Free company started in earnest on Monday, March 11 at midday ET when the open negotiating interval started and potential free brokers might start to barter with groups. Offers with new free brokers can’t be signed and finalized till Wednesday, March 13 at 4:00 p.m. ET, however the Bucs have kicked off free company with bang – re-signing a number of essential gamers earlier than they hit the open market.
Pewter Report will monitor Tampa Bay’s additions and losses to the roster within the coming weeks with the Bucs 2024 Free Company Tracker, which will probably be up to date with information and rumors as we come throughout info from our group and league sources.
THE LATEST RUMORS
Bucs GM Jason Licht – Picture by: Adam Slivon/PR
UPDATED 3/11 at 12:00 pm ET: With the Bucs re-signing Professional Bowl huge receiver Mike Evans, Professional Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield and kicker Chase McLaughlin, in addition to utilizing the franchise tag on All-Professional security Antoine Winfield Jr., the group’s consideration turns to re-signing legendary inside linebacker Lavonte David.
Whereas we’re not ruling out the group making a proposal to a value-type free agent previous to Wednesday’s official begin of free company, it’s anticipated that Tampa Bay will probably be affected person and sit out the preliminary wave of free company for the primary couple days. When the mud settles and the large cash is spent, the Bucs will probably be on the lookout for Tier 2-type free brokers that may be had at a cut price.
Consider the one-year, prove-it offers common supervisor Jason Licht did with exterior linebacker Shaq Barrett ($5 million in 2019) and Mayfield ($4 million in 2023). These are the forms of offers Licht and the group will probably be pursuing this offseason.
BUCS RE-SIGNINGS
Ok Chase McLaughlin – three-year deal value $12 millionQB Baker Mayfield – three-year deal value no less than $100 million with $50 million in assured moneyOT Brandon Walton – one-year deal value $985,000WR Deven Thompkins – one-year deal value $985,000FS Antoine Winfield Jr. – one-year deal value $17.123 million by way of the franchise tagWR Mike Evans – two-year deal value no less than $41 million
BUCS NEW ADDITIONS IN FREE AGENCY
None to report but.
TAMPA BAY’S SALARY CAP ROOM
In accordance with OverTheCap.com, the Bucs have $14,798,670 in accessible cap area after the re-signings of Mike Evans and Baker Mayfield, however earlier than re-signing Chase McLaughlin.
BUCS REMAINING FREE AGENTS
Here’s a listing of the remaining Bucs free brokers. Inside linebacker Devin White, sturdy security Ryan Neal and left guard Matt Feiler aren’t anticipated to be re-signed by Tampa Bay – and there could possibly be others who don’t return as effectively.
Bucs ILBs Lavonte David and Devin White – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
ILB Lavonte DavidILB Devin WhiteDT Greg GainesDT Will GholstonLG Matt FeilerLG Aaron StinnieSS Ryan NealRB Chase EdmondsLS Zach TrinerWR David MooreDT Pat O’ConnorOLB Cam GillQB John WolfordCB Dee DelaneyG-C Nick LeverettOT Justin Skule
CONTRACT RESTRUCTURES / CAP CASUALTIES
Bucs assistant GM Mike Greenberg – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
None to report but, however count on contract restructures to occur this week for gamers with excessive 2024 base salaries like defensive sort out Vita Vea ($15.5 million) and cornerback Jamel Dean ($12 million).
Tampa Bay additionally anticipated to launch huge receiver Russell Gage, which is able to release $6.448 million in cap room, and will minimize or commerce cornerback Carlton Davis III, who has a $14 million base wage and is getting into the ultimate 12 months of his contract at age 28.
Tampa Bay may also create extra cap room this offseason by doing long-term contract extensions with Professional Bowl left sort out Tristan Wirfs and All-Professional security Antoine Winfield Jr. and reducing the first-year base wage for every of these gamers.
The group picked up Wirfs’ fifth-year possibility for 2024, so he’s presently beneath contract for $18.244 million in base wage and has a present cap hit of $18,606,582, which features a prorated quantity from his signing bonus again in 2020. The franchise tag quantity for Winfield is $17.123 million in 2024.
TAMPA BAY’S 2024 PERSONNEL NEEDS
With quarterback Baker Mayfield, huge receiver Mike Evans, security Antoine Winfield Jr. and kicker Chase McLaughlin again within the fold for 2024, the group nonetheless has some urgent personnel wants to handle this offseason. Free company begins now, adopted by the 2024 NFL Draft, and Tampa Bay’s wants occur to align completely with the power and depth of sure positions in free company.
Exterior Linebacker
Patriots EDGE Josh Uche – Picture by: USA As we speak
The Bucs have moved on from growing older veteran Shaq Barrett and will use one other, higher go rusher to start out reverse YaYa Diaby, who had a promising rookie 12 months and led the group with 7.5 sacks. Tampa Bay isn’t anticipated to go big-game trying to find the highest edge rushers in free company, however might goal value-type gamers like New England’s Josh Uche or Miami’s Andrew Van Ginkel as a substitute. Or the group might at all times draft one other exterior linebacker subsequent month.
In-house choices to interchange Barrett embrace former first-round choose Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, who’s getting into a contract 12 months, veteran reserve Anthony Nelson and second-year gamers Markees Watts and Jose Ramirez, who’ve the group enthusiastic about their potential.
Left Guard
With Tampa Bay not re-signing Matt Feiler and on the lookout for an improve over Aaron Stinnie, left guard is a precedence this offseason. The Bucs invested over $30 million per 12 months into Mayfield and must do a greater job of defending him in 2024. There are some free agent choices, however the 2024 NFL Draft is deep at guard. Duke’s Graham Barton is presently the choose for Tampa Bay in Pewter Report’s newest Bucs mock draft.
Middle
The Bucs might use an improve over Robert Hainsey, who has been common at greatest because the group’s beginning heart for the previous two seasons. There was a giant drop off in expertise from Ryan Jensen, who suffered a career-ending knee damage in coaching camp again in 2022, and Hainsey.
Free company occurs to be loaded on the place with former Rams heart Brian Allen and Titans heart Aaron Brewer being potentialities. There are additionally a number of high quality facilities within the 2024 NFL Draft, beginning with Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson, and even Duke’s Graham Barton, who can play heart and guard on the subsequent stage.
Sturdy Security
Former Bucs S Jordan Whitehead – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Ryan Neal was a bust and the Bucs will probably be transferring on from him this offseason. Tampa Bay must discover a complement to Antoine Winfield Jr. both in free company or the draft – each are loaded on the place. The Bucs wouldn’t thoughts reuniting with Jordan Whitehead if the value was proper, however Winfield must be prepared to take a giant pay minimize to return to Tampa Bay.
The Bucs have a few in-house candidates in Kaevon Merriweather and Christian Izien, who began all 17 video games at nickelback final 12 months, however performed some sturdy security at Rutgers. He’s constructed like Winfield and Whitehead.
Inside Linebacker
The Bucs aren’t re-signing former first-round choose Devin White after two very inconsistent and disappointing seasons. This place turns into super-prioritized if free agent Lavonte David doesn’t return. Shedding one beginning inside linebacker is one factor, however Todd Bowles can’t fathom shedding each of his starters in the identical offseason. David must return, however the Bucs might signal a worth free agent like Buffalo’s Tyrel Dodson or Houston’s Blake Cashman.
Tampa Bay has some in-house candidates to interchange White, together with Ok.J. Britt, who’s getting into a contract 12 months. Britt truly unseated White as a starter down the stretch final 12 months. J.J. Russell is an alternative choice and carried out effectively in his lone begin rather than White final 12 months versus Carolina. SirVocea Dennis can even be within the combine, however he’s higher suited to finally substitute David at Mo linebacker moderately than play Mike linebacker.
Working Again
Chase Edmonds is a free agent and the Bucs have talked about his potential return on one other one-year deal. However Tampa Bay wants extra expertise within the backfield behind Rachaad White in case he will get injured. The Bucs had been fortunate that White was wholesome for all 17 video games as there was a giant drop off in expertise on the depth chart.
Ke’Shawn Vaughn was minimize final 12 months and the Bucs might signal one other operating again in free company and nonetheless draft one in April. Sean Tucker is again for an additional season, however was seldom used as a rookie and isn’t a lock to make the group.
