Free agency is finally upon us and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have several moves to make by retaining some of their own while looking to improve in 2024 by bringing in new faces to the locker room. Free agency is set to officially begin next week as unrestricted free agents' agents are allowed to begin conversations with other teams.
Stay with us as we track the latest free agency moves by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
March 4th
WR Mike Evans, Buccaneers agree on 2yr/$52 million deal
WR Mike Evans will remain a Tampa Bay Buccaneer, for now.
The first domino to fall for the Buccaneers was the re-signing of Mike Evans to a two-year, $52 million deal coming off a record-setting 10th season in the NFL that saw him record his 10th consecutive season of 1,000 receiving yards.
There was some apprehension on whether the two sides would be able to reach an agreement as Evans and his camp set timetables prior to the 2023 season, but eventually, the two sides were able to come to an agreement to keep the stud wideout in Tampa Bay.
The full contract details can be found here.
March 5th
Buccaneers place Franchise Tag on S Antoine Winfield Jr.
Antoine Winfield Jr. put together his best season as a professional in 2023 that saw him be the second-highest graded safety in the league according to PFF while being snubbed as a Pro Bowler, but being awarded as a First-Team All-Pro.
The day after the re-signing of Mike Evans the Buccaneers placed the franchise tag on AWJ while they continue to work towards an agreement on a contract extension.
Reports have surfaced that a deal between the two sides will come sooner rather than later, so expect an update as free agency continues to play out. If AWJ and the Bucs aren't able to reach a deal before the 2024 season, the standout safety will make approximately $17.1 million this upcoming season.
March 10th
QB Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers agree on 3yr/$100 million deal
One of the biggest moves the Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed to make was to re-sign Baker Mayfield to a contract extension. The hardest part wasn’t convincing Baker that Tampa is where he should call home, but rather whether the two sides could come to an agreement on the value of the contract after Mayfield’s career setting 2023 season.
They were able to do just that on Sunday, eventually meeting smack dab in the middle of where each side started discussions. The deal is worth up to $115 million with incentives with full details here.
March 11th
DT Greg Gaines, Buccaneers agree on 1yr/$3.5 million deal
The Buccaneers’ stood true to their offseason goals of retaining players on their roster as the 2024 free agency period got underway on Monday by re-signing veteran defensive tackle Greg Gaines to a one-year, $3.5 million deal.
Gaines production slipped off a bit last season after coming over from the Los Angeles Rams, but he has been a vital depth piece inside for the Buccaneers and will once again be returning to that role alongside the likes of Vita Vea, Calijah Kancey, and Logan Hall.
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