FAB 2. Bucs Looking Ahead To 2021

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn’t make a move at the trade deadline last week, and that’s not too surprising – although some fans wanted to see the team bolster some positions, such as its pass rush, which is thin behind starting outside linebackers Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaquil Barrett. So why wasn’t Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht active at the trade deadline?

Bucs GM Jason Licht, director of football administration Mike Greenberg and co-chair Joel Glazer – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The answer lies in 2021 where all teams will have a salary cap floor of $175 million due to the loss of revenue this year from the COVID-19 pandemic not permitting full attendance at all NFL stadiums – or perhaps any attendance in some cities. The Bucs currently have approximately $5.322 million in salary cap space, according to OverTheCap.com, and will need about $1.3 million of that cap room the rest of this year to pay per game roster bonuses for some players and add a few players from the practice squad or the street as injury replacements for those players that wind up on I.R.

Subtract the $1.3 million from the $5.322 million and Tampa Bay could have around $4 million worth of cap space leftover in 2020 that the team can roll over into next year. Adding another player at the trade deadline for the final eight games of the season would eat into that $4 million that the Bucs will absolutely need next year as the NFL salary cap will be reduced by nearly $25 million – instead of going up $10 million like it typically does on an annual basis. That’s a negative net swing of $35 million for all teams cap-wise next year, including Tampa Bay.

Why is that extra $4 million, which was created by restructuring Ali Marpet’s contract, so important to next year? Because several key players remain unsigned in 2021, including inside linebacker Lavonte David, outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett, wide receiver Chris Godwin, tight end Rob Gronkowski, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and kicker Ryan Succop. Licht, head coach Bruce Arians and director of football administration Mike Greenberg, the team’s salary cap wizard, will have some tough decisions to make – just like every other NFL team that will feel the cap crunch in 2021.

Tampa Bay already has $150 million allocated for the salaries of 33 players in 2021, and that $4 million rollover from 2020 would give the Bucs nearly $30 million in cap space instead of just $25 million. Tampa Bay can create more salary cap space by parting ways with backup tight end Cameron Brate, who is slated to have a $6.5 million cap charge in 2021.

Bucs GM Jason Licht and director of football administration Mike Greenberg – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The team will also have a big decision to make regarding left tackle Donovan Smith, who is slated to earn $14.25 million and can be released without any dead money affecting the cap. Tampa Bay has been thrilled with first-round pick Tristan Wirfs, and he might be an option to move from right tackle to left tackle next season as Smith’s replacement and a cheaper alternative.

Perhaps Licht and Greenberg approach quarterback Tom Brady about a contract extension, and add an additional year with guaranteed money to his deal in exchange for restructuring in 2021 and maybe freeing up $5 million or so from his $25 million salary next season.

Like it or not, the Bucs will ride into the second half of the season with their current roster – barring any other major injuries. Licht, Arians and Greenberg have added players at each phase of free agency and during the season, so it’s not like Tampa Bay’s front office has sat on his hands or twiddled its thumbs. It was just three weeks ago that Licht traded for defensive tackle Steve McLendon, and two weeks that the team signed wide receiver Antonio Brown.

First wave of NFL free agency – spring
QB Tom Brady – $25 million
TE Rob Gronkowski – $9,484,375
OL Joe Haeg – $2.3 million

Second wave of NFL free agency – summer
RB Leonard Fournette – $2.5 million
RB LeSean McCoy – $750,000
K Ryan Succop – $750,000
OL A.Q. Shipley – $750,000

In-season additions
DT Steve McLendon – $1,121,324
WR Antonio Brown – $775,000
CB Ross Cockrell – $529,412

Licht, Arians and Greenberg have been careful to balance making a playoff push and perhaps a run to the Super Bowl this season without jeopardizing the team’s chances of not bringing back key players like Godwin, David, Barrett, Suh, Gronkowski and Succop. The extra $4 million will help Tampa Bay in 2021, but yet there is no way that the Bucs can retain every player the team wants to keep.