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2021 Cap Space For All 32 NFL Teams

July 12th, 2021 at 12:27pm CST by Zachary Links

There are still plenty of quality free agents left on the board as we look ahead to training camp. Cornerback Steven Nelson, tackle Russell Okung, and longtime Legion of Boom leader Richard Sherman headline the list, along with accomplished edge rushers like Justin Houston, Melvin Ingram, and Olivier Vernon. That list will only grow larger, of course, as more teams shed veterans to redirect their funds elsewhere.

With that in mind, here’s a look at every NFL team’s cap situation, starting with the league-leading Jaguars:

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars — $32.7MM
  2. Denver Broncos — $28.9MM
  3. New York Jets — $28.5MM
  4. Cleveland Browns — $20.6MM
  5. Los Angeles Chargers — $19.9MM
  6. Detroit Lions — $17.9MM
  7. San Francisco 49ers — $17.8MM
  8. Cincinnati Bengals — $17.4MM
  9. Washington Football Team — $16.7MM
  10. Indianapolis Colts— $14.3MM
  11. Carolina Panthers— $14.3MM
  12. Minnesota Vikings — $13.5MM
  13. Pittsburgh Steelers — $13.1MM
  14. New England Patriots — $13.1MM
  15. New Orleans Saints — $11.4MM
  16. Arizona Cardinals — $11.3MM
  17. Buffalo Bills — $10.5MM
  18. Baltimore Ravens — $8.8MM
  19. Atlanta Falcons — $8.6MM
  20. Seattle Seahawks — $8.3MM
  21. Tennessee Titans — $8.3MM
  22. Kansas City Chiefs — $7.9MM
  23. Los Angeles Rams — $7MM
  24. Chicago Bears — $6MM
  25. Dallas Cowboys — $6MM
  26. Miami Dolphins — $5.3MM
  27. Green Bay Packers — $5MM
  28. Houston Texans — $5MM
  29. Las Vegas Raiders — $3.3MM
  30. Philadelphia Eagles — $3.2MM
  31. New York Giants — $2.4MM
  32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — $489K

Chris Godwin, Buccaneers Not Close To Deal

July 9th, 2021 at 4:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a historically aggressive free agent retention effort, the Buccaneers have all 22 starters and their main off-the-bench contributors back for their Super Bowl title defense. They will face a deadline with one member of that free agent group in less than a week.

One of seven players remaining on a franchise tag, Chris Godwin may be on the verge of playing the 2021 season for the tag price. As of Friday, the Bucs and Godwin are not close to an extension agreement, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. The sides have until 3pm CT July 15 to finalize a deal. Given the team’s actions this offseason, it would not surprise to see a deal come together near the deadline. But some questions remain.

[RELATED: Status Of Seven Remaining Franchise-Tagged Players]

The Bucs opted to cuff Godwin with their 2021 tag, letting 2020 tag recipient Shaquil Barrett reach the free agency doorstep before extending him. Tampa Bay did not extend Barrett at last year’s deadline. Many teams followed suit, given the uncertainty with the 2021 salary cap at that point. The 2022 cap is expected to balloon past $200MM for the first time. The $208MM ceiling will create interesting opportunities, after this year’s record cap reduction to $182.5MM, and may lead to this year’s franchise-tagged players’ asking prices rising.

Godwin, 25, is also in an interesting position on his own team. The Bucs took care of all their free agents this offseason, venturing into the void-year realm to ensure their core returned in its entirety. But Mike Evans is still playing on a 2018 extension, worth $16.5MM per year. A receiver market-topping deal at the time, Evans’ pact now ranks 11th among wideouts in AAV. Godwin’s tag is worth $15.9MM, but the Pro Bowl receiver is likely shooting for a deal in the WR1 range. As a tag recipient, such an approach makes sense.

Presently holding less than $500K in cap space — last in the league — the Bucs will need to create some room to re-up Godwin. The defending champs showed earlier this year they are now willing to move money into future years to re-sign key players. It will be interesting to see how they navigate the final stages of the Godwin negotiations. No deal by Thursday will mean a near-$16MM cap hold and Godwin’s tag price rising in 2022.

The former third-round pick has just one 1,000-yard season on his resume, but the Bucs did not make him a full-time player until they traded DeSean Jackson after the 2018 season. Godwin blew up for 1,333 yards and nine touchdown receptions in 2019. Although he encountered multiple injuries last season, the Penn State product still surpassed 800 yards and remains an essential part of Tampa Bay’s loaded skill-position corps.

Navy To Allow CB Cameron Kinley To Attend Buccaneers Training Camp

July 6th, 2021 at 12:58pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

It appears the Navy is reversing course. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will apparently allow a waiver for cornerback Cameron Kinley to sign with the Buccaneers and attend Tampa’s training camp, an official told Lucas Tomlinson of Fox News.

Tomlinson reports that an official announcement from the Pentagon will come soon. Kinley had previously been denied a waiver to delay his service commitment, putting the Naval Academy star’s NFL dream on ice. Kinley said at the time he wasn’t giving up on his pro football dream, and it sounds like he won’t have to wait very long. The defensive back appeared to confirm the news earlier Tuesday, tweeting out ‘God’s Plan.’

“Cameron Kinley is an exceptional young man and a shining example of the type of high-character individuals that make our nation’s military the most elite in the world,” the Buccaneers said in a statement at the time of the initial waiver denial. “We appreciate and support the United States Naval Academy’s position with regards to Cameron’s fulfillment of his post-graduate service commitment and remain hopeful that he will one day have an opportunity to also fulfill his dreams of playing professional football.”

That day appears to be coming shortly. Bucs training camp will open in a little over two weeks, on July 24th. Last season Kinley had 26 tackles, five passes defended, and an interception in eight games.

Antonio Brown Hit With Another Lawsuit

July 5th, 2021 at 7:47pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

DL Steve McLendon Not A Lock To Make Buccaneers Roster?

July 1st, 2021 at 6:56pm CST by Ben Levine

The Buccaneers may have re-signed Steve McLendon earlier this offseason, but that doesn’t mean the defensive tackle is a lock to make the roster. As Greg Auman of The Athletic writes, Tampa Bay’s defensive line depth could lead to an “interesting battle for roster spots.”

Ndamukong Suh, Vita Vea, and William Gholston are locked in as starters on the defensive line, leaving space for only three (maybe four) of Rakeem Noches-Nunez, special team ace Patrick O’Connor, 2020 sixth-round pick Khalil Davis, veteran Jeremiah Ledbetter, and a handful of others. McLendon could find himself in that “others” category, especially considering his age (35) and his minimal signing bonus ($137.5K). While the veteran is “well-liked and respected” by teammates, McLendon could still find himself on the way out of Tampa Bay thanks to his minimal cap charge and/or the organization’s decision to pivot towards youth.

The Jets traded McLendon and a 2023 seventh-rounder to the Bucs last October in exchange for a 2022 sixth-round choice. It amounted to a virtually no-cost pickup for Jason Licht & Co., providing them with an accomplished run-stuffer to fill in for Vita Vea. After reuniting with Todd Bowles, McLendon notched 17 tackles and two tackles for loss in the regular season. In the playoffs, he tallied five tackles and three quarterback hits en route to a Super Bowl ring.

McLendon started at least 14 games in each season between 2017 and 2019. Last year, he was first-string with the Jets for six games, but came off of the bench for the Bucs in the latter half of the year. Now, he’ll reprise his role in the rotation, providing steady support on the interior.

Poll: Who Is Bucs’ Top NFC Challenger?

June 22nd, 2021 at 6:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Chiefs reside as the clear favorites in the AFC, multiple successful rebuilds have strengthened the conference and created considerable depth going into the 2021 season. In the NFC, depth is harder to find.

The Buccaneers operated aggressively this offseason, bringing back every starter and most of their top off-the-bench contributors to chase another championship, and late-June betting odds reflect this. Tampa Bay resides as the clear NFC favorite, per Las Vegas. The team did not enter 2020 on this pedestal, but the NFC landscape looks less imposing a year later.

The Saints exited the 2020 season in a new tier of salary cap hell, and although GM Mickey Loomis navigated it, their 2021 team may take a step back. Oddsmakers certainly believe this will be the case in the franchise’s first post-Drew Brees season. New Orleans has been the NFC’s most consistent team over the past four years, going 49-15 in that span, but its future Hall of Fame quarterback retired. Tampa Bay’s path back to the Super Bowl also may not involve another Canton-bound passer — Aaron Rodgers — which further muddles the equation.

January’s Matthew Stafford trade seems a good place to start. The Rams dealing two first-round picks and change for the longtime Lions passer provides Sean McVay with a quarterback upgrade, and the team perpetually unconcerned with first-round selections is operating like an all-in contender. Los Angeles, which Bovada gives the NFC’s second-best odds to advance to Super Bowl LVI, also re-signed top edge rusher Leonard Floyd. While the Rams’ penchant for big swings and big extensions led more key role players out of town in free agency, with safety John Johnson and defensive lineman Michael Brockers exiting, they return four starters from Pro Football Focus’ No. 3-ranked offensive line.

But the NFC West may be the NFL’s toughest division. No rebuilds are taking place here, separating it from most of the league’s divisions, and the 49ers rank alongside the Rams — per Bovada — in Super Bowl odds. San Francisco endured vicious injury fortune last season but has Super Bowl LIV starters — Nick Bosa, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel — due back from injury. And the team kept Trent Williams — on an O-line-record contract. Kyle Shanahan‘s squad also moved the needle at quarterback, bringing in Trey Lance at a historic cost. Lance’s readiness may determine the 49ers’ outlook. Although Jimmy Garoppolo was effective (12th in QBR) when fully healthy in 2019, he missed 23 games over the past three seasons.

The Seahawks diffused Russell Wilson trade rumblings and added veteran guard Gabe Jackson. Their defense will be without Jarran Reed and probably K.J. Wright next season, however. Seattle has not advanced to an NFC championship game since Wilson’s rookie-contract years but still has the division’s most accomplished quarterback. The Cardinals brought in multiple impact starters, in future Hall of Famer J.J. Watt and Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson, in an effort to capitalize on Kyler Murray‘s rookie-deal window. But Murray struggled down the stretch last season, and Arizona will have two new cornerback regulars.

Rodgers’ commitment to being done in Green Bay represents the NFC’s biggest domino. The reigning MVP has not budged, and this standoff is expected to drag on to training camp. The Packers trading Rodgers, or the superstar passer being out of the picture while the team retains his rights, will probably take them off the board as a Super Bowl threat. Given the Packers’ 26-6 performance over the past two seasons, Rodgers’ status looms large in this year’s Super Bowl equation.

What sleeper teams realistically factor in here? The Cowboys extended Dak Prescott and hired a new defensive coordinator (Dan Quinn), but they have won one playoff game during their now-wealthy starter’s tenure and allowed a franchise-record 473 points in 2020. Washington boasts one of the league’s best defenses but opted against trading up for a quarterback in Round 1. Ryan Fitzpatrick will turn 39 this year and has never made a playoff start. The Bears did trade up for a passer, and the Vikings retooled their defense. The Giants made multiple splashy receiver additions but have big questions up front. Do any of these teams qualify as legit Bucs obstacles?

Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your NFC assessments in the comments section.

Who is the Buccaneers' top NFC challenger?
Another team (specify in comments) 26.34% (818 votes)
Los Angeles Rams 24.83% (771 votes)
Seattle Seahawks 16.97% (527 votes)
San Francisco 49ers 16.39% (509 votes)
Green Bay Packers 15.46% (480 votes)
Total Votes: 3,105

Antonio Brown’s Probation Terminated Early

June 22nd, 2021 at 12:51pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Usually when there’s Antonio Brown legal news it’s bad news, but not today. The frequently embattled Buccaneers receiver got a positive update Tuesday, as Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets that his probation has been terminated a year early.

This all stems from when Brown pled no contest to criminal assault charges from an incident with a delivery driver. The plea allowed Brown to avoid jail time after he was initially facing more serious charges. Instead he was hit with two years of probation, 100 hours of community service, and a mandatory psychiatric evaluation.

Brown’s attorney Sean Burstyn released a statement, which you can read in Rapoport’s tweet, saying the battery case has been finalized, and that the early termination is “further demonstration of Antonio Brown’s hard work and great progress since his NFL suspension.”

“We see nothing but blue sky for AB.” Despite all the optimism, Brown’s legal headaches from the incident aren’t quite over yet. Just last month, the driver hit him with a lawsuit alleging Brown broke the driver’s car key and “proceeded to verbally and physically attack (Tumanov), causing severe personal injuries.”

As for his actual football career, Brown re-signed with the defending champion Bucs on a one-year deal worth up to $6.25MM with $3.1MM guaranteed. He had 45 catches for 483 yards and four touchdowns in his first half-season in Tampa after serving his eight-game suspension to start the year.

Buccaneers Sign Joe Tryon

June 22nd, 2021 at 12:04pm CST by Zachary Links

The Buccaneers have signed first-round linebacker Joe Tryon, per a club announcement. Tryon, the final Round 1 pick of this year’s draft, could prove to be a tremendous value for Tampa Bay.

Tryon underwent a knee scope in early May, resolving an issue that may have impacted his stock. Luckily, that hasn’t kept the Washington product off of the practice field.

“Yeah, he’s full-speed now and he looked really, really good,” head coach Bruce Arians said during mandatory minicamp. “He’s obviously everything we thought he was. Obviously we’ll learn more in pads. But he’s slippery in shorts and a lot of guys aren’t. He showed some really good skillset.”

Tryon opted out of the 2020 collegiate season, but he was a menace in 2019. In his final year on the field, the outside linebacker tallied eight sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. Now, he’s ready to add even more firepower to the Bucs’ front seven.

With Tryon in the fold, the Bucs now have six of their seven draft picks signed. Meanwhile, most of the first round is now in the books — less than ten Round 1 selections remain unsigned.

Extra Points: Nassib, Twyman, Buccaneers

June 21st, 2021 at 10:22pm CST by Ben Levine

In a post on Instagram, Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib announced that he was gay, making the 28-year-old the first active NFL player to come out as gay. Nassib also made an $100K donation to the Trevor Project, a foundation which provides “crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people under 25.”

Support for Nassib was wide spread:

“The NFL family is proud of Carl for courageously sharing his truth today,” commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “Representation matters. We share his hope that someday soon statements like his will no longer be newsworthy as we march toward full equality for the LGBTQ+ community. We wish Carl the best of luck this coming season.”

“Our union supports Carl and his work with the Trevor Project is proof that he – like our membership – is about making his community and this world a better place not for themselves, but for others,” said NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith (via Twitter).

Raiders owner Mark Davis also showed his support for Nassib, noting that the announcement “doesn’t change my opinion of Carl as a man or as a Raider” (via Sam Farmer of the LA Times on Twitter).

Nassib joined the Raiders last offseason on a three-year, $25MM deal with $17MM guaranteed. He finished his first season in Las Vegas with 28 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and nine QB hits in 14 games (five starts).

More news from around the NFL:

  • Vikings rookie defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman was shot four times today in Washington D.C., reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Fortunately, the Pitt product is expected to make a full recovery, with agent Drew Rosenhaus noting that there were “superficial, exit wounds” and that his client was simply in the “wrong place, wrong time.” Twyman does not need surgery and x-rays were negative. Minnesota drafted the defensive lineman in the sixth round (No. 199) in this past year’s draft.
  • The Vikings also released a statement regarding the shooting: “We have been in direct contact with Jaylen and his family, and we are extremely thankful Jaylen is expected to make a full recovery. At this time we will defer any further comment to the proper authorities.”
  • Earlier this month, we learned that Buccaneers rookie Cameron Kinley had been denied a waiver to delay his commission from the U.S. Navy. “Cameron Kinley is an exceptional young man and a shining example of the type of high-character individuals that make our nation’s military the most elite in the world,” the Buccaneers said in a statement (via Rick Stroud on Twitter). “We appreciate and support the United States Naval Academy’s position with regards to Cameron’s fulfillment of his post-graduate service commitment and remain hopeful that he will one day have an opportunity to also fulfill his dreams of playing professional football.”
  • Earlier this month, former Chiefs coach Britt Reid pleaded not guilty to a DWI charge that stemmed from a crash that critically injured a young girl (per the AP). Reid was placed on administrative leave following the crash, and the team ultimately let his contract expire.

Ten First-Round Picks Remain Unsigned

June 20th, 2021 at 2:49pm CST by Zachary Links

This year, NFL teams have been quick to tackle their rookie paperwork. Still, there are a decent number of unsigned draft picks remaining, including ten of this year’s first-rounders: 

In a sense, this is a sign that things are back to normal in football following the pandemic. For example, by June 12th of 2019, 22 first-round picks had put pen to paper, with 222 rookies inked on the whole. However, around this time last year, there were just two first-round picks officially in the fold – Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Panthers defensive lineman Derrick Brown.

Offset language and similar minutia could be holding these ten deals up, but there’s no reason to panic. In all likelihood, these rookie contracts will be squared away before the start of training camp this summer.

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