Bucs rework contract with WR Russell Gage, create more salary cap space

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are keeping wide receiver Russell Gage on a reworked contract, creating more much-needed salary cap space

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and wide receiver Russell Gage have agreed to an updated contract, bringing his base salary from $10 million to $7 million, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The deal fully guarantees Gage’s now-diminished 2023 base salary and allows him to earn the rest back through incentives. The move all but ensures Gage will be on the Bucs’ roster in 2023.

Before the move, Gage was a potential cut candidate as Tampa already dedicated over $50 million to their wide receiver room between Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Instead, he saves the Bucs $3 million ahead of the start of the league year when they have to get their roster spending below the salary cap.

With Gage’s reworked contract, the Bucs are about $2.6 million over the cap per Over the Cap. Tampa began the offseason $56 million over the salary cap, more than any other team in the NFL, but after a flurry of moves, including the release of long-time left tackle Donovan Smith, the Bucs are nearly cap compliant.