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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have reallocated $3-million dollars of Mike Evans’ base salary into a roster bonus per ESPN’s Field Yates.
Source: the Bucs converted $3M of Pro Bowl WR Mike Evans’ $20M base salary into a roster bonus, creating $2.4M in cap space. Tampa’s cap situation is about as tight as any in the NFL, this is needed breathing room.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 29, 2019
There is a conflicting report as to what this actually does for the Bucs in terms of cap space. According to Yates, it freed some money up. According to Pewter Report, it effectively did nothing;
#Bucs did not create any salary cap room by converting $3 million of Mike Evans' $20m salary to a roster bonus. Had they converted it into a signing bonus they would have saved cap room. Tampa Bay does not need to create any more cap room at this time until they sign anyone else.
— PewterReport (@PewterReport) March 29, 2019
The Bucs are certainly in need of some cap space, as they don’t currently have enough to even sign their incoming rookie class. However, that money doesn’t need to be there for a few more months yet. It’s a little puzzling as to why the Bucs would make a move like this is it wasn’t going to give them any cap relief, but we’ll learn more as the details continue to emerge.
As for freeing up significant cap space, all eyes are currently on Gerald McCoy and his $13-million dollar salary due in 2019 and the $37-million he’s owed over the next three seasons.