Buccaneers restructure Mike Evans’ contract to clear salary cap space

Mike Evans caught 86 passes for 1,524 yards and eight touchdowns last season. [CHRIS O'MEARA | Associated Press]The Buccaneers have restructured receiver Mike Evans’ contract to create salary cap space for the 2019 season, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Basically, a contract restructuring is an accounting trick. Tampa Bay frees up $3.2 million by converting $4 million of Evans’ $17 million base salary into a signing bonus. The Bucs can pay the bonus immediately, but not all of it will count against the cap. NFL rules state that teams have to spread signing bonus money over the life of a contract, which for Evans is five more seasons. In others words, only $800,000 of the $4…