Getty Bucs senior advisor Bruce Arians could help the team swing big.
While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers broadcast it, a prime opportunity emerged with linebacker Devin White‘s trade wish.
That’s the way JoeBucsFan.com views it amid a trade proposal to land Baltimore Ravens superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson. The Bucs could send White and quarterback Baker Mayfield plus “a couple of second-round picks” to the Ravens for Jackson. Mayfield notably came close to signing with the Ravens this offseason, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, before he joined the Bucs.
“Might the Bucs package Baker Mayfield, Devin White and a couple of second-round picks for Lamar Jackson? It’s not completely crazy,” JoeBucsFan.com tweeted on Tuesday, April 11.
Might the Bucs package Baker Mayfield, Devin White and a couple of second-round picks for Lamar Jackson? It’s not completely crazy.
White requested a trade this offseason, which came out on Tuesday via ESPN’s Jenna Laine. She reported that two sources informed her of White’s desire to move on. White notably had a series of Instagram posts on March 6 that reflected on his time with the Bucs, but he later downplayed that narrative.
Jackson personally announced his trade wishes via social media on March 27. The former MVP turned down a contract of $200 million guaranteed in 2022 according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Ravens offered him the non-exclusive franchise tag in March, and the team could trade him with that designation.
How the Bucs Could Afford Jackson
While Jackson commands a high price tag, the Bucs could clear $10.53 million of salary cap space by trading away White and Mayfield according to Spotrac. The Bucs would have $7.12 million of salary cap space to work with, which would require a restructure of Jackson’s contract to alleviate the annual cap hit.
Things get better for the Bucs salary cap in future years, beginning with 2024. The Bucs have a projected $30.93 million under the cap next year according to Spotrac.
Parting ways with Mayfield and White could save more than the $10.53 million up front. White could command $20.1 million annually, according to Spotrac, after his fifth-year option concludes in 2024. Mayfield could command a bigger salary in the future if he plays well enough in 2023, and quarterbacks can push for pay around $30 million annually as a quality starter.
Bucs Don’t Intend to Trade White, Insider Says
All of this speculation of a White-Mayfield package deal with Baltimore for Jackson comes with one caveat — the Bucs claim no plans to trade White. Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reported that on Tuesday after the news broke, but he noted that it doesn’t entirely rule out a White trade.
“The Bucs have been engaged in ongoing conversations with White’s agents about reaching a long-term agreement with what is arguably their best player on defense,” Stroud wrote.
“With the draft commencing on April 27, it appears to be a negotiating tactic to see if any team may want to offer a high pick to the Bucs for White,” Stroud added. “But those efforts have come from White’s camp, which is likely why the trade request resurfaced on Tuesday.”
If the Bucs traded away White, it would leave a significant void at linebacker. White tallied 20.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries, an interception, and 483 tackles in four seasons with the Bucs.