Buccaneers
- According to Over The Cap, Buccaneers DT Vita Vea‘s four-year deal is worth $71 million and can hit $73 million if he achieves certain contract escalators tied to performance.
- Vea receives base salaries of $12.5 million, $15.5 million, $16 million and $17 million over the four new years of the deal, plus a $4.147 million roster bonus in 2022, when his fifth-year option figure remains.
- Vea’s salary and bonus in 2022 are fully guaranteed. His 2023 base salary becomes guaranteed this March and he earns successive vesting guarantees of $6.681 million each on his 2024 base salary in March of 2023 and March of 2024.
- There is a total of $3.5 million in per-game roster bonuses on Vea’s deal, including up to $500,000 annually in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and up to $1 million annually in 2025 and 2026.
Falcons
Falcons GM Terry Fontenot took the time to address WR Calvin Ridley, who missed the final 11 games of the season to address his mental health issues.
“It really hasn’t changed,” Fontenot said, via the Associated Press. “As an organization, we’ve done the best job we could just to support Calvin and do everything we can for him.”
Fontenot added not to assume that Ridley isn’t in their plans for the 2022 season.
“No, I wouldn’t assume anything,” Fontenot said. “As I said, we handle each situation individually. There are so many variables we deal with. We’re going to try to add to every position this offseason. Whatever player we’re talking about, whether under contract or not under contract, we have to be prepared for everything.”
Saints
- Mike Triplett of ESPN mentions that while the Saints are projected to be about $70 million over the salary cap, the team can create more than $100 million by converting base salaries and roster bonuses into signing bonuses and spreading the cap charges into future years.
- The team also must make a decision on WR Michael Thomas, as well as CB Bradley Roby who are due $15 million and $10 million respectively. Triplett thinks there are more reasons to bring Thomas back than there are to move on.
- At quarterback, Triplett notes 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo could be an interesting option.
- Triplett also notes Saints LT Terron Armstead‘s injury history could help keep his price down enough for New Orleans to bring him back, while the team should view S Marcus Williams as a top priority given that he is only 25 years old.
- According to Aaron Wilson, the Saints worked out TE Jibri Blount, OL Drew Desjarlais, TE Nikola Kalinic and T Jordan Murray.
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