The Tampa Bay Buccaneers converted a portion of Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans' base salary into a roster bonus, according to Field Yates of ESPN.
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
They currently have the worst cap space in the NFL with only a little over $2.7 million. Unfortunately for them, the conversion does not create any salary cap relief.
Maybe the new bonus is a way for the team to push Evans' game to new heights. At the same time, they might just be rewarding him for all the success he's had in the NFL so far.
Last off-season, the Buccaneers gave Evans a five-year, $82.5 million contract. He's had five straight 1,000-yard seasons since entering the NFL as a first-round pick in 2014.
Evans had one of his best seasons in 2018, with 86 catches for 1,524 yards, and eight touchdowns. He's been one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, being a reliable red-zone threat and being able to line up on the outside or inside.
In his five years in the NFL, Evans has caught 395 passes for 6,103 yards and 40 touchdowns. He's missed only three games in his NFL career, which makes him a very durable receiver.
The Buccaneers have the talent on offense to succeed, but their lack of cap space will make it difficult for them to improve in 2019. Don't be surprised if they continue to restructure their current contracts to add some of the remaining players in free agency.
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