Buccaneers Haven’t Asked DT Gerald McCoy To Take Pay Cut

According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, the Buccaneers have not approached DT Gerald McCoy about a possible pay cut. 

McCoy is due a $13 million base salary this year, but that figure is not guaranteed. The Buccaneers have been noncommittal about McCoy‘s future with the team and have reportedly been shopping him hard, including to the Browns. 

However, McCoy’s salary remains an obstacle to a potential trade.

• Steve Doerschuk of the Cantonrep.com has reported that the Browns have interest in a potential deal for McCoy, but it remains to be seen whether Cleveland would pursue a trade or wait and see if he becomes a free agent.
• Stroud previously mentioned that he’s ran this story by “nearly every source that would have been involved and all said there has been no discussion between the principles of the Browns and Bucs or McCoy’s representatives about a possible trade.”
• According to Michael Lombardi, NFL teams are reluctant to take on McCoy’s $13 million salary, given that he has not played up to this level the past few years.

Buccaneers HC Bruce Arians said specifically at the NFL owners meetings McCoy is “not as disruptive as he was four years ago” though he’s still a good player at this point in his career.  

McCoy, 31, is a former first-round pick of the Buccaneers back in 2010. He’s currently in the fifth year of his seven-year, $95.2 million contract and set to make base salaries of $13 million and $10 million over the next two years of the agreement. 

According to OverTheCap.com, releasing or trading McCoy would free up $13 million of available cap space while creating no dead money. 

In 2018, McCoy appeared in 14 games for the Buccaneers and recorded 28 tackles, six sacks, and a pass defense. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 28 interior defender out of 112 qualifying players.

We’ll have more regarding McCoy as the news is available.