Buccanneers Restructure G J.R. Sweezy’s Contract

Field Yates of ESPN reports that the Buccaneers have restructured the final four years of G J.R. Sweezy‘s contract.

According to Yates, Sweezy is still due up to $5 million for the 2017 season, which breaks down to a $3.75 base salary and up to $1.25 million in per-game roster bonuses.

Yates adds that the Buccaneers included injury waiver language in the deal and split salaries for the next three seasons while reducing his base salary by $1.25 million for the 2018-2020 seasons.

In return, Sweezy received base salary escalators for each season of $1.25 million tied to 70 percent play time from each of the previous seasons. Should he not reach these marks in a prior season, Sweezy can earn the $1.25 million for the current season by playing 70 percent of the Buccaneers’ snaps.

Sweezy, 28, was taken in the seventh-round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He played out his rookie contract and signed on the Buccaneers. He was unable to perform in 2016 due to back injury that landed him on the PUP list prior to the start of the season.

Tampa Bay signed Sweezy to a five-year, $32.5 million contract that included $14.5 million guaranteed. He was set to make a base salary of $2.5 million in 2017.

In 2015, Sweezy appeared in 15 games for the Seahawks and was rated by Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 69 guard out of 82 qualifying players.