“Significant Spending” Alert
February 25th, 2015
Photo courtesy of Tampa Bay Buccaneers
With the free agency dinner bell ringing in 13 short days, allow Joe to remind Bucs fans of that famous Lovie Smith quote from January 2014:
“Just as a general rule, you know there’s a reason why there is a salary cap. And we want to use all of our resources to get as many good football players in here. It’s kind of as simple as that. We want to be right up; we don’t want to have a lot of money in reserves. No one does. I mean you want to use money to get as many good football players. And it takes money to get good football players in here. So that’s our approach.”
The guy Lovie proclaimed that to was the guru of ProFootballTalk.com and NBC Sports NFL insider Mike Florio.
So it’s no surprise that Florio, who has fantastic sources, today predicts Tampa Bay is a prime candidate to be among “significant spenders” in free agency in 2015.
This year, with almost all of the NFL’s teams expected to be on the right side of the salary cap, several franchises have become candidates for significant spending. The franchises to watch are the Falcons, Buccaneers, Raiders, Jaguars, and Bills.
In Atlanta, the focal point surely will be the defense and the offensive line. A pass rusher is needed, badly. Maybe two.
In Tampa Bay, pass rushers also are needed, especially with Michael Johnson being a bust of a free-agent addition and Da’Quan Bowers and Adrian Clayborn on the way out. The offensive line could use a boost (a common dynamic for most bad teams), and coach Lovie Smith likely covets defensive backs who can run his Tampa Two defense.
The Bucs did spend money last year, and have been middle-of-the-pack spenders in the NFL over the past few years.
They’re well positioned under the salary cap to be very active again in free agency. The available cash (before Dashon Goldson’s giant contract inevitably comes off the books) is in the neighborhood of $15 million for next year, factoring in what the Bucs will pay their new draft picks.
Please go shopping, Bucs. Please. Free agency is wonderful, as long as you pick more studs than duds.
February 25th, 2015 at 11:49 am
Don’t forget about VJ pay cut/trade. That will allow even more cap room!!!
February 25th, 2015 at 11:51 am
one Orlando Franklin and Eddie Royal please. With a side of Mccourty
February 25th, 2015 at 11:53 am
Lovie and Licht should be in Congress because they proved last year that they can spend like hell and WASTE other people’s money.
February 25th, 2015 at 11:58 am
I say Royal for a slot guy and Vjax will be gone after next year so the gravy train can continue
February 25th, 2015 at 11:59 am
Again….I don’t care if it’s $1mil or $10mil….just get players who have an will earn their paycheck….lets have some non-guaranteed incentive laden contracts please….I know that limits us somewhat…but I like the idea of bringing in players that have confidence in themselves and will perform for the $$$….
February 25th, 2015 at 12:01 pm
@buc realist
Just stop commenting. That the dumbest thing I’ve heard in a week.
Yea lets cut vjax pay or trade him? Are you serious?
First: A trade shouldn’t even be discussed. Especially if they are picking a quarterback. Idiot. Why remove a weapon like him with a rookie QB?
2nd. Why should he take a pay cut? He has performed well every single year.
Just stfu. Way more ways to increase their cap money without even having to look at vjax.
You people on here are absolute idiots.
February 25th, 2015 at 12:04 pm
Kevin, opinions are like Aholes. Everybody has one. None of us are GMs so no reason for the hate
February 25th, 2015 at 12:07 pm
Money, it’s a hit. Don’t give me that goody good bullspit. I think I’ll buy me a football team.
February 25th, 2015 at 12:08 pm
Getting rid of VJ is just…not good
February 25th, 2015 at 12:12 pm
35 mil to spend if dashon and punter cut
February 25th, 2015 at 12:14 pm
@”The kevin”
Damn, dude. I agree that the VJax talk makes very little sense, but you seem to be getting a little mad at your fellow Bucs Brethren. Remember when people were screaming for inane things like bring back Schiano? Fire Lovie midseason?
February 25th, 2015 at 12:19 pm
Vjax imo guys is on his last year. We will give him 10 mil because he earned it. Next year bye bye Vjax . Thats just how it goes
My friend actually has Vjax in his class at USF business school
February 25th, 2015 at 12:21 pm
I wish everybody wasn’t in such a rush to get rid of VJax and Clayborn.
I’d like to see what Clayborn could do when he is healthy at his natural position of RDE. So far no one we have put in there has been able to beat his rookie 7.5 sack total in the last four years.
VJax may be a tad overpaid, but if you look at what other WR’s are making nowadays it’s certainly not outrageous.
February 25th, 2015 at 12:28 pm
I was excited last year with the FA spending, unfortunately it didn’t work out near as well as I hoped, but there are some we can retain. If we do at least that well this year, that will strengthen the team even more, although I know it won’t fix all of the holes, improvement is the key. If we can get a couple of averagely good offensive and defensive players it will be huge. Take care of those weak links Bucs, not necessarily with stars, but with true journeymen starters.
February 25th, 2015 at 12:30 pm
Cutting Goldson, Collins and Koenen – all of which should happen – clears another $10M in cap space.
Joe – I thought I heard recently (after McCown was cut) that the Bucs were expected to be $25-$30M under the cap as things currently sit. Are you sure that the $15M # you stated is correct? Perhaps that higher figure was not including the $8M pool for signing draft picks maybe?
BTW – in looking up the contract, dead $ and rookie pool #s – I noticed that we are taking a $4,714,000 dead $ cap hit for Carl Nicks. I thought we reached an injury settlement with Nicks and/or he retired. I didn’t realize we were getting stuck with an almost $5M cap hit for Nicks this year. That really sucks. What a bad deal that turned out to be for the Bucs.
February 25th, 2015 at 12:31 pm
*Add Major Talent to Fortify the Defensive Line
(Comparable)
(Rams Defense End Spending)
• Robert Quinn $15,788,756 (13.52%)-of 2015 Cap
• Chris Long $10,000,000 (8.57%) -of 2015 Cap
• William Hayes $3,105,000 (2.66%)- of 2015 Cap
• Eugene Sims $2,900,000 (2.48%) of 2015 Cap
• Mason Brodine $585,000 (0.50%) of 2015 Cap
Total: $32,378,756 (28.61%) NFL Rank:1
(Rams Defense Tackle Spending)
• Kendall Langford $6,000,000 (5.14%)- of 2015 Cap
• Michael Brockers $1,688,454 (1.45%)- of 2015 Cap
• Aaron Donald $880,750 (0.75%)- of 2015 Cap
Total: $8,569,204 (7.34%) Rank:9
February 25th, 2015 at 12:31 pm
V. Jax is going nowhere…
Why make another hole in this decrepit roster?
Why get rid of our second best offensive weapon?
Why remove a veteran leader on a team with no leaders?
Why would you trade or cut when a equally talented replacement will cost the same?
Why would you give a rookie QB one less viable option to throw to?
Why?
February 25th, 2015 at 12:33 pm
@ thunder sack
Oddly both those things made far more sense to me than cutting VJax…hmm
February 25th, 2015 at 12:33 pm
I’m all for keeping Vjax….and absent a term extention….I don’t think he restructures.
Now…..it always depends on who you replace him with…..a younger, faster, cheaper WR (if that truly exists) would appeal to me…..but I think we can draft one with that potential in the mid/late rounds.
February 25th, 2015 at 12:35 pm
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Total Liabilities: $110,905,671
• Salary Cap (Projected): $143,501,433
• Cap Room: $32,595,762*
February 25th, 2015 at 12:37 pm
it’s been said we’re keeping vjack and im all for it unless we get an offer we cant refuse considering all the wide receiver talent in this draft but otherwise we keep him…..it’s going to be a great year, it’s always a better year when you draft a quarterback because the sky is the limit because of the unknown. only positions im concerned with are middle linebacker corner, safety and o line. I think it can all be addressed via free agency and the draft so im all in with spending every dime of the glazers money as long as it puts more W in the win column than we had in the last decade
February 25th, 2015 at 12:40 pm
Non-Guaranteed Contracts
• Logan Mankins LG ($7,000,000)
• Evan Dietrich-Smith C ($3,750,000)
• Michael Koenen P ($3,250,000)
Total: $14,000,000
February 25th, 2015 at 12:40 pm
The Buc Realist Says
“Don’t forget about VJ pay cut/trade. That will allow even more cap room!!!”
I really doubt that (cut) will happen, not when there are others who could be cut that we don’t need anymore. A trade? Might be possible if the right offer comes in, but it would have to be a first rounder and a second rounder at worse.
Really though, I think they keep him.
Goldson, Michael Koenen and EDS would free up a ton of cash.
February 25th, 2015 at 12:41 pm
Get 3-4 “middle of the pack” young o linemen and see who sticks, so there wont be the massive swing and misses of last year, the only big name I would pursue would be greg hardy, an elite de we could get at a bargain bc of character issues. If we could truly put an elite de next to mccoy, the best dt in the nfl will finally be able to flourish and we can potentially instantly turn our dline into a top 3 unit In the nfl
February 25th, 2015 at 12:42 pm
@LUVMYBUCS
Goldson would free up $4m as well.
I think Logan Mankins depends on the draft results.
February 25th, 2015 at 12:45 pm
No more Bengals free agents pleasssssse
February 25th, 2015 at 12:45 pm
Mike Iupati & Devin McCourty please…
February 25th, 2015 at 12:46 pm
for those interested: http://overthecap.com/salary-cap/tampa-bay-buccaneers/
February 25th, 2015 at 12:47 pm
Goldson’s release would net us in 4 million in cap room…
February 25th, 2015 at 12:50 pm
how much money we free up makes no difference if they don’t fill the needs on defense….the big killer on this defense was middle linebacker dropping back in coverage and our sorry corners have no clue how to stop quick slants across the middle. I hope lovie does something big in free agency so he doesn’t go ballistic in the draft and trade out of the top pick
February 25th, 2015 at 12:50 pm
Compensation vs Productivity
• Vincent Jackson $12,209,777
• Michael Johnson $9,000,000
• Dashon Goldson $8,000,000
• Anthony Collins $6,000,000
Total: $35, 209,777
February 25th, 2015 at 12:54 pm
LUVMYBUCS,
you can not say Vjax was not productive. He earned his pay. Look at other teams they would be glad to get that production
February 25th, 2015 at 1:00 pm
Look, I like VJ as well. but if we could get a 3rd round pick for a WR that will be 33 in the 2015 season!!!!
The draft is deep with WR, the Bucs offense needs speed at WR and interior lineman.
Or do you want to see the Bucs finish last again because some want to see “The Dunkaneers ” and VJ can have his “1000 years” again!!!
February 25th, 2015 at 1:00 pm
Complement your existing asset
• Face of the Franchise Defensive Tackle Gerald McCoy
February 25th, 2015 at 1:15 pm
LUVMYBUCS Says:
February 25th, 2015 at 12:35 pm
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Total Liabilities: $110,905,671
• Salary Cap (Projected): $143,501,433
• Cap Room: $32,595,762*
———————————————————————-
You are not including the estimated $8.1M for draft pick contracts or the $7.1M in dead cap $ ( – ($4.7M for Nicks alone *!%#@&*)
February 25th, 2015 at 1:15 pm
im with The Buc Realist a 3rd round pick would be virtually impossible to pass on but I don’t think a team is willing to give an aging player that kind of cash if they think he is on the decline. but if they did im kicking him out the door he would be history. and dashon is a gone and I think even he knows it and considering the bucs signed M.D. Jennings to a future contract
February 25th, 2015 at 1:44 pm
Besides his age why is everyone hating on V. Jax? He had a solid year despite having the worst QB in the NFL throwing to him… Despite playing with a BROKEN WRIST… Despite not having an offensive coordinator… Despite playing on the worst team in the NFL…
He had half as many dropped passes as he had a year ago, he is a team leader (Walter Payton award nominee) and a good guy…
Pay the man and give him one more season!!! He deserves it!!!
February 25th, 2015 at 1:50 pm
@”the kevin”
Please, don’t stop at one post!! We need more! Let the hate grow! Most entertaining posts i read all week!!
February 25th, 2015 at 1:55 pm
@Pickgrin
Per OverTheCap, the Bucs currently have $32,595,762 in cap room. No, this does not inclde draft picks, but this would include dead money such as Carl Nicks. So we are still sitting at about 24 mil, even before the cuts that will surely happen. I’d guess we go into free agency with around 30-35 mil available.
February 25th, 2015 at 2:29 pm
2015 Projected Draft Pool Cap
• Round 1, Pick #1 ($4,064,636)
• Round 2, Pick #34 ($1,016,209)
• Round 3, Pick #65 ($610,826)
• Round 4, Pick #106 ($551,065)
• Round 5, Pick #154 ($479,527)
• Round 5, Pick #160 ($475,075)
• Round 6, Pick #168 ($463,363)
• Round 7, Pick #193 ($452,281)
Draft Pool Total $8,112,982
February 25th, 2015 at 2:50 pm
Did someone really say they wanted Eddie Royal? Wow
If I’m the Bucs I’m going hard after Cobb.. Vjax has been great and we can probably get him to reduce his salary but I’d be more willing to spend 9 mill a year on Cobb and team him with Evans than Vjax at like 6 million a year… Cobb can be our answer to the slot wr woes and a kick/punt returner.. Sign me up twice in fact.
O-line… please not one with tons of tread on the tires..
February 25th, 2015 at 2:55 pm
Per:NFLPA
League Cap Report (*This Report is generated daily)
https://nflpa.com/public-salary-cap-report
• Current Contracts: 55
• Previous Year Carryover: $1,063,033
• Team Cap: $112,645,671
• Cap Room: ($111,582,638)
• Adjusted Salary Cap: $143,063,033
February 25th, 2015 at 2:58 pm
dumping koenen, goldson, and collins almost doubles that available cap figure.
February 25th, 2015 at 4:18 pm
@nick and whoever said I’m being hard on fellow bucs fans.
Well first half these idiots are NOT real fans. Just a bunch of low life haters that forgot to clean their rooms today and are in trouble with their mothers so they come on here and rant about stupid a** things. Like hey let’s trade vjax. What a total idiot.
I’m nice to real fans. The rest of you losers are just haters and are gonna hate on anything and everything the bucs do to make your miserable life a little more bearable.
Now please go hang yourselves. It’s a shame I have to share my air with some of you idiots.
Worst fan base in the league.
Go bucs and go lovie.
The rest of you go suck one.
February 25th, 2015 at 4:26 pm
Well said, “the Kevin.” Great graph Pewterpower and info. Wish we could see more intelligent posts like that one out here instead of some moron saying “trade VJax and get a third round pick to take his place.”
I mean that is just so stupid it’s hard not to think that the person posting it didn’t just get an iPhone for his birthday and is typing it up while he rides the short bus home from school with directions on how to get home hanging around his neck.
February 25th, 2015 at 4:36 pm
I’m in complete shock someone is allowed to post stuff like that..
February 25th, 2015 at 5:55 pm
@ddeast
Finally someone speaking my language
February 26th, 2015 at 12:09 am
The Kevin you are totally right man. Nice to know theres still loyal fans who feed on the positive and not the negative. VJax deserves at LEAST another season some of these people are ignorant.
February 26th, 2015 at 3:01 am
I agree with Kevin. You have to keep Vjax as he compliments Evans. Besides once we get Winston in here he knows how to use the big receivers. Only reason Winston had more INTs last years was due to the young WRs and didn’t have the big tall WR like Kelvin Benjamin.