Bucs Restructure 2 Contracts To Create Cap Room

The Bucs have made several moves in free agency over the past three days. After signing linebacker Alex Anzalone, tight end Cade Otton, running back Kenneth Gainwell, defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson and outside linebacker Al-Quadin Muhammad, the team was going to need additional salary cap room.

Tampa Bay had roughly $17 million of cap space entering the new league year, but those signings will most likely use up around $20 million. Plus, the Bucs will need additional cap space for their draft class. According to Greg Auman of Fox Sports they have taken two steps to open up the needed space for the signings, the draft class and more.

WIth new free-agent signings becoming official, the Bucs are doing simple restructures on the contracts of tackle Luke Goedeke and corner Zyon McCollum to create about $26 million in new 2026 cap space. Normal cap work, with cap hits now spread out between 2027-30.

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) March 12, 2026

Bucs Choose Recent Signings To Restructure

Luke Goedeke was a no-brainer to extend. He was extended last year to a four-year, $90 million contract that technically begins this year. He has a $20,275,000 roster bonus that the Bucs are converting to a signing bonus to spread the cap hits from 2026 through 2029. The move will save the team $15,206,250 in cap space this year and lower Goedeke’s cap number to $7,144,950.

The more curious move was restructuring Zyon’s McCollum’s deal. McCollum is coming off of a tough year, where he failed to ascend into the No. 1 cornerback role the team had hoped he would lock into. McCollum was due a guaranteed $14,594,000 in cash this year – $12,869,000 of it in the form of a roster bonus just like Goedeke. Converting his roster bonus, while adding a void year to the contract will save the team $9,651,750 in cap space this year.

The team didn’t have to restructure McCollum. There were other players who could have had their deals modified. Left tackle Tristan Wirfs and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. were both prime candidates. But in opting for McCollum, assistant general manager Mike Greenberg has created maximum flexibility. This restructure doesn’t stop the team from cutting McCollum if he can’t get back on track. His guaranteed money ends after this year and if they still want to cut him in 2027, they can save around $3.6 million in cap.

And in not restructuring Winfield they create a world where they can move on from him next year if he doesn’t meet their expectations. Wirfs already has $25,259,582 of dead money tied up in 2027 – 2029 and it appears they don’t want to add to that total. They have truly set up a world where they can save salary cap space by moving on from any veteran player on the team next year…except newly re-signed tight end Cade Otton.

Per Over The Cap, Cade Otton’s three-year, $30 million contract has even cash flows – $10 million per year.

$20 million fully guaranteed.

$8.75 million roster bonus this year that prorates over the life of the contract. No void years.

— Josh Queipo (@JoshQueipo_NFL) March 13, 2026

Clearing Cap Space Does Not Mean A Big Move Is On The Horizon

Salary cap is very different from actual cash.

Cap is an accounting measure.

Cash is currency that leaves the owner’s bank accounts and enters the players’ bank accounts.

Every ownership group sets a cash budget for their personnel departments each season. It differs from team to team, and traditionally the Glazers have kept their cash spending tied to the salary cap, which puts them in the lower third of the NFL. They went all in during the Tom Brady years but pulled back hard in 2023 before returning to status quo since 2024.

Clearing cap space was necessary to make the signings from this week official. It does not move any real cash payments into future years and does not create any new money that the owners are willing to spend.

This $25 million created with these restructures should not be seen as a precursor to a big signing or trade.