While the NFL world awaits free agent Gerald McCoy’s decision, the Buccaneers are moving full-steam ahead without him. Tampa essentially traded its star defensive tackle for another in Ndamukong Suh, who signed a one-year deal worth $9.25 million. Suh and McCoy are about even in terms of their football ability, but the move saved the Bucs a few million as McCoy was going to count for $13 million against the cap in 2019 alone.
The Panthers are one of three teams who are competing for McCoy’s services, the others being the Browns and the Ravens. While Carolina can’t claim it has a better outlook for this coming season, they do have the advantage of offering a couple of revenge games a year.
If that’s the kind of thing that motivates McCoy, then he just got some more bulletin board material. Suh just shared a photo on Twitter of himself in his new Bucs uniform and he’s wearing McCoy’s old No. 93 jersey.
To be perfectly fair, Suh has been wearing No. 93 the last four years with the Rams and Dolphins. Even still, McCoy was a six-time Pro Bowler for the Buccaneers and was easily their best player. While it’s not unthinkable, it is unusual for an NFL team to use a franchise legend’s number again right away on a new player.
McCoy is probably most likely to sign with the team he thinks gives him the best chance to win. However, he has every reason to feel slighted by the team that drafted him.
