Josh Wells is the latest Buccaneer to re-join the fold.
Per Greg Auman, Wells and the Buccaneers reach an agreement on a one-year extension worth the veteran minimum of $990,000. Wells will receive a $137,500 signing bonus with $500,000 of the deal guaranteed. His cap hit is $850,000.
Josh Wells gets a one-year deal to return to Bucs at the veteran minimum of $990,000, plus a $137,500 signing bonus. He has $500,000 guaranteed. A top backup tackle this past season.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) March 25, 2021
Wells joined the team in 2019 after four years with the Jaguars, appearing in 13 games -including two starts- for the Buccaneers. He’s been the teams top backup tackle the past two seasons and saw action in 15 games including one start last year. Wells’ roster spot is not guaranteed, however, as he will have competition from Brad Seaton, who opted out of the 2020 season.
The reason Wells’ cap hit does not reflect that of his is actual salary is due to the veteran salary benefit. If a player meets the necessary prerequisites to qualify, then teams are allowed to apply the benefit. The negative is that there is a ceiling for how much each player can make. All it takes is a better offer -monetarily speaking- from another team and said player(s) could leave.
Regardless, Wells has played decent in the stead of Donovan Smith over the last couple of years and this is the second year in a row that Bruce Arians and Jason Licht have brought him back.
He’s obviously doing something right.
