_“I got the squeeze, Tweeze.”_
Listeners to the [Ira Kaufman Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ira-kaufman-podcast-bucs-more/id1160527441) heard Joe talk before training camp about how the Bucs, given their fortified cornerbacks stable and Jamel Dean’s reputation for being extraordinarily frugal, had a golden opportunity to squeeze Dean to accept a pay cut.
It seems that’s exactly what happened.
Per reliable OverTheCap.com, Dean is now being paid $4.25 million for the 2025 season via a new agreement signed in 2025. No longer does he have a deal for 2026, so Dean would be a free agent after this season. FOX Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman Twittered that he can confirm the information.
This represents nearly an $8 million pay cut for Dean in 2025.
Bravo to Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht, the renowned offensive line whisperer. He played his card and got a healthy Super Bowl cornerback, a legitimate NFL starter, to accept a relatively small sum for his experience and talent.
Joe wonders if this cap savings is at least part of the reason the Bucs drafted cornerbacks in Rounds 2 and 3 this year.