FAB 5. SR’s Buc Shots

• WHITE WANTS TO STAY HEALTHY IN 2020: Bucs inside linebacker Devin White has done a lot of lifting, running, horseback riding, fishing and country living this offseason, but one of the first things he did was have his tonsils removed. White was sick for his first Bucs game in the 2019 season opener due to tonsillitis.

Bucs ILB Devin White – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“It’s for the best, that’s another step in helping me have a better career, not having to fight with tonsillitis, losing weight and dealing with dehydration,” White said.

One of the things White learned during his rookie season in the NFL was to try to stay healthy for all 16 games. White missed three and a half games due to a Week 2 knee sprain.

“Don’t take any game for granted, play every game like it’s your last because I had never missed a game in my life and then I came here, missed four games and had to rehab,” White said. “I’ve never had to rehab in my life so that really made a huge impact on me and how I look, how I approach games. I already didn’t take a game for granted, but now I really don’t take a game for granted when I got those games back because I feel like I took away from the team. I wasn’t helping the team when I wasn’t playing. I wasn’t out there. I wasn’t able to talk. My voice wasn’t as loud as it was when I got on the field. That was my whole thing – that was my whole mindset because I know this team can go as far as I go. That’s my whole mindset.”

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• BUCS’ 2020 SALARY CAP UPDATE: The Buccaneers have just $4.22 million remaining in salary cap room heading into training camp, which ranks second behind New England in terms of the least amount of cap space available, according to SI.com NFL reporter Albert Breer.

… And here are the teams with the least cap space, as of this AM.

1) Patriots $651K
2) Buccaneers $4.22M
3) Rams $5.20M
4) Steelers $5.74M
5) Chiefs $6.20M
6) Raiders $7.42M
7) Ravens $8.89M
8) Cardinals $8.90M
9) Saints $9.43M
10) Falcons $10.06M

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) June 24, 2020

Tampa Bay will need over $6 million to sign its rookie class and will need to create some salary cap space. That means that general manager Jason Licht and director of football administration Mike Greenberg, who is the team’s capologist, will have to restructure a few contracts to free up some more cap room.

The candidates for restructuring include the following players:

Bucs LBs Lavonte David and Shaq Barrett – Photo by: Mary Holt/PR

WR Mike Evans – $17.95 million cap figure
OLB Shaquil Barrett – $15.828 million cap figure
LT Donovan Smith – $14.5 million cap figure
LG Ali Marpet – $11.025 million cap figure
LB Lavonte David – $10.75 million cap figure
C Ryan Jensen – $10 million cap figure
TE Rob Gronkowski – $9.25 million cap figure

The Bucs just signed Tom Brady ($25 million), outside linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul ($12.5 million) and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh ($8 million), so those players’ contracts cannot be restructured in the same year. Tampa Bay wants to sign David to a long-term contract extension, and might lower his 2020 cap number to do so in exchange for some sizable guaranteed money in 2021 and 2022.

Greenberg and Licht can also create cap space by signing Barrett to a long-term contract extension. Barrett is slated to make $15.828 million as the team’s franchise player, but the Bucs could lower that cap number down in 2020 to say $13 million, and then pay him a higher number in 2021 – perhaps $18 million – for some immediate cap relief.

• NEW PEWTER NATION PODCAST DISCUSSES BARRETT’S FRANCHISE TAG, BRADY’S PRACTICES: I was joined by Pewter Reporters Matt Matera and Taylor Jenkins to record a new Pewter Nation Podcast on Thursday, June 25 where we discussed the most recent Bucs news, including Shaquil Barrett not signing his franchise contract, and the latest Tom Brady-led Bucs practice. If you are jonesing for some football, don’t miss this new podcast!

Pewter Nation Podcast Episode 197: Barrett’s Franchise Tag Dilemma, Practice Update

Yours truly was joined by Pewter Reporters Mark Cook, Matt Matera and Taylor Jenkins on the previous Pewter Nation Podcast, which addressed the team’s COVID-19 concerns. ESPN’s Adam Schefter revealed that one of the Bucs assistant coaches had tested positive for COVID-19, but apparently the coach has been quarantined and is asymptomatic. Clink on the link to check out the latest Pewter Nation Podcast.

Pewter Nation Podcast Episode 196: Concerns About The Start Of The Season

There is no better time to listen to a new Pewter Nation Podcast than right now or early Saturday morning during your workout or while running errands. The next Pewter Nation Podcast will be recorded next week. Stay tuned!

The popularity of the Pewter Nation Podcast continues to grow. In addition to listening to the Pewter Nation Podcasts on PewterReport.com you can also subscribe to the free podcasts at PodBean by clicking here and on SoundCloud by clicking here. And of course the Pewter Nation Podcast is also available on iTunes. Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode.

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• BUCS’ POINT DIFFERENTIAL WOES AT RAY-JAY: I’ve talked before the need for the Bucs to regain a home-field advantage in 2020. Despite going 7-9 last year, Tampa Bay was a dismal 2-6 at home and produced a 5-3 record on the road. The Bucs haven’t had a winning record at home since 2008 when the team went 6-2 in Jon Gruden’s final season as head coach.

Colts LB Darius Leonard – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Tampa Bay’s margin of victory was plus-0.6 points per game last year, and was actually higher on the road (plus-4.9) than it was at home (minus-5.0). Contributing to the negative point differential was the fact that out of Jameis Winston’s NFL-record pick-sixes, five of them came at home, accounting for 34 points surrendered at Raymond James Stadium.

One small silver lining was the Bucs, who were the most penalized team in the league in 2019, committed 61 penalties at home versus 73 penalties away. The 61 penalties at home was the fifth-most in the NFL, while the 73 penalties away was the third-most in the league.

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