“The #Buccaneers have informed S Jordan Whitehead they’re not exercising his option bonus, making him a free agent in a few weeks, source says. Whitehead is recovering from injuries suffered in a January car accident and is expected to be recovered well ahead of the season.”

Confirmation via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times,

“Bucs are moving on from S Jordan Whitehead and informed him they won’t exercise the final year of his contract for $4.5 million in 2025, which was not guaranteed. Whitehead missed the Bucs wildcard playoff game vs Washington after injurying his neck in a car accident that sent him and another driver to the hospital. He was cited for careless driving.”

How will this reported move affect the Bucs salary cap? As always, FOX Sports Greg Auman has the answer.

Via Fox Sports Greg Auman,

“Moving on from safety Jordan Whitehead will save the Bucs the $4.5 million in cap space and cash he was due to make in 2025. There’s no dead money involved — he got $4.5 million for 2024 with no pro-rated bonus as part of his deal.”

In 2024, the Buccaneers signed safety Jordan Whitehead to a two-year contract, marking a reunion after his stint with the New York Jets. However, the reunion didn’t yield the desired results. Whitehead struggled with his performance on the field and was also plagued by injuries, including a non-football related incident involving a car accident that forced him to miss the playoffs this season.

The BR Rub

We’re definitely fans of Jordan Whitehead. We celebrated his return to the Pewter Pirates last season. The problem here is the injury to salary ratio. The Buccaneers obviously decided to play it safe and cut ties with Whitehead. This move will definitely put the safety position as a top priority for the team this offseason. Adjust your mock drafts accordingly.