Suspension voids guarantees in Eric Wright's contract

Eric Wright must be very unhappy with his suspension for performance enhancing drugs. All told, the suspension could cost him nearly $9.6 million dollars. That is, if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers decide they're done with him because of this suspension. His salary this and next year was guaranteed, but Adam Schefter reports that that guarantee has been voided because of this suspension. Oops.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have no obligation to keep paying Eric Wright big money, but that doesn't mean they're about to walk away from his contract. While his injury and suspension have been disappointing, he is still this team's best cornerback. And while his salary is hefty, it's not close to what a top-tier cornerback makes. Instead, he's being paid like a good number two cornerback, and that's about how he's performing. In addition, the Buccaneers don't really need cap room, and they can use all the help at cornerback they can get.

Instead, if the Buccaneers do say goodbye, it will be because they don't feel Wright's a good fit for the locker room. That seems unlikely, given the fact that he was one of Schiano's first free agent signings and there have been no rumblings or even rumors of poor team behavior. This suspension really is the first blemish on his record, and he certainly isn't the only player to be suspended around the league.

This voiding of guarantees will allow the Bucs to do one thing, though: renegotiate his contract. They don't need to pay his salary next year, and they can easily hold that over his head to try to force him to take a pay cut.