FAB 2. The Cost Of Keeping The Bucs’ Front Seven

After years of doling out big-time contract extensions on the offensive side of the ball to players like wide receiver Mike Evans, tight end Cameron Brate and offensive linemen Ali Marpet, Ryan Jensen and Donovan Smith, it’s time for Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht and salary cap wizard to do the same on the defensive side of the ball.

Bucs OLB Shaq Barrett – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Seven key members of Tampa Bay’s front seven are slated to become free agents, including the team’s top three sackers – outside linebackers Shaquil Barrett, Carl Nassib and Jason Pierre-Paul – as well as key run-stuffing defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh, Beau Allen and Rakeem Nunez-Roches, as well as backup MIKE linebacker Kevin Minter, who started three games while Devin White missed time with a knee sprain.

Barrett, who has a league-leading 14.5 sacks, is the top priority, and is on pace to land a contract worth at least $18 million, which would make him one of the league’s highest-paid pass rushers. Chicago’s Khalil Mack is at the top of the list with an average of $23.5 million. Denver’s Von Miller, Barrett’s former teammate, averages just over $19 million, which is the fourth-highest number for a pass rusher.

Detroit’s Trey Flowers, who cashed in with a big contract that averages $18 million, is right behind Miller, and followed by New Orleans’ Pro Bowler Cameron Jordan, who is the league’s second-ranked sacker behind Barrett. Jordan makes an average of $17.53 million per year.

It will be interesting to see what kind of market emerges for Pierre-Paul, who will be 31 on January 1, given his age, neck injury and modest sack production since his return. The Bucs reworked Pierre-Paul’s contract following his car crash in May, paying him $3 million in base salary with a $250,000 workout bonus and loaded it up with per game active bonuses and playing time incentives worth as much as $7.5 million.

“My neck is no different than his neck, his neck or his neck,” said Pierre-Paul, pointing at other players around the Bucs locker room. “That’s what the doctor told me. It’s all in here (pointing at his heart), man. I see healthy guys arm tackling – I am going through [the ball carrier], regardless.”

Bucs OLB Jason Pierre-Paul – Photo by: Mary Holt/PR

Part of those incentives includes $500,000 if Pierre-Paul reaches eight sacks and an additional $1 million if he reaches 10 sacks this season. Pierre-Paul has 3.5 sacks with four games to go.

As part of the restructure, the Bucs voided Pierre-Paul’s final contract year in 2020 that would have paid him $12.5 million. If he re-signs with Tampa Bay, expect the Bucs to give him more in guaranteed money than the $3.25 million he received this year, but also a good deal of performance incentives, too.

If Nassib can notch a few more sacks and surpass last year’s career-high 6.5, he could earn even more money – perhaps a contract in the neighborhood of $10 million or more.

Suh, who will turn 33 on January 6, will probably come a bit cheaper next year than his $9.25 million cap figure in 2019 – perhaps $7 million, if the Bucs want to re-sign him. And there is interest from both sides about keeping Suh in red and pewter as the catalyst for Tampa Bay’s rushing defense, which ranks second in the league by allowing just 76.2 yards per game. Suh has one sack, but a team-high four fumble recoveries, including two for touchdowns.

“When you have an opportunity to make plays, you do it,” Suh said. “I understand what my role is and what we’re trying to do with this particular defense. We talk about it each and every week. It starts with shutting down the run. I’ve always believed it starts with the front four and the front seven all together. After we do that, then we can continue to affect the game by getting after the quarterback.”

Tampa Bay’s defense has been hot lately as the Bucs have won three out of the last four games, notching 13 of the team’s 33 sacks in those victories, including 11 over the past two weeks in wins at Atlanta and Jacksonville.

“That’s a lot of sacks,” said Bucs defensive end Will Gholston, who has one of those 33 sacks. “It’s important to have good chemistry, and we do have good chemistry. We play well together and it shows. We’ve really been able to get to the quarterback.

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

“Can Jason and the guys in the front office come up with some stuff? I’m pretty sure we can make it work. We have some really good guys. Hopefully, everybody can stay together, but this is football, and it’s a business. I think it would be fun to stay together, especially since we’ve done this off the first year in Coach Bowles’ defense. It would be crazy to stay together and see what kind of heights we could reach next year.”

In order to keep some of the Bucs’ stars, players like Gholston, who is set to make $4.75 million next year and $5.5 million in 2021, could have to take a pay cut like nose tackle Beau Allen did last year, or may become cap casualties. Aside from Gholston, tight end Cameron Brate ($6 million) and center Ryan Jensen ($10 million) are also candidates to take a pay cut or be cut without any salary cap ramifications.

“I think we have good chemistry – that’s something that you can’t really fake,” Allen said. “Our D-line has been together now for two years with the addition of Suh. We’ve come a long way. We have a lot of vet guys in our front seven – a lot of guys who are going to be free agents. You never really know how it’s going to shake out. That’s just the reality of the NFL.”

Licht, Greenberg and the Glazers need to be prepared to open the checkbook to re-sign some of the defense’s top performers if the Bucs are going to achieve the balance needed to create a playoff team.

And Tampa Bay should think about extending the contract of inside linebacker Lavonte David, too. David will be entering a contract year in 2020 and is slated to make $10.75 million. At age 29, David is still in his prime, is a great fit in Bowles’ defense and deserves to retire as a Buccaneer.

“He is the ultimate pro,” Bucs head coach Bruce Arians said. “Lavonte – first of all he’s dependable. I mean’s a great player, but what he does with the young players is amazing.”

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

Despite having a projected $90.9 million in cap room available next year according to OverTheCap.com, that money could be spent fast on just a few contracts for Barrett, Pierre-Paul and quarterback Jameis Winston among others. Extending David’s contract could create a few million dollars of much-needed cap space in Tampa Bay to help Greenberg and Licht be able to keep additional important members of the Bucs’ front seven.

“At this point right now, you can see the defense is starting to pick up,” Pierre-Paul said. “I wouldn’t let nobody go – I wouldn’t let nobody go.”