At 4-6 entering the bye week, the Bucs have shown their roster is not perfect. Their wide receiver depth has proven to be lackluster to this point. Their cornerback depth has been exposed over the past three weeks. The team still has not had a pass rusher step up to the difference-maker caliber of elevating the rest of the unit. And the linebacker unit as a whole is likely looking at wholesale changes next year.

As with most teams the 2025 roster will likely see 20% or more turnover.

Bucs’ 2025 Cap Situation

Can Tampa Bay afford all to make the necessary changes without looking in the bargain bin? The answer is largely yes.

Per Over The Cap, the Bucs currently have just under $25 million in cap space available for the 2025 season. That is with just 39 players under contract. With 13 spots to fill they would have just under $2 million per player to fill out the roster. However, there are a number of moves the team can make to clear cap space for possible additions.

Here are two likely moves we’ll see in the offseason.

Tampa Bay Re-Signs Chris Godwin

Bucs assistant GM Mike Greenberg – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Prior to his season-ending injury Chris Godwin was on an All-Pro trajectory. This year was shaping up to be the exclamation point on his three-season recovery from a torn ACL he suffered in 2021. Despite that injury Godwin has still managed to consistently break 1,000 yards for five straight seasons leading into this year. With his current injury, a dislocated ankle, Godwin’s market price in free agency has likely come down a considerable amount and put him back in a position to continue with Tampa Bay beyond 2024.

My current projection for Godwin would be a three-year deal for $70 million. His $23.33 million APY would slot in just $3 million over Mike Evans’ deal. While Evans is still considered the Bucs No. 1 receiver, he has shown previously that he is comfortable operating with Godwin earning a slightly higher rate than him.

Evans did not balk or ask for a new contract when Godwin inked his current deal at $20 million APY despite his deal at the time paying him just $16.5 million per year.

Many have questioned whether the Bucs could afford to bring back Godwin for a price tag north of $20 million. Here’s the thing. If they decided to pursue this avenue, they would actually save cap space in 2025.

Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Photo by: USA Today

Let me break it down for you.

If Tampa Bay does not re-sign Godwin, he will cost them $18.852 million  in salary cap due to prorations the team used over the course of his current deal. If the Bucs were to extend Godwin prior to that dead cap charge hitting, $11.318 million of that charge moves ahead into future years.

And a reasonable breakdown of this hypothetical deal could have the Bucs paying a league minimum salary to Godwin in 2025 along with a $22 million prorated bonus stretched out over five years. All told, Godwin’s salary cap hit could come down from $18.852 million to just over $13 million and saving the team over $5.5 million.

Bucs Restructure Tristan Wirfs’ Contract

The Bucs have several players whose contracts can be restructured to create more cap space. Between Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Antoine Winfield Jr., Vita Vea and Jamel Dean they can create almost $66.5 million in additional cap space.

But Tampa Bay has proven to be more prudent in their restructures in recent years. They won’t restructure just to restructure. They do it to create room for actual moves they want to make. By restructuring Tristan Wirfs they can create $19.864 million in cap room while maintaining the restructured amounts over the actual life of his deal. This will prevent the team from having to create void years and dead cap down the road.

Using Additional Cap For Internal And External Moves

Between their current cap space and the two aforementioned moves the Bucs would have almost $58 million in cap space to improve their roster. They would need about $15 million to sign practice squad players and for in-season room to maneuver. They will also need a little under $4 million for their draft class. That would still allow the team $39 million to secure long-term pieces of their roster and add impact players to the roster.

Early Extensions

Bucs TE Cade Otton – Photo by: USA Today

A few weeks ago, I identified three players from the Bucs’ 2022 draft class that could be in line for early extensions next year. They are cornerback Zyon McCollum, tight end Cade Otton and right tackle Luke Goedeke. In my opinion Otton and Goedeke are likely to get those extensions while the team will probably wait on McCollum until 2026.

My current projections estimate both players will get four-year deals that will keep both under contract through 2029 with Otton averaging $13.5 million per year and Goedeke getting $18.5 million. Those deals would cost the team $5.9 million in 2025 cap room.

Outside Help

Now with $33 million in cap space the Bucs would be able to find 3-5 key, but not necessarily expensive, additions to their roster. Over the next week I will look at some potential targets that the team may target to help bolster both depth as well as improve the ceiling of the roster.