The Buccaneers need to keep the team together.
At some point later this month, when the intoxication dissipates and the Lombardi tossing escapades die down, someone, likely a high-level manager like, say, Jason Licht, is going to realize that they need to lock in the future. Like Joliet and Elwood Jake, someone will want to “get the band together”, or keep it together, at least. And it will come down to how can we afford to keep this team intact?
In a sense, they will be on a mission from José Gaspar to keep the team together. With the salary cap being whatever it will be, and with the Bucs sitting on so many free agents, it would be enough to give an accountant a migraine trying to keep things together.
Basically, you have one pot of dough. And from that pot of dough, you have a full staff to take care of. How can that be done, you ask? Well, watch and you might get a good idea.
Instead of worrying about how much of the pot is available, it might be better to work out deals with the higher earners first. In one way, Mike Evans has already shone a light. He has already shown openness to changing his contract to open up more salary-cap space.
He’s not the only big-ticket item. There are others. And these others should take the time to weigh what is more valuable at this point in their careers. More money? Or the chance at more glory with future Super Bowl rings? It’s a simple choice, and teams with “great camaraderie” should logically understand that it is easier to have one or the other, but not so much both.