The Buccaneers are currently in salary cap hell, which is a place that forces NFL teams to do things they don’t want to do. In this case, they just released their best player. Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy was the Bucs’ first-round pick in the 2010 draft. Since then, he’s been a wrecking ball up front for their defense.
In 123 games, McCoy has collected 54.5 sacks, 140 quarterback hits and 79 tackles for a loss. Some of McCoy’s best games have come against the Panthers. He’s posted 42 of his combined tackles against Carolina, more than any other opponent. Despite everything he’s done, Tampa just released McCoy, freeing themselves from a $13 million cap hit for 2019 and another $25 million plus the next two years.
One guy who sounds glad about the news is Panthers guard Trai Turner. On Twitter, Turner said McCoy is a real life savage and offered real battles twice a year.
Unless McCoy lands with another NFC South team, Turner and the other Carolina linemen won’t have to deal with him nearly as often. That’s reason enough to feel good about the move.
Even with McCoy, Tampa hasn’t had much luck against the Panthers, though. The Bucs have lost nine of the last 12 meetings.
