Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2023 NFL free agency tracker
NFL free agency is upon us.
While free agency officially starts on March 15 at 4 p.m. ET, the legal tampering period begins at 12 p.m. ET on March 13 — and it’s very safe to assume that some tampering of the not-so-legal kind will ensure that deals will quickly be announced once that period begins. As such, Bucs Wire has you covered with this tracker, which will allow you to keep up with every event, rumor and move in Tampa Bay’s free agency.
The Bucs entered the offseason more over the cap than any team in the league, and while restructures and a loss of free agents have gotten the team under, it’s unlikely Tampa Bay will be able to go after any marquee names during this free agency cycle.
Check out everything that has happened down below:
Bucs take all of Tom Brady's cap hit
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Tom Brady filing his retirement papers means that Tampa Bay won’t find any relief from his dead cap hit.
With the GOAT filing immediately as opposed to the Bucs “extending” him in retirement, Tampa Bay will take all of his $35.1 million in dead cap money. Pseudo-extending him could have offered the Bucs some more leeway and pushed a little bit of that money to 2024, but it seems as if the team was ready to take the entire hit now and get it out of the way to make a potential rebuild down the line less stressful.
Leonard Fournette asks for (and will be granted) his release
(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Tampa Bay will be without one of its Super Bowl pieces in 2024.
Running back Leonard Fournette requested his release from the Bucs once the new league year hit, as he was not interested in playing for the team in the wake of Tom Brady’s departure. The team obliged, and Fournette will be a free agent once 4 p.m. hits on March 15.
Fournette was a candidate for release as soon as the offseason started, and the Bucs will benefit from the extra space while Fournette can sign with a team more prepared to contend for the 2023 season.
Cameron Brate to be released
(AP Photo/Alex Menendez)
Tight end Cameron Brate’s tenure in Tampa Bay has come to an end.
The longtime Bucs tight end will be released once the league year begins on March 15, putting a cap on a nine-season tenure in Tampa Bay. Brate had some productive years with the Bucs, but the presence of Cade Otton and Ko Kieft and the need to free up salary cap space will see him look for opportunities elsewhere in 2023.
Bucs don't use franchise tag for first time in four years
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
The franchise tag should not be taken for granted, and the Bucs are certainly aware of that. The cap situation in Tampa Bay means that, for the first time since tagging defensive end Shaq Barrett in 2020, the Bucs won’t use the franchise tag on any of its players.
The most likely candidate to receive one was cornerback Jamel Dean, who will now almost certainly head to another team in free agency.
Donovan Smith released by Bucs
(AP Photo/Alex Menendez)
The Bucs’ starting left tackle since 2015 will hold the role no longer.
Donovan Smith was released by the Buccaneers on March 7, which freed up cap space for the team but leaves Tampa Bay without a veteran left tackle to protect its new quarterback in 2023. Smith’s tenure as a Buc has not been entirely smooth, as he ended last year as the most penalized player in the league (total yards). Despite that, he was an important part of the team’s 2020 Super Bowl run, so he is likely to find a few suitors in free agency.
Bucs retain Nick Leverett as ERFA
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
One of the Bucs’ starting offensive linemen won’t be going anywhere, though — at least for now. Nick Leverett, who started 10 games for the team in 2022, will continue to play for the Bucs after being hit with an exclusive rights free agent tag. The ERFA tag permits Leverett to only negotiate with Tampa Bay, meaning he’ll be back on the offensive line for 2023.
Vita Vea, Chris Godwin, Carlton Davis and Ryan Jensen restructure contracts
(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
A huge amount of legwork to clear up cap space came in four contract restructures.
The Bucs reworked the contracts of defensive tackle Vita Vea, wide receiver Chris Godwin, cornerback Carlton Davis and center Ryan Jensen, which allowed the team to free up $44 million in cap space. The reworks were a significant contributor to alleviating the immense cap hits Tampa Bay was faced with entering the year, and they will help the Bucs get below the cap before the beginning of free agency.
Bucs interested in multiple veteran QBs
(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Quarterback Kyle Trask could have some competition this offseason.
Reports from Ian Rapoport and Rick Stroud have the Bucs interested in numerous veteran quarterbacks this offseason, the foremost name being former Rams, Panthers and Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield. Jacoby Brissett, Drew Lock and Bucs free agent Blaine Gabbert were also mentioned as potential names for Tampa Bay, so it should be interesting to see if the Bucs go after any of them once the legal tampering period begins on March 13.
Russell Gage reworks contract, Bucs officially under cap
(Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Wide receiver Russell Gage restructured his contract, and it’s the move that finally got the Bucs under the cap.
Gage’s restructure moved around some of his guaranteed money and added some void years, and the resulting free cap space has the Bucs finally out of the red. The move was crucial before free agency started, and Gage, who was listed as a potential cut by many heading into the offseason, will have incentives in his contract that will allow him to prove his worth in his second year in Tampa Bay.
