Table of Contents

About the Author: Trevor Sikkema

Avatar Of Trevor Sikkema
Trevor Sikkema is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat reporter and NFL Draft analyst for PewterReport.com. Sikkema, an alumnus of the University of Florida, has covered both college and professional football for much of his career. As a native of the Sunshine State, when he's not buried in social media, Sikkema can be found out and active, attempting to be the best athlete he never was. Sikkema can be reached at: [email protected]

[adrotate group=”1″]

Over the past few weeks I’ve been asked about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ current salary cap situation, so as the Franchise Tag period begins, I figured it would be good to explain the reality of what some of the numbers that you’re reading really mean.

I’ll keep this one pretty simple, so let’s go into the big question: How much cap space do the Bucs have?

Base Salary Cap: $168,000,000

Team Cap Space # Team Salary Cap Active Cap Spending Dead Money
Browns $106,539,421 61 $218,123,269 $105,150,965 $6,432,883
49ers $78,688,264 54 $206,708,916 $126,612,348 $1,408,304
Titans $62,389,464 56 $192,046,522 $126,539,913 $3,117,145
Buccaneers $61,926,718 55 $173,330,779 $110,536,594 $867,467
Patriots $61,132,426 49 $173,292,335 $110,737,219 $1,422,690
Jaguars $59,769,709 64 $207,314,310 $147,151,328 $393,273
Redskins $58,881,921 62 $183,055,131 $115,426,386 $8,746,824
Colts $54,238,812 60 $174,614,106 $119,368,150 $1,007,144
Bears $51,632,252 55 $176,103,197 $123,775,382 $695,563
Panthers $47,405,761 60 $181,208,020 $133,489,169 $313,090
Bengals $43,220,339 57 $174,578,866 $131,000,997 $357,530
Packers $40,995,981 47 $175,984,687 $131,042,791 $3,945,915
Raiders $39,931,487 54 $176,000,000 $135,964,667 $103,846
Rams $37,438,280 62 $168,304,311 $130,829,694 $36,337
Steelers $36,763,733 57 $171,269,367 $132,110,412 $2,395,222
Lions $32,797,575 51 $172,725,644 $137,611,050 $2,317,019
Cardinals $32,106,989 54 $172,405,068 $139,832,950 $465,129
Broncos $31,904,799 56 $175,243,248 $143,227,662 $110,787
Giants $31,761,686 55 $169,800,000 $135,368,536 $2,669,778
Dolphins $29,915,292 52 $176,363,708 $145,851,495 $596,921
Saints $29,557,284 65 $173,754,000 $135,080,060 $9,116,656
Seahawks $27,501,374 58 $170,065,865 $141,710,574 $853,917
Texans $24,396,261 62 $172,935,924 $148,426,710 $112,953
Falcons $22,425,713 44 $168,926,541 $143,501,821 $2,999,007
Vikings $21,414,218 58 $168,400,184 $142,638,156 $4,347,810
Chargers $20,231,314 58 $168,113,693 $147,669,039 $213,340
Bills $19,880,833 49 $170,837,222 $149,479,443 $1,476,946
Ravens $15,387,844 53 $170,553,126 $149,748,875 $5,416,407
Eagles $9,842,349 67 $175,933,869 $159,035,589 $7,055,931
Chiefs $4,724,707 66 $173,002,168 $166,383,917 $1,893,544
Jets ($7,968,138) 74 $168,371,487 $170,015,978 $6,323,647
Cowboys ($12,933,063) 61 $170,401,553 $180,250,520 $3,084,096

The math on the big number is pretty easy to figure out. To get cap space we start off with each team’s current salary cap, subtract it by the active cap spending, then also subtract the dead money. Before that, to get the team’s salary cap, we take the current base salary cap plus any carry over then plus or minus any kind of adjustments.

So, as it stands right now, the Buccaneers have the fourth-most cap space in the NFL at $61.9 million. That bodes pretty well for the team heading into free agency. If the team chooses to go after an offensive playmaker like wide receivers Alshon Jeffery, Kenny Britt or DeSean Jackson, Tampa Bay certainly has the money to do so.

But the team also has to keep in mind resigning their own guys first. Defensive end Williams Gholston will probably the biggest hit to the cap that the Bucs will realistically be resigning. For him, you’re looking at anywhere between $5 million – $6.5 million, depending on what kind of worth he can negotiate. Bucs reserve nose tackle Akeem Spence will likely cost between $1 million – $2 million per year to be re-signed, and fellow nose tackle Sealver Siliga would probably be in the $1 million per year range if he were to be re-signed.

Mcdougaldbashlockett

Bucs S Bradley McDougald – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Though the Buccaneers technically have enough money to re-sign Mike Glennon, his worth to them at anything over $5 million dollars per year would not be worth that number. Expect them to pass there.

After that, the safeties will probably be the next in line to cash in, both Bradley McDougald and Chris Conte could make anywhere form $1 million – $3 million per year against the cap depending on the size of the contract. Running back Jacquizz Rodgers should be in that $2 million – $3 million per year range as well.

But after the guys they have now, the team also has to include within that $61.9 number their incoming rookies who have yet to be drafted. Rookie salaries are somewhat varied in detail in relation to where they’re picked, but not much overall when it comes to their cap number. The Buccaneers own all seven of their original draft picks in this upcoming draft, but don’t have any extras at the moment. With that number in mind and the same CBA in place, here’s a look at the cap hit from all 32 teams in 2016 to sign their rookies.

Team Total Rookie Pool Picks Effective Cap Cost
Chargers $9,050,646 8 $5,450,646
Cowboys $9,420,455 9 $5,370,455
Rams $7,216,549 5 $4,966,549
Jaguars $8,553,238 8 $4,953,238
Eagles $7,902,348 7 $4,752,348
Ravens $8,740,775 9 $4,690,775
49ers $9,678,816 12 $4,278,816
Browns $9,621,392 12 $4,221,392
Titans $8,097,489 9 $4,047,489
Buccaneers $6,682,392 7 $3,532,392
Bears $7,403,017 9 $3,353,017
Giants $6,072,173 7 $2,922,173
Dolphins $6,488,578 8 $2,888,578
Raiders $6,373,906 8 $2,773,906
Saints $5,462,060 6 $2,762,060
Lions $7,059,411 10 $2,559,411
Bills $5,987,311 8 $2,387,311
Colts $5,000,459 6 $2,300,459
Falcons $4,505,605 5 $2,255,605
Texans $5,352,222 7 $2,202,222
Redskins $5,786,690 8 $2,186,690
Seahawks $6,204,195 9 $2,154,195
Jets $4,849,579 6 $2,149,579
Packers $6,197,778 9 $2,147,778
Vikings $5,718,994 8 $2,118,994
Bengals $5,192,198 7 $2,042,198
Steelers $5,093,622 7 $1,943,622
Broncos $6,415,563 10 $1,915,563
Chiefs $4,956,326 7 $1,806,326
Panthers $4,395,866 6 $1,695,866
Cardinals $4,228,834 6 $1,528,834
Patriots $5,996,410 10 $1,496,410

The Buccaneers had seven selections last year as well, and were even higher up in the draft, so you cam imagine their effective cap cost to be right around $4 million for their rookies this year.

Vernertacklemark

Bucs CB Alterraun Verner – Photo by: Mark Lomoglio/PR

So for the sake of not wanting to go over budget, let’s aim high and say with the $61.9 million the Bucs have to spend now, they’ll spend $7 million on Gholston in 2017, $5 million total on McDougald and Conte, and $15 million – $18 million total on the rest of the fill-in players. Throw in the $4 million expected to sign the rookies and you’re looking at a tentative number of $25 million – $30 million to play with in free agency for new players – all of that is with the contracts of Doug Martin ($5.6875 million) and Alterraun Verner ($6.5 million) still active. Cutting those two would free up an additional $12.1875 million.

Now, another variable to factor in here is that the Buccaneers  might rather use that extra money they have to resign players they know are coming up while they have the space, most importantly, Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans. Evans’ contract is up after next season, but the team would like to get him locked up while they can and could start discussing an extension this summer.

If you figure Evans is going to get top wide receiver money whenever he does cash in, these are the numbers he’d be looking at in terms of the top 10 paid receivers.

Player Team Total
Value
Avg./Year Total
Guaranteed
Avg.
Guar./Year
% Guar. Free
Agency
AJ Green Bengals $60,000,000 $15,000,000 $26,750,000 $6,687,500 44.6% 2020 UFA
Alshon Jeffery Bears $14,599,000 $14,599,000 $14,599,000 $14,599,000 100.0% 2017 UFA
Julio Jones Falcons $71,250,000 $14,250,000 $35,500,000 $7,100,000 49.8% 2021 UFA
Demaryius Thomas Broncos $70,000,000 $14,000,000 $35,000,000 $7,000,000 50.0% 2020 UFA
Dez Bryant Cowboys $70,000,000 $14,000,000 $32,000,000 $6,400,000 45.7% 2020 UFA
TY Hilton Colts $65,000,000 $13,000,000 $11,000,000 $2,200,000 16.9% 2021 UFA
Doug Baldwin Seahawks $46,000,000 $11,500,000 $12,000,000 $3,000,000 26.1% 2021 UFA
Keenan Allen Chargers $45,000,000 $11,250,000 $20,656,000 $5,164,000 45.9% 2021 UFA
Vincent Jackson Buccaneers $55,555,555 $11,111,111 $26,000,000 $5,200,000 46.8% 2017 UFA
Larry Fitzgerald Cardinals $11,000,000 $11,000,000 $0 $0 0.0% 2018 Void

In the end, you have to figure Evans will get a deal that is near or right at the top. With his age, reliability and production, Evans stands to make anything between $14 million – $16 million a year which would make him either a Top 5 paid receiver, or even the top paid receiver in the NFL.

Evansbringitseahawks

Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

But here’s the important thing to remember: Even though the Buccaneers would like to lock up Evans as their franchise pass catcher as soon as it makes sense, they don’t have to right now. It’s most likely that a deal for Evans would not be done until training camp, which obviously means free agency and the draft will have come and gone. But Tampa Bay will need to have that amount of cap space reserved for Evans’ deal, in addition to another $5 million or so in case a rash of injuries hit and the team needs to add replacement players during the season.

Watch how the Buccaneers choose to spend their money in free agency, and that should tell you how much they really want to sign Evans before the 2017 season begins. If the team is still floating around $20 million in cap space after the draft, an Evans deal could be coming. But if the team instead becomes big players in this free agency, particularly in acquiring offensive talent, they may just take their time and leave Evans to be the No. 1 priority next offseason.

NFL Franchise Tag Designation Period Now Open
620Wdaepodcast SrrtkrasReynolds Says On 620 WDAE VJax Likely Done With Bucs, Martin On Bubble
Subscribe
Notify of
21 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments