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Late last night the news broke that following a visit with the Bucs, veteran defensive lineman Will Gholston had signed with the team. Gholston, who has spent the entirety of his ten-year career with the Bucs, returns for at least one more go of it with the team that drafted him 126th overall in the 2013 NFL Draft.
Gholston has been a quasi-starter for most of his career, but should expect to see his snap count diminish for the second consecutive year. His role is changing as the Bucs have invested heavily in the defensive line this offseason. Between the signing of Greg Gaines and the drafting of Calijah Kancey, Yaya Diaby and Jose Ramirez.
Gholston’s Deal Satisfies NFL Rules For Vet Benefit
Former Bucs DL Will Gholston – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
While original reports had the Bucs agreeing to terms with Gholston on a one-year deal worth $2.8 million, the actual contract is for $2,667,500. This is an important distinction because the $2,667,500 number is the maximum the team could have offered Gholston for his contract to qualify for the “Four-Year Qualifying Offer” provision of the NFL-NFLPA collective bargaining agreement.
Re: The #gobucs deal with DE Will Gholston. Per sources, reported numbers are a bit off.
It should be one-year deal for $2,667,500 and will qualify for 4-year qualifying contract provision of the CBA. The salary cap hit for the team should only be $1,317,500.
— Joshua Queipo (@josh_queipo) July 25, 2023
This provision allows veteran players to continue to be signed by teams that may otherwise look to fill a depth position with a younger, cheaper player by giving the team the option to sign the veteran player to a cap-friendly deal. Here is a quick synopsis of the rule from nfl.com:
“Another type of veteran salary benefit, it can be offered to a player with at least four credited seasons whose contract with a team has expired after being on said team for four or more consecutive, uninterrupted league years prior to his contract expiring. Such a player must have been on the team’s 90-man active/inactive list for said seasons (and every regular-season and postseason game). Teams can sign a maximum of two eligible players to this type of salary benefit.
A qualifying contract under this benefit is a one-year deal with a base salary of up to $1.35 million more (set to increase in 2024) than the minimum base salary for said player. However, if a team does sign two players to a qualifying contract, it can only give a combined $1.35 million in additional base salary between the two deals. Under such agreements, only the applicable minimum base salary (not the $1.35 million benefit) is charged against the salary cap.”
The Particular’s of Gholston’s Deal
Bucs DL Will Gholston – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Based off of the parameters of the four-year qualifying offer parameters here is how the Bucs deal with Gholston should shake out. As an 11-year veteran his minimum base salary is $1,165,000. The “veteran salary benefit” (or additional salary the Bucs can give him that will NOT count against the salary cap) is an additional $1,350,000.
The Bucs have also extended a signing bonus equivalent to the max allowed by the provision of $152,500. The grand total is $2,667,500. However, the team only has to account for $1,317,500 of it for salary cap purposes. This allows the team to roster a player of Gholston’s caliber while allowing Gholston to earn a little more money while competing in the marketplace against younger players who do not cost as much.
Expect Gholston to Make the Final Roster
Another provision of the four-year qualifying offer is that the deal is fully guaranteed and if the Bucs cut Gholston they will have to account for all $2,667,500 of the contract (including the veteran salary benefit) as a dead cap charge. This means now it will cost them more cap space if they release the veteran than if they roster him. This makes it extremely likely Gholston’s spot on the Bucs roster is already secured.
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