Bucs rework contracts, free up big money for '13 cap

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers created about $18 million in salary cap room for 2013 by renegotiating some contracts.

According to Pay Yasinskas of ESPN.com, the Bucs moved money around for wide receiver Vincent Jackson and guard Carl Nicks, the team’s two big splash additions in free agency this past March. By doing so, guaranteed base salaries for next season were converted to roster bonuses for this season.

The moves were possible because the Bucs had an abundance of cap room at the end of this season. According to the report, Jackson received a $12.16 million roster bonus and he will now count less than $3.5 million vs. the cap next season when that number was supposed to be $13 million.

In the case of Nicks, he received an $11.785 million roster bonus. His base salary in 2013 was scheduled to be $12.5 million and now it’s only $715,000. So, big money for 2013 chewed up extra room this year.

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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune