After Bucs normal supervisor Jason Licht re-signed Professional Bowl vast receiver Mike Evans, Professional Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield and legendary linebacker Lavonte David, whereas additionally making a splash signing with Jets robust security Jordan Whitehead, Bucs followers is perhaps asking, “What’s subsequent?” for Tampa Bay in free company.
Nicely, Licht has a plan in thoughts.
Licht made an look on the NFL Community’s present, The NFL Report, to have a dialog with hosts Steve Wyche and James Palmer. Whereas a lot of the dialogue was round Evans nonetheless being in his prime, Licht additionally spoke about potential contract extensions for security Antoine Winfield and left deal with Tristan Wirfs.
Winfield was franchise tagged earlier than the deadline to make sure that he could be a Buccaneer this season. The All-Professional security is about to earn $17.123 million in 2024 as a result of tag, however the plan was at all times to simply maintain him within the constructing after which get a long-term extension completed by the summer season.
Bucs FS Antoine Winfield Jr. – Picture by: USA In the present day
Wirfs is coming into the fifth yr of his rookie contract, and in that point he has established himself as arguably the perfect offensive deal with in soccer. There’s no means that the Bucs are letting Wirfs stroll out the door given what he means to the crew. He’s set to earn over $18 million in his fifth-year possibility, however Tampa Bay needs to get a long-term extension completed by the beginning of the 2024 season.
So, subsequent up for Tampa Bay may not essentially be including a brand new piece to the roster, quite solidifying that two core members of the roster are mainstays for the long run.
“I feel they’re (each) on their technique to presumably having a historic profession,” Licht mentioned. “They’ve already had nice careers, however historic careers and hopefully your entire time right here in Tampa. That’s a really excessive precedence for us proper now, primary, Antoine after which in no specific order, then Tristan as effectively to get them locked up long-term.”
Watch the total episode and interview with Licht on the NFL Report.
Can The Bucs’ Entrance Workplace Do It Once more?
Although $17.123 million is a pleasant payout for Antoine Winfield Jr., that’s just for one season, and his stellar play has earned him the proper to be the highest-paid security within the league. Presently, Chargers security Derwin James earns a mean of $19 million per season, and it could be no shock if Winfield resets the market at $20 million. In a wild flip of occasions, Winfield didn’t make the Professional Bowl in 2023, however did earn first-team All-Professional, which is a better accolade to attain.
Bucs LT Tristan Wirfs – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Tristan Wirfs doesn’t look like he’s in a rush in the intervening time to get an extension completed. He has a lot greater issues to care for in the intervening time, as he and his girlfriend expect their first baby in late March.
When requested on the finish of the season about his contract heading into his fifth yr, Wirfs didn’t actually know a lot about it and sounded nice doing no matter was greatest for the Bucs.
“I’m nonetheless studying how that works,” Wirfs mentioned. “So that they picked up my fifth yr, so I’m nonetheless below contract, proper? I’m nice with no matter occurs. I like being right here. I’m not too apprehensive about it. [Iowa] Coach [Kirk] Ferentz at all times mentioned, ‘Your movie is your resumé, so I simply attempt my greatest to play good soccer.”
Signing Wirfs to an extension might really assist the Bucs reduce the load on their wage cap for this season because the price range has slimmed down a bit after their different free company strikes. The Bucs might signal Wirfs to an extension to decrease his projected $18.244 million cap hit in 2024.
Josh Queipo, Pewter Report’s resident wage cap knowledgeable, initiatives Wirfs will reset the deal with market with a five-year, $135 million deal. That’s $27 million per yr, which is greater than Houston’s Laremy Tunsil makes at $25 million per yr.
It’s puzzling at occasions why the Bucs entrance workplace doesn’t get extra recognition for what it has been in a position to accomplish over the past 4 seasons through which the crew has made the playoffs, whether or not it’s discovering high-profile free brokers or retaining the Bucs’ personal free brokers. Yr after yr Jason Licht and Co. ship. An extension for Winfield and Wirfs could be two extra unimaginable strikes in an already implausible offseason in Tampa Bay.
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