Warhorse

What is the Patriots' salary cap status when your own RFAs and UFAs are taken into account. As a Colts fan, I see Polian signing our guys before the CBA is finished because of the restructuring of Manning and Harrison that was supposed to be legit. And he seemed like he was the only GM doing anything in line with major signings. Since the arbitrator ruling, we have been in limbo, unless the cba gets done, then we'll be back under the cap.

Are you guys thinking you will be major players in free agency?

hwc

No way...and for reasons that have little to do with cap space. Other than targeted acquistions in the post feeding frenzy period, shopping in free agency is for fools. It's all but guaranteed to result in overpaying players, something that you cannot do under the salary cap.

The Pats are under the cap and can free up more money as they need as they need it, if the value is right on signing their own free agents or other free agents. The only thing I can see them doing quickly is signing a kicker to replace Adam Vinatieri -- if the right guy comes along.

flutie2phelan

The best our best can do:

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-...0859#post50859

summary: 1.1 mil under adjusted, non-extended cap
with considerable further room for "easy" cuts (e.g., Poole) and restructurings (your ol' friend from The Goal Line Stand, Willie)

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Warhorse

So the Pats are similar to the Colts in that they basically use the draft to find their kind of player for their system and fill in the holes when necessary with a middle of the road free agent?

I think the Colts biggest problem with that scenerio is we give so much money to retain our own players when they reach free agency that we are always up against the salary cap ceiling.

MoLewisrocks

You certainly give so much to a select few...a third of your cap is tied up this year in triplets - only one of the identities has changed.

We are fortuante (or perhaps planned better) in that we have no RFA's this year requiring mid or high tenders. You have June and Mathis who emerged from the 6th and 5th rounds and whom you can't afford to lose so Polian has tendered them mid and high. Next year the crisis won't only be Freeney, though if no deal is reached June and Mathis will remain RFA Colts a lot longer than they planned. If a deal is reached that stipulates cash over cap limits resigning all three could be a problem given the resources tied up in the triplets and their supporting offensive cast.

Miguel

FYI - The Colts have a positive cap adjustment of $250,000 so they can commit $94,763,200, rather than $94,513,000 to the cap. Every bit helps

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Warhorse

When the time comes for Mathis and June to hit free agency, I believe we will only keep June. We have a Mathis clone on our team already in Jonathan Welsh. Considering we also just resigned Raheem Brock, I believe the writing is on the wall for Mathis next year. Also I don't see Cato June as being irreplacable either. If someone offered us a 2nd or 3rd round pick this year, I bet we would jump at it. Linebackers are basically just system guys that we throw into lineup. We had Mike Peterson, we wouldn't pay him, gone. We had Marcus Washington, we wouldn't pay him, gone. Brackett came in last year as a first time starter and led the team in tackles and we signed him to a 4 year contract worth 10 million which is a good deal for us. I'd say Thornton is gone but Gardner should step in and do pretty good considering he's been a backup for 2 years.

Mathis got a 1st and 3rd tender because pass rushers are a premium in the NFL, but if we were offered a 2nd round pick or more, I believe he would be gone. We keep the irreplacable players and rotate out the guys around them.

I just wish all our money wasn't tied up in a handful of players so we could have scary depth like the Patriots and the Steelers.

Miguel

I just updated
http://www.patscap.com

I am presuming that the Pats will make tender offers to all of their ERFAs and am also presuming that the LTBE incentives of Light, Hochstein and Gorin no longer exist.

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My youngest sister's best friend is on the board of directors of a food pantry in Malden, Massachusetts that distributed 285,000 meals and meal equivalents in 2005. I am asking that if you have found my salary cap pages useful that if you are able to do so, please make a donation to it. Please contact me for more information.

DefenseRules

Miguel you still have Seymour's salary listed at $5,020,000. The NFLPA website shows that his salary for 2006 is $2,020,000. Did they make a mistake? Just curious.
http://www.nflpa.org/Members/playerProfile.asp?ID=30098

Miguel

The NFLPA did not make a mistake. I did. I will soon be correcting that.

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My youngest sister's best friend is on the board of directors of a food pantry in Malden, Massachusetts that distributed 285,000 meals and meal equivalents in 2005. I am asking that if you have found my salary cap pages useful that if you are able to do so, please make a donation to it. Please contact me for more information.