The Tampa Bay Buccaneers brought in wide receiver Julio Jones to shore up the position, but the contract they gave him is a bit surprising.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Jones will be due a $6 million base salary from the Buccaneers this season. He could make as much as $8 million with incentives.
The #Bucs have officially signed FA WR Julio Jones, giving him a 1-year deal worth $6M base salary with a max value of $8M, source says.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 27, 2022
The figure took some by surprise. That included NFL Network’s Gregg Rosenthal, who wondered if the base salary could actually hinder Jones’ chances of making the final 53-man roster.
No disrespect to a first ballot legend but i'm surprised Julio's contract is as big as it is. A $6 million base could make it harder for him to make the team.
— Gregg Rosenthal (@greggrosenthal) July 27, 2022
Jones is obviously a huge name and as accomplished a receiver as there is in the NFL. That’s why the Buccaneers actually had to fend off other interest to bring him in. Jones also has not been fully healthy for three years and is coming off a season where he caught just 31 passes. The 33-year-old is a bit of a flier for the Bucs, but a fairly expensive one.
