At the time of the draft, the Patriots figure to have far more than 51 players signed or tendered. They will not need any additional cap room in order to draft, since all of the draft choices’ automatic rookie tenders of $235,000 will be below the 51st-highest cap number on the team. The Patriots’ 2006 rookie pool figures to be approximately $5,200,000, although the exact number will not be determined until after the draft. Of the rookie pool amount, only about $2.5 million will count against the cap, due to the Rule of 51. Somewhere between $10,000 and $25,000 of that will be used immediately after the draft to sign Undrafted Free Agents. The rest won’t be needed until July, when the draft choices are signed. The Patriots would also need to reserve at least $1,109,200 in order to pay for a 8-man practice squad and to pay for players, 52 and 53. In
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/pat_kirwan/news/2001/05/09/kirwan_insider_may9/
Pat Kirwan wrote in a cap-related article he wrote "that teams should keep a reserve pool of $750,000 to account for in-season replacements." Over the past couple of years the Patriots have used about a million dollars for in-season replacements.
Please note that as Jocelyn Robichaud pointed out in an email: "The current cap status is calculated with the top 51 earners. On the other hand, not all of these players will make the team. Thus, as the team shrinks its roster to 53 players, it will create cap room unless it keeps all of its top earners. For example, let's say that Bethel Johnson ($478,000 in salary) does not make the team and is replaced by Bam Childress ($235,000 in salary). This would free $243,000 in cap room for the Patriots. If Mike Wright makes the team instead of Dan Klecko, that would create $150,000 in cap space. If Ryan Claridge makes the 53-man roster instead of Chad Brown, that would create $565,000 in cap space. With just 3 those roster decisions the Patriots could create over $900,000 in cap space when the rosters are cut down to 53 players.
Calendar -
Today - $95,400,000
After signing the 5 ERFAs - $95,900,000
After the LTBE/NTLBE adjustment - $95,400,000
Escalator clause effect - $96,400,000
After converting the LTBE incentives of Light, Hochstein, and Gorin into NTLBE - $92,800,000
After releasing Starks and Poole - $87,600,000
After redoing Brady and Green's deals - $83,300,000
After extending Seymour - $82,300,000
After redoing McGinest's deal - $76.8 million
Signing 20 free agents (their own and others) - $86.3 million
Signing draft picks and UDFAs - $88.8 million
Practice squad and players 52 and 53 - $89.9 million
InSeason replacements - $90.9 million
which leaves a $2.6 million cushion to cover if my above estimates are way off as they are likely to be.
