Bucs Sitting On $16.2 Million
March 25th, 2014
The spreadsheet geeks and number crunchers at ESPN have communicated with Bucs beat writer Pat Yasinskas, and it seems Lovie Smith has work to do in order to reach his stated goal of spending all available nickels.
Per today’s Twittering by Yasinskas from the NFL Owners meetings in Orlando, Team Glazer has plenty left in the company vault. Following the Jeremy Zuttah trade, the Bucs are now $16.2 million under the salary cap.
Subtract at most $7 million to pay 2014 draft picks, and the Bucs can entice DeSean Jackson have plenty to pounce on quality talent that might land on the open market.
Yes, it happens, especially with offensive linemen and, um, future Hall of Fame cornerbacks in their prime. Good players sometimes get cut after the NFL Draft, or after June 1, or late in training camp. Others wait to sign.
Bucs general manager Jason Licht knows that very well; John Abraham racked up 11.5 sacks after signing with Licht”s Cardinals on July 25. Davin Joseph could be another example. Somebody’s likely going to get a great deal on a guard when Joseph eventually signs.
March 25th, 2014 at 1:16 pm
So that leaves about 9 mill for FAs.
That’s cool. Still enough to make another good splash with one player, or sign two at a reasonable cost.
March 25th, 2014 at 1:16 pm
Not a message board here. Thanks. Joe didn’t find that interesting when he saw it. Therefore Joe didn’t write about it. –Joe
March 25th, 2014 at 1:16 pm
You mean 16.8M$ when they’ll release MW
March 25th, 2014 at 1:21 pm
There is not too much fat left to trim so the next couple or three FA of signings will be critical.
I’d feel much much better if we could shore up the OG and C positions.
March 25th, 2014 at 1:25 pm
BTW, major props to the FO to leave us with this much cap space. Yeah it’s still just a just paper team but they did make some very sensible moves.
My only comment is that we gave Collins major money.
March 25th, 2014 at 1:30 pm
Yeah, I agree. They should probably wait until after mini-camp before making anymore significant signings. They need to get a good look at what they’ve got now. There are a lot of younger lineman on the roster now they need to get a feel for first. Remember, Lovie hasn’t had the first practice with any of the existing players yet. These other guys will be vetted during that time and more decisions will be made. It’s a long process for a new regime and they need to make sure they have plenty of revenue before the final decisions are made.
March 25th, 2014 at 1:36 pm
Funny thing is “people” or “individuals” can tell the Glazers how to spend their money or overpay for a play that doesn’t touch the ball as much as a qb – when their job is on the line.
Same “people” or “individuals” after the next MW incident will flop on their posts and stance.
Glad media is media and football people are the football.
Seems the ghost of Schiano still haunts some on this site.
Note: An experienced SB head coach and accomplished talent eval GM is in charge now.
March 25th, 2014 at 1:40 pm
Yes MW19 has been a headache but we can not afford to cut him when we are so thin at WR. I think he should get one more season to prove he can be an upstanding citizen. We know he can play.
March 25th, 2014 at 1:45 pm
Nice Wallet! Sit on it! Second FA starts after the draft when some overpaid veterans will be released in favor of draftees. Should have more by then because we have a few more to release then too.
New Coach early practices begin on April 7. Will have a good idea by draft time of wheat and chaff!
March 25th, 2014 at 1:46 pm
Just because there is cap space doesn’t mean the Glazers are going to spend it. Don’t think they’ve pushed up against the cap in a while.
March 25th, 2014 at 1:47 pm
Maybe we should try and get MW19 some help before kicking him to the curb (Father Dungy ?). If he’ll accept it. GO BUCS !!!!!!!
March 25th, 2014 at 1:54 pm
Sign jared allen
March 25th, 2014 at 1:56 pm
Hey why don’t we just cut MW, take all our money put ourselves in draft debt, and make a push for Jimmy Graham, we definitely could use another 16M per year player. Our team just doesn’t seem complete without one.
Then next year we can determine he doesnt fit our system and release him, and our 2 1st round draft picks it took to get him into thin air!!!
worse comes to worse NO matches our offer and then they are stuck with a 16million a year TE
March 25th, 2014 at 2:00 pm
McCoy resigning money too.
March 25th, 2014 at 2:15 pm
So….does this mean we haven’t spent the Revis $$$ yet?
Like I said (Oline) Relax!!! We aren’t done….
March 25th, 2014 at 2:21 pm
Sign (DE) Robert Ayers & (S) Chris Clemons
March 25th, 2014 at 2:22 pm
@theodore
exactly.
its al about number 93 now.
The Real McCoy.
March 25th, 2014 at 2:23 pm
Even though Jared Allen’s silence has me wondering
March 25th, 2014 at 2:39 pm
Lock up MG8
March 25th, 2014 at 2:55 pm
For the last time, you do not need cap space to extend McCoy. His 15.3mil is already included in the cap. If/when we extend McCoy, we will add money to the cap, not take any away. Please try to remember this!!!
March 25th, 2014 at 2:57 pm
McCoy’s extension will be funded by Goldson, Nicks and VJax. That’s my guess.
March 25th, 2014 at 3:50 pm
The Bucs should offer Joseph $3million a year to come back. This team needs a guard in the worst way with Zuttah gone.
March 25th, 2014 at 3:53 pm
Whether one is drafted or not, another guard is in real need. Licht has a history with GB/ARZ Daryn Colledge. He’s past his prime, but can’t be worse the Meredith’s erratic play.
March 25th, 2014 at 3:57 pm
Need to lock up Mr. McCoy ASAP
March 25th, 2014 at 8:34 pm
Depending on how they decide to offer McCoy his money, his cap hit could go down. Signing bonuses are spread over the life of the deal. It would be pretty sweet to lock him up and improve our cap space in one swift move.
March 26th, 2014 at 3:29 am
Before free agency began, everybody thought we had such a great chance to get Jared Allen, what with a perceived desire for players to want to play for Lovie and the connection Leslie Frazier (supposedly) had with him. It almost looks like the polar opposite is true. What did Frazier do to peeve him off? It surely looks like Allen wants nothing to do with those two. And don’t say it’s because of what Allen said about wanting to play for a winner. He had on onsite visit with the Dallas Cowboys, for pete sake, who’ve only made the playoffs six times in the seventeen years since 1996, and only won ONE GAME in that entire seventeen year span – they suck as an organization and nobody thinks of them as a winner since the mid 90’s. Besides, a lot of folks think that the Bucs can be this year’s Chiefs. Just think of the numbers Allen could rack up in his push for the Hall of Fame playing next to McCoy.
Joe – do you have any insight into why Allen seems to be avoiding Frazier and Lovie like the plague, instead of being drawn to them like we thought before F. A. began?