The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were in a bind, even after Tom Brady un-retired. Bruce Arians’ team came into the week with negative cap space on its books and several pressing free agents to re-sign. Even with Chris Godwin under the franchise tag, the Bucs still had to make key decisions on sought-after veterans like Ryan Jensen, Carlton Davis, Jordan Whitehead, and Leonard Fournette.
But it turns out Brady’s return helped loosen those knots as well. Through the early stages of free agency, it appears as though Tampa’s homegrown stars are happy to take a little less cash in order to remain in Touchdown Tom’s orbit. Though starting guard Alex Cappa left for a $40 million deal with the Cincinnati Bengals, both Jensen and Davis will reportedly remain with the Buccaneers. And they’re taking less money than expected to do so.
Jensen was coming off his best season as a pro and, at age 30, in position to cash in on what could be his final big money contract in the NFL. He was in place to challenge Jason Kelce’s $14 million salary as the league’s highest-paid center. Instead, he signed for three years and $39 million in Tampa — a contract that makes him the league’s third-highest salaried center and gives him the seventh-richest overall contract at his position.
