The last two seasons for the Bucs have been some of the most successful ones in franchise history. Some of that is due to the individual performances of players still on their first contracts.

According to Greg Auman of The Athletic, cornerbacks Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean and safety Mike Edwards have all received pay raises. These increases come as part of the NFL’s proven performance escalator incentive. As a result, all three players will get more money in the final year of their rookie deals with an increase of $1 million. As Auman points out, each player will earn $2.54 million next season.

All three players were selected in the 2019 NFL Draft. Murphy-Bunting was picked in the second round while Dean was the 94th pick in the third round. Edwards was taken just five spots later in the round.

The Bucs have built their secondary quite well through the draft over the last five years. Jordan Whitehead, Carlton Davis III and Antoine Winfield Jr. are other quality additions by Tampa Bay. 2022 will be the first year any of these players are up for a second contract.

Injuries really limited Murphy-Bunting in 2021 after he dislocated his elbow in the first game of the season. He played in nine games, making 43 tackles, three pass breakups and a forced fumble. His signature moment with the Bucs came in the 2020 playoffs. Murphy-Bunting recorded three interceptions on the way to winning  Super Bowl LV.

Dean was the most available corner out of the group playing in 15 games on the season. He finished with 53 tackles, two tackles for loss, nine pass breakups and tied his career best with two interceptions. Dean clearly established himself as the No. 2 corner opposite Davis.

Edwards continues to be the “ball hawk” in the secondary, leading the team with three interceptions. Two of those turnovers went for pick-sixes against the Falcons in Week 2. Edwards also notched 46 tackles, a tackle for a loss, seven pass breakups and a forced fumble in 14 games. He’s another player that has shown up in the playoffs, recording two interceptions over the past two postseasons.

Having all three guys get an upgrade for their on-field play is a positive, but the only downside is that it’s a $3 million hit on the salary cap. This shrinks the Bucs’ cap to about $3 million in available space. They’ll have to makes some decisions this offseason in order to free up more room.