way most people think , if they got more money to spend , I want to get paid more!
February 23rd, 2024 at 3:18 pm
Let Baker test FA. I watched every snap last year. I like Baker. I’d take him back, but not for anything over 15m/2-3yr. A 9-8 resume and a playoff win vs a team that had won a single game in 8 weeks is nothing to roll out the red carpet for. We were nearly a .500 team.
Baker earned a raise. But he didn’t earn a franchise imo. He should be competing for a starting job this off season.
How much food was left on the table is what should be looked at more than the post season statistics. Baker had like a 40% completion rating in back to back games vs Falcons and Panthers.
That said, I’m rooting for him regardless. Not meant to be negative, just playing couch GM. I’d resign everybody else and look in FA for big splashes on defense like Chase Young or another pass rusher before giving Baker long term QB money.
February 23rd, 2024 at 3:21 pm
That doesnt help at all with Mayfield or Evans.
It just means that all the teams have more money to throw at them.
Yes, the Bucs have more money to Offer Mayfield.
But so does Atlanta, Las Vega, NY.
Even worse,
Now teams like Pittsburgh have enough money to throw out an offer.
Only way it helps with our in demand Free Agents, is if the Cap only went up for Tampa! Lol
February 23rd, 2024 at 3:27 pm
Still have $22mil in void cap hit in ‘24, and $56mil in ‘25. The idea this team is out of the cap hole and sailing on clear seas are wildly misadvertised. This helps, but temper your expectations folks. Probably still need to make some cap cuts, ahem Russel Gage.
February 23rd, 2024 at 3:31 pm
I think that pretty much guarantees Baker will get tagged
Hopefully they work out a deal with Mike now.
February 23rd, 2024 at 3:40 pm
Want to save more. Get rid of oft injured Carlton Davis.
February 23rd, 2024 at 3:51 pm
Mney for nothing and tha checks are free.
February 23rd, 2024 at 3:52 pm
And don’t forget to say buh bye ,JTS
February 23rd, 2024 at 4:02 pm
Big Red Says:
“Let Baker test FA. I watched every snap last year. I like Baker. I’d take him back, but not for anything over 15m/2-3yr. A 9-8 resume and a playoff win vs a team that had won a single game in 8 weeks is nothing to roll out the red carpet for. We were nearly a .500 team.
How much food was left on the table is what should be looked at more than the post season statistics.”
And which QB would you take instead of Baker – and do you think they will ask for more money as well with the new salary cap increase?
Don’t really care about nearly 0.500 or way above 0.500. In 2021, the Bengals were 10-7 (just one game above the Bucs this year) and they made it to Super Bowl. It was Joe Blow Burrows 2nd year in this offense. Unless we are drafting a Joe Burrow or there is one on the market, what’s the point of spending any of the $255M on the whole team without PLAYOFF success? There are no other QBs on the market the Bucs can afford that are proven in this offense and has show moxy to win in the playoffs. I would shy away from Russell Wilson. He’s a proven guy but not in this offense. He is better in a scramble drill make play offense not pre-set read and believe in your throw offense.
Drafting a QB and making the playoffs next year is a pipe dream. Veterans and rookie a like need 2 years in this offense to be good in it. It is a lot of motion, pre-read defense, throw before the WR cuts to open spot type of offense. Letting Baker go is basically throwing away 2024 and maybe 2025 seasons because we’re too cheap to pay the market rates. You get what you pay for – we’re not far from being the Atlanta Falcons or Carolina Panthers too. See Baker leave for the Falcons and see how you feel.
February 23rd, 2024 at 4:25 pm
Big red says u r a moron nothing else to say about that
February 23rd, 2024 at 4:30 pm
So baker gets 15 mill for 2 years that is like #3 wr money u need to get u r head examined cause u r stupid.were u born stupid or is it something u grew into,MORONIC?
February 23rd, 2024 at 4:32 pm
Remember when baker get sandwiched between upper & lower body it looked horrific I wud demand 10 mill just for that kind of hit
February 23rd, 2024 at 5:36 pm
OH NO!!! THE UNTHINKABLE HAS HAPPENED!!
The salary cap just went up THIRTY MILLION THIS SEASON!
Oh my Lawd!
This unexpected development will keep the contract law accountant/Krystal fry chefs up all night, trying to restructure the Bucs Payroll!!
Man, Drive thru will be so bogged down, My Pepsi Zero and Fries is gonna take an hour to procure!
Lmao!
February 23rd, 2024 at 6:11 pm
To the guy thinking Baker comes back for 2-3 years at 15 mil..
You smoke crack
February 23rd, 2024 at 6:15 pm
Let Baker go, Think about how much of a bargain Kyle Trask just became! He is still on his rookie contract next year ! With the money we could save by playing Kyle, and letting Mayfield walk,( who many believe outplayed Mayfield in the preseason “ competition” anyway) , we could literally fund upgrades in the offensive and defensive lines , defensive backfield , and maybe even a late round receiver or running back! It would be like getting a year of free quarterbacking , especially if Kyle works out like many of us think he will, and if he doesn’t we will have a much upgraded team for the next mediocre, journeyman quarterback that comes our way
February 23rd, 2024 at 6:21 pm
Baker is coming back. He loves it here in Tampa Bay. We have a class organization.
—————————-
Go Bucs!!!
February 23rd, 2024 at 6:25 pm
Make the contracts incentive based so the players will continue to work hard to earn their pay!
February 23rd, 2024 at 6:46 pm
The salary cap increase, although expected, is welcome news!
The Bucs have a real shot at the SB year in the ’24 season if they bring back “the five” and successfully fill some O and D holes. They are nowhere close to a team in a “rebuild” mode at this point. They know that they have a potentially championship team if they stay on the current course.
I think that the Bucs get it done with negotiating contract incentives. I strongly disagree that they should let Baker and Mike “test free agency”. That’s a bad idea given the comeback the team had last season.
Bring back Mike and Baker with an improved O-line and Mike’s HOF spot is sealed and he sails into the sunset as a career Buccaneer!
February 23rd, 2024 at 6:55 pm
Baker will drive this deal but it might not be as costly to the Bucs as feared here.
Baker made TEN MILLION in outside money during last seasons comeback from the desert! So where can Baker make the most money ? Not just in “salary” but in endorsements both local an national. One thing to help with the endorsements….WINNING. Baker will need a winning team to continue to burnish his “brand”. How about the rest of the story? So far it’s a “feel good” story in Tampa…Baker should just continue to milk it.
Bottom line…what good is making ten million more a year in salary if you lose 15 million in endorsement money?
February 23rd, 2024 at 6:56 pm
Yeah — and Ko Kiefer — “the guy” (Big Red) — I think that we’re all supposing that he got busy with the Friday Happy Hour just a little too early!
That’s the entertainment that comes with this Blog!
February 23rd, 2024 at 7:02 pm
stpetebucfan: Spot on!
We’re actually singing the same song. These guys are motivated to win! I think that that’s huge for Mike — to go out as a winner!!
….and they will win….!
February 23rd, 2024 at 7:21 pm
I wonder if ticket prices, concessions and tv subscriptions are going to increase too….Must suck to be oppressed
February 23rd, 2024 at 7:31 pm
Ticket prices just went up for everyone.
February 23rd, 2024 at 7:51 pm
Pay Winfield and move mccullum to fs.
February 23rd, 2024 at 8:20 pm
They didn’t sign Evans by Monday, they had to see where they stood. Still think it’s foolish, they could’ve saved 8 million by signing him to 12 to 15,000,000 per year for three years.
Absolutely must sign Baker, Evans, and Winfield and there’s no reason not to do a two-year deal with LVD so he can retire here.
Trade Davis or Dean, restructure Shaq or let him walk.
Sign a LG and draft the Oregon Center.
Contenders.
February 23rd, 2024 at 8:52 pm
Be real David! 12-15 million? Just stop commenting please. I don’t ever call anyone out but this is perhaps your most ridiculous post ever and that is saying something!!!
February 23rd, 2024 at 8:59 pm
All it means is everyone is going to want more money.
It’s a good time to have your contract up — and this is why I said all last offseason the Bucs needed to resign Evans, Wirfs and Winfield, since they’re only going to get more expensive the longer you wait.
February 23rd, 2024 at 9:00 pm
Joe,
Why am I being blocked from commenting or at least after years of commenting my posts require moderation?
February 23rd, 2024 at 9:02 pm
Joe,
Why am I being blocked from commenting or at least after years of commenting now my posts require moderation or says duplicate comments.
February 23rd, 2024 at 10:50 pm
cometowin…
sure LOL
I should have spelled it out for the novice: That is against the cap taking into account how they do bonuses, incentives, and guaranteed salary that would probably be spread over 3 years min.
February 23rd, 2024 at 11:03 pm
Doesnt make much difference in the grand scheme of things. Every other team has more room too. Ultimately it just means bigger contracts overall.
February 23rd, 2024 at 11:04 pm
This just guarantees Mike will get max contract offers from another team. It doesn’t mean just match that because we have more money. The Glazers still have to fill the stadium. For as many of you Baker fans, there are twice as many that are ready to see something different. It’s been the Mike and Chris show for 7 years.
I read an article that listed all these awesome FA additions for every team and for the Bucs the guy said Baker Mayfield. Lol. My stomach sank. The same guys back when you hardly competed in a bad division is NOT inspiring. Winfield, LVD and McLaughlin yes. They are NEEDED
NOTHING about Mayfield is special. If I want a FEEL GOOD story Ill donate to Autism. This is the freaking NFL. You get paid big dollars for being elite. Not mediocre.
February 24th, 2024 at 1:08 am
If it was so easy to get an elite QB every team would have them. Then I suppose they wouldn’t be elite.
Bucs are going on 50 years never having one.
I’d like to see the poll that says 2/3 of the fans are wanting to move on from Baker. I don’t believe it exist.
February 24th, 2024 at 8:41 am
it means we can sign patrick queen
February 24th, 2024 at 10:02 am
Means every team has more $$$ to spend and lure away our guys. Gonna be a crazy.
February 24th, 2024 at 3:41 pm
Misconception…….Salary cap increase is not going to increase the Bucs ability to sign players. It is only going to increase the players demands.
February 24th, 2024 at 7:51 pm
This just means the top of the market for a QB is now at 63M per year
February 26th, 2024 at 2:39 am
Massive jump?
Nah!
Enough to sign one decent free agent is all that means to us.
Go Bucs!