Source: Bucs rework deal for hurt Pierre-Paul

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jason Pierre-Paul have agreed to a reworked contract that includes the defensive end’s compensation dropping by around $3 million for 2019, while the 2020 year of his deal was eliminated, per a league source.

Given that there are varying opinions on whether and when Pierre-Paul will be able to resume his playing career after a neck injury suffered in a car accident this past May, the contract reflects a compromise between the two sides.

Pierre-Paul was placed on the non-football injury list which means that the team was not obligated to pay him his full salary, which is $13.65 million for this season. With the amended deal, Pierre-Paul’s compensation for the year is now $10.5 million, while the 30-year old can hit free agency in March if he is able to continue to play football, which he believes he can.

For the Buccaneers, this deal creates financial flexibility in the form of $4.4 million in cap savings, which is helpful for a team that has been tight to the salary cap. Tampa Bay agreed to pay a significant portion to a player that may not play at all this season — and perhaps never again.