FAB 2. 2020 Bucs Free Agency Preview

“Gentlemen, start your engines!”

The NFL Scouting Combine begins next week in Indianapolis – home of the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400, which are two of the premier grand prix racing events in the country. The Combine is also the unofficial start of NFL free agency.

I say “unofficial” because that’s where the tampering begins between NFL agents and teams begins.

If an NFL team tampers with another team’s player who is slated to become a free agent prior to March 16, which is the start of free agency (players can’t get signed to contracts until March 18) and the league finds out there could be penalties, such as fines or even the loss of draft picks. The Chiefs were found guilty of tampering with wide receiver Jeremy Maclin in 2016 and fined $350,000, including a $75,000 fine for head coach Andy Reid and a $25,000 fine for general manager John Dorsey, in addition to losing two draft picks.

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

Because electronic communication – texts, e-mails, phone records – can be used as evidence if the league suspects tampering is occurring, what NFL teams is meet with agents the good ol’ fashioned way – face-to-face – in Indianapolis to get around this. Face-to-face meetings at restaurants and bars at the Combine can also produce trades, such as the Jason Pierre-Paul deal, which began three years ago when general manager Jason Licht had a conversation with his New York Giants counterpart David Gettleman. Of course teams are free to begin negotiations with agents for their own existing free agents at any time, and those discussions usually begin to take place in Indy.

So with that being said, and Licht and director of football administration Mike Greenberg, the team’s capologist, heading to Indy to start contract talks with agents like Drew Rosenhaus, who represents both outside linebacker Shaq Barrett and wide receiver Breshad Perriman, let’s preview what free agency will look like this year for the Buccaneers.

Bucs’ 2020 Salary Cap Status

According to OverTheCap.com, which assumes a $200 million NFL Salary Cap, the Bucs currently have the fourth-most cap room with $79,894,844 based on the Top 51 rule, which only counts the top 51 salaries on the roster in the offseason. The Bucs are behind the Dolphins ($89,390,424), the Colts ($86,162,964) and the Bills ($82,186,963) in OverTheCap.com’s calculations.

Spotrac.com assumes a $199 million NFL salary cap, so it’s numbers are different, and has Tampa Bay with the third-most cap space in 2020 with $84,989,175. Miami has the most cap room with $93,732,524, followed by Indianapolis with $86,137,492. Spotrac.com has Buffalo behind Tampa Bay in terms of cap space with $82,824,551.

Bucs GM Jason Licht – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

It’s unclear where the roughly $5 million discrepancy is for the Bucs between both sites, but nonetheless, Tampa Bay will have a sizable amount of cap room entering free agency and the NFL will put out an official number for all 32 teams just prior to the start of free agency in March when the 2020 NFL salary cap is adjusted and finalized.

What is known for sure is that the Bucs have 51 players signed for 2020, which is the fourth-fewest in the league. That’s because Tampa Bay is set to have 19 unrestricted free agents in March.

Bucs’ 2020 Unrestricted Free Agents
QB Jameis Winston
OLB Shaquil Barrett
OLB Jason Pierre-Paul
DT Ndamukong Suh
RT Demar Dotson
WR Breshad Perriman
OLB Carl Nassib
DT Beau Allen
DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches
RB Peyton Barber
FS Andrew Adams
ILB Kevin Minter
OL Earl Watford
OT Josh Wells
CB Ryan Smith
QB Blaine Gabbert
S Darian Stewart
OLB Sam Acho
OT Jerald Hawkins

Bucs’ 2020 Restricted Free Agents
TE Antony Auclair

Bucs’ 2020 Exclusive Rights Free Agents
TE Tanner Hudson
OT Michael Liedtke
S Orion Stewart
WR Bryant Mitchell

Bucs In Great Shape With Dead Cap Money

According to OverTheCap.com, Tampa Bay has the least amount of dead cap money in the NFL at just $130,241.

Spotrac.com gives the Bucs the same distinction, but lists the team’s dead cap money at $88,238. Whether it’s $130,241 or $88,238, it’s a tribute to Greenberg, who is the Bucs’ cap wizard. There are 23 teams with at least $1 million worth of dead cap money in 2020, and 13 that have at least $4 million in dead cap money.

Bucs director of football administration Mike Greenberg – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The most is NFC South rival Carolina, which has $27,306,717 in dead cap money, according to Spotrac.com, which factored in Luke Kuechly’s retirement. OverTheCap.com also has the Panthers having the most dead cap money, but only with $15,673,834, but has not factor in Kuechly’s retirement yet.

Summary

Compared to NFC South rivals Carolina, New Orleans and Atlanta, Tampa Bay easily has the best cap situation. The Panthers are currently slated to have $32,047,733 in cap space, according to OverTheCap.com, followed by New Orleans ($9,323,192) and Atlanta ($4,322,104). The Falcons have 21 free agents, the Saints have 18 free agents, including quarterback Drew Brees, and the Panthers have 14 free agents.

Of course Licht and Greenberg will be spending a lot of that available cap space attempting to re-sign the likes of Barrett, Pierre-Paul, Suh and figuring out the team’s quarterback situation – whether it’s Winston or someone else. Factor in around $25 million for a quarterback, around $19 million for Barrett, perhaps $10 million for Pierre-Paul and maybe $7.5 million for Suh and that’s already close to $62 million with perhaps a dozen other players needing new deals, too. As you can see, that $80 million or so can – and will be – spent in a hurry.