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About the Author: Trevor Sikkema
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After signing a plethora of new additions this offseason, including the likes of free agents defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, outside linebacker Shaq Barrett and inside linebacker Deone Bucannon, as well as their entire 2019 rookie class, the Buccaneers were pretty close to the cap floor going into training camp.
But according to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Bucs now have a little more wiggle room going into the regular season, as they have restructured the contract of wide receiver Mike Evans.
Source: the Bucs converted $2M of WR Mike Evans base salary into a bonus, creating $1.6M in 2019 cap space. Tampa had been tight to the cap before this maneuver.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 5, 2019
Throughout the offseason, the NFL has a rule that says, of the 90 players on the camp roster, only the top 51 contracts count against the salary cap. However, after the roster gets trimmed down to 53 the week of the first regular season game, all 53 contracts go against the cap. That meant the Bucs needed some room.
Evans signed a 5-year, $82.5M extension in 2018. Since then he has restructured his deal a few times to help the Buccaneers out. He did it once this past June, and now again here right before the season.
Evans isn’t getting paid any less. He’s just been willing to move how he gets his money around to help the team stay above the cap floor.
