More Chips In The Pot
February 25th, 2024
Last week, Joe wrote a post headlined, “Baker Mayfield and $36.293 million.”
That didn’t age well.
Why? Because with the unexpected rise of the 2024 salary cap, the 2024 salary for Mayfield under the cap would be $38.3 million, up from that $36.293 million. NBC Sports shared the revised numbers.
That’s gotta be 94 percent of the Kyle Trask jersey sales revenue. Damn.
The franchise tag also rose to $17.12 million to make sure Antoine Winfield Jr. — or any other safety — doesn’t hit the free market.
And just so you know for sure that NFL salaries have gone wild. It would cost the Bucs $5.98 million to lock up pending free agent kicker Chase McLaughlin, who is a critical cog in a Todd Bowles coached team.
February 25th, 2024 at 5:56 am
The NFL is definitely a fluid organization. They always keep us guessing.
February 25th, 2024 at 7:09 am
So the Cap and Tag figures change concurrently? I thought it was market driven. Or is it both?
February 25th, 2024 at 8:18 am
Forgive me if I’m wrong, but if the salary cap goes up, the tag amount will also go up? Or is the tag amount predicted on the average top 5 salaries from last year?
Joe, can you give us a tutorial on how the tag works so we can be informed when Winfield gets tagged? Thanks in advance! – D
February 25th, 2024 at 8:45 am
The cap goes up, but so does the salary demands of every player at every position. So in reality teams don’t really have more to spend, because every contract will now cost more.
February 25th, 2024 at 9:50 am
“The value of the exclusive franchise tag is the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position for the current year or 120% of his previous salary (whichever is greater). These numbers aren’t available until after restricted free agency ends.”
Transition and Franchise tags don’t go up with the salary cap. They go up with annual player salaries. Average of top 10 players for transition tag, and top 5 players for the exclusive tag.
February 25th, 2024 at 11:48 am
Just before Free Agency the NFL throws some ‘ blood in the water’. Start player salivating for bigger deals.
In 2022 Mayfield was guaranteed 18.9 million. CLV paid 10.5, CAR 4.8, and Mayfield sacrificed 3.5 to stay relevant. He didn’t play real well and had to double down on the sacrifice in 2023. Had a decent year and now is expecting to double his 2022 salary? Good luck with that.
If you pay Mayfield at the lower end of tier 1 or upper end of tier 2 and then squeeze Winfield and Evans to pay below their Piers and there gonna be all kinds of issues.
Won’t play well if Evans makes Mayfield look good enough to warrant a 100% increase and Mike is asked to sign for slightly more or even less.
Bucs management have a lot more to think about than just getting the numbers under the cap.
February 25th, 2024 at 12:23 pm
Earlier this week someone on this site said, “Why can’t we ever keep our best players”?
That is exactly the opposite of what we do and that is exactly the problem.
If we would have traded Mike last year, we would actually have draft capital.
I read a report that Minnesota should trade Jefferson. Can you imagine that draft haul. Can you imagine having 2 first round picks in a draft loaded with WRs instead of NOTHING for Mike? Can you imagine if we would have traded Winfield?
I know these players are elite, but you avoid HAVING to pay THIS MUCH, just to field a competitive team with only 6 picks. You draft their replacement with a high pick.
If we sign all our FAs back, we will be right back in Cap Hell, in 2 years.
February 25th, 2024 at 12:27 pm
Why don’t you leave that kid alone ? From all I’ve read he keeps his head down works hard and doesn’t complain. Sure Trask has fans that haven’t seen him do anything but he hasn’t had a chance yet. After all he is a Buccaneer and if Mayfield is resigning than Trask will be his backup, so that being said I hope to god Mayfield does it get hurt because Trask will be playing. If that happens will you support him ?
February 25th, 2024 at 12:49 pm
After Joe runs Trask out of town he’ll likely sign with an NFL South rival.
February 25th, 2024 at 12:52 pm
You’re going to have to let Joe in on how he’s running a guy out of town who hasn’t started a game. Doesn’t the player have to prove his worth in order not to get “run?”
Yeah, the NFL is a funny business that way, ain’t it?
February 25th, 2024 at 1:08 pm
PAY THEM BOTH WELL 30+ 4 MIKE N 49+ 4 Bake
February 25th, 2024 at 1:09 pm
OOPS! 40+ 4 Bake lolol-i was Angry about the short cutting Mike again and Baker n hit the wrong KEY
February 25th, 2024 at 1:21 pm
IMHO one of the Joes thinks Trask is complete trash and wants his roster spot for another player. Every team needs a backup Quarterback whether they get to play or not.
February 25th, 2024 at 1:24 pm
No, he’s fine as a backup. Maybe he will be a starter some day.
Guessing you are of the belief the guy whose defense has faced Trask daily in practice for three years doesn’t know any better?
February 25th, 2024 at 1:32 pm
I for one want Mayfield under center he proved to me last season he can be a top quarterback and I believe he is only going to get better the longer he stays in Tampa. However I would like to see Trask play in meaningful games just not at the expense of losing Mayfield. So that being said I’m fine with Trask being the back up and being a mystery, he can stay that way.
February 25th, 2024 at 2:52 pm
No way we should give Baker that. He was almost out of the league and had one good season. 25 range or let him go. He’s not guaranteed to work out.
February 25th, 2024 at 4:13 pm
I hope they sign Baker before free agency, but if not it will be very interesting to see what offer(s) he gets from other teams. That would most likely be a deciding factor.
February 25th, 2024 at 11:52 pm
Lol lol Why the shots at Joe about Trask lol.
TRASK HAS DONE NOTHING TO GIVE THE COACHES A CAUSE TO HAVE HIM IN THERE.
These Coaches have seen Trask on a daily basis whenever the players are there,
BUT………. Fans who have seen glimpses of Trask over 3 years definitely know better hahahahahahahah.
Now if he had at least 25 snaps in his career lol lol lol, just maybe hahahahah.
I am not a Baker fan or a Trask fan, I am a fan of the Bucs, so get over it.
Hmmm just maybe Raheem can get Trask, and then the Tyrannical Trask Mob can root for the Falcons hahahah,
The Tyrannical Trask Mob the step brother of the Mike Glennon Mob lol
And Dirks Stick carriers said Dili Dili lol
GO BUCS!!!!!!!
February 26th, 2024 at 4:57 pm
Trade Trask for Scott Van Pelt and a player to be named later. NOW!