Much has been speculated about the future of Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. The 30-year-old sent out a cryptic tweet in late January suggesting his time with the team might be coming to an end.
“Embrace change, even when the change slaps you in the face”
— Gerald McCoy (@Geraldini93) January 23, 2019
But reports surfaced on Friday that McCoy would in fact return for another season with Tampa Bay in 2019.
According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times:
Bucs coach Bruce Arians and his staff have evaluated McCoy’s performance and believe he will be a good fit in the 3-4 scheme under defensive coordinator Todd Bowles.
While McCoy never doubted he would return to the Bucs in 2019 — playing at least one more season in Tampa Bay than Warren Sapp — there has been speculation that the salary cap-strapped team may either opt out of the deal, trade the six-time Pro Bowler or ask him to take a pay cut. None of that will happen, barring something unforeseen.
The Buccaneers' defensive struggles last season have been well-documented. The team allowed 29 points per game, second behind only the Oakland Raiders. Tampa Bay is likely to re-work their defense for the 2019 season.
However, McCoy is still a major part of the team's plans. The six-time Pro Bowler tallied six sacks and 28 tackles in 2018. For his career, his 54.5 sacks place fourth among all NFL defensive tackles. His contract, signed in 2014, includes a non-guaranteed $13 million for 2019, according to Spotrac.
While this would make him one of the highest-paid players on Tampa Bay's roster, the team has determined that McCoy is worth every penny.
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