As the Bucs OTA practices came and went, one question remained a constant as each week.
Where is Jason Pierre-Paul?
The Bucs’ prized acquisition of the 2018 free agent period (though he was acquired via trade) was a no-show at all voluntary OTA practices over the last month. Though they are voluntary, not being there with your teammates can certainly hurt chemistry. But, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, the potential chemistry wasn’t the only thing being hurt by Pierre-Paul’s absence, as a hefty workout bonus of $250,000 would have been paid his way had he just shown up.
He didn’t — voluntarily.
Also a preview of #Bucs mandatory minicamp, what skipping OTAs cost JPP and Brentson Buckner teaching moment. https://t.co/byqjr5jkKr
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) June 11, 2018
“Jason Pierre-Paul, in his contract that they got from the Giants that he’s now playing under with the Bucs, includes a workout bonus of $250,000 that he just said, ‘Eh, I’m good,'” said Stroud on his podcast Sports Day Tampa Bay.
All JPP had to do was show up and he would’ve been paid a quarter of a million dollars? And he didn’t? All I can say is I hope I’m that rich one day.
We know how much it hurt JPP’s wallet. We’ll see if his absence hurt anything else once mandatory mini-camp and eventually training camp get under way.