2014 Pats Salary Cap Breakdown - OL

[Miguel]

Offensive Line- As of now, the Patriots have 10 offensive linemen (Logan Mankins, Dan Connolly, Sebastian Vollmer, Nate Solder, Marcus Cannon, Markus Zusevics, Elvis Fisher, Chris Barker, Josh Kline, Brice Schwab) signed for the 2014 season. Their respective cap numbers are $10,500,000, $4,083,334, $3,750,000, $2,717,429, $743,968, $499,334, $497,500, $495,000, $495,000 and $495,000. I expect the Pats to sign Braxston Cave, Jordan Devey, and R.J. Mattes current practice squad members) to futures contracts ($420,000 2014 salary) right after the Patriots are finished playing in the playoffs.

I do not expect Mankins to take a paycut this year. I will not be surprised if he restructures his deal to free up cap space for the Patriots. One possible deal would be to convert $4.5 million of his 2014 $6.5 million salary into a signing bonus which could create a cap savings of $3 million while pushing out $1.5 million of signing bonus proration to the 2015 and 2016 seasons.

Dan Connolly could be signed to an extension that could lower his 2014 cap number by 1 to 2 million dollars.

The Patriots would probably like to leave themselves a cushion just in case Sebastian Vollmer reaches his NTLBE playing time incentive - $1 million (if he plays 80 percent of offensive snaps) or $2 million (if he plays 90 percent of offensive snaps).

The Patriots hold a fifth year option on Solder that will be worth the average value of the 3rd through 25th highest cap numbers at the offensive line position in 2014. That option must be picked up before May 4, 2014. The option is guaranteed for injury and becomes fully guaranteed if Nate Solder is on the Patriots roster at the start of the 2015 league year. Right now, I project that the option amount to be $7.62 million. I expect the option to be picked up and for Solder to be extended after the 2014 season but before the start of the 2015 regular season.

Marcus Cannon will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2014 season. If he see himself as a starting offensive tackle, then this will be his last year with the Patriots.

Ryan Wendell will become an UFA once the 2014 league year begins. My gut feeling is that Ryan is probably among the top 10 to 15 centers in the NFL which usually equates to a contract that averages between 3 to 4 million a year.

Offensive Line- As of now, the Patriots have 10 offensive linemen (Logan Mankins, Dan Connolly, Sebastian Vollmer, Nate Solder, Marcus Cannon, Markus Zusevics, Elvis Fisher, Chris Barker, Josh Kline, Brice Schwab) signed for the 2014 season. Their respective cap numbers are $10,500,000, $4,083,334, $3,750,000, $2,717,429, $743,968, $499,334, $497,500, $495,000, $495,000 and $495,000. I expect the Pats to sign Braxston Cave, Jordan Devey, and R.J. Mattes current practice squad members) to futures contracts ($420,000 2014 salary) right after the Patriots are finished playing in the playoffs. I do not expect Mankins to take a paycut this year. I will not be surpised if he restructures his deal to free up cap space for the Patriots. One possible deal would be to convert $4.5 million of his 2014 $6.5 million salary into a signing bonus which could create a cap savings of $3 million while pushing out $1.5 million of signing bonus proration to the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Dan Connolly could be signed to an extension that could lower his 2014 cap number by 1 to 2 million dollars. The Patriots would probably like to leave themselves a cushion just in case Sebastian Vollmer reaches his NTLBE playing time incentive - $1 million (if he plays 80 percent of offensive snaps) or $2 million (if he plays 90 percent of offensive snaps). The Patriots hold a fifth year option on Solder that will be worth the average value of the 3rd through 25th highest cap numbers at the offensive line position in 2014. That option must be picked up before May 4, 2014. The option is guaranteed for injury and becomes fully guaranteed if Nate Solder is on the Patriots roster at the start of the 2015 league year. Right now, I project that the option amount to be $7.62 million. I expect the option to be picked up and for Solder to be extended after the 2014 season but before the start of the 2015 regular season. Marcus Cannon will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2014 season. If he see himself as a starting offensive tackle, then this will be his last year with the Patriots. Ryan Wendell will become an UFA once the 2014 league year. My feeling is that Ryan is probably among the top 10 to 15 centers in the NFL which usually equates to a contract that averages between 3 to 4 million a year.

Will Svitek will also be an unrestricted free agent. I see him returning to the Patriots to a similar deal that he had in 2013 - 500K in playing time incentives, 46-man per-game roster bonus

Mankins - http://www.patscap.com/mankins.html#mankins
Vollmer - http://www.patscap.com/vollmer.html#vollmer
Solder - http://www.patscap.com/solder.html#solder
Cannon - http://www.patscap.com/cannon.html#cannon
Zusevics - http://www.patscap.com/zusevics.html#zusevics
Fisher - http://www.patscap.com/fisher.html#fisher
Barker - http://www.patscap.com/barker.html#barker
Schwab - http://www.patscap.com/schwab.html#schwab
Kline - http://www.patscap.com/kline.html#kline
Connolly - http://www.patscap.com/connolly.html#connolly

 

[Fencer]

Marcus Cannon will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2014 season. If he see himself as a starting offensive tackle, then this will be his last year with the Patriots. http://www.patscap.com/connolly.html#connolly

More precisely, if other teams see him that way.

 

[Fencer]

I'm going to go with the base-case opinion that the Patriots extend Wendell, see what OL they get in the draft, extend Connolly unless they took interior OL very high, and let Cannon walk a year from now.

If Solder or Vollmer health really disappoints, they still have the option of trying to re-sign Cannon before he hits the open market.

 

[Miguel]

Reposting these posts as they may be of more interest now.

 

[BelichickFan]

Not a chance I want to be paying Wendell $3+M. We could probably get the same performance from PSer Braxston Cave who is similar - a little undersized not crazy athletic but scrappy, tough, smart. If we're going to have that type of Center better to pay him $1M than $3M.

I doubt Bill would risk this but a line of Solder, Mankins, Cave, Cannon, Vollmer is cheaper with more upside than what we had this year.

 

[mgteich]

I strongly disagree.

Sure, let's break up to the offensive line that is considered a top OL (this year and last) and replace them with PS scrubs and our backup OT (who will almost for sure be needed at OT at some time in his contract year!

What a fascinating proposal. Then after Cannon moves on after next season (his contract year), we could have gone from a top 5 line to middle of the road line in only a year.

Not a chance I want to be paying Wendell $3+M. We could probably get the same performance from PSer Braxston Cave who is similar - a little undersized not crazy athletic but scrappy, tough, smart. If we're going to have that type of Center better to pay him $1M than $3M.

I doubt Bill would risk this but a line of Solder, Mankins, Cave, Cannon, Vollmer is cheaper with more upside than what we had this year.

 

[BelichickFan]

I strongly disagree.

Sure, let's break up to the offensive line that is considered a top OL (this year and last) and replace them with PS scrubs and our backup OT (who will almost for sure be needed at OT at some time in his contract year!

I didn't expect anyone to agree but Wendell and Connelly aren't the reason for a decent OL and I can't see paying them $7+M combined.

 

[mgteich]

Connolly and Wendell are the weakest of our starting linemen. We are a top offensive line.

I see no reason to blow up the line to save a bit of cap money and then have to have a 2-3 rebuilding plan for the OL.

Connolly has a salary of $3M this year. I have no problem paying this, even if this is his last year. I am fine with drafting a top center or guard, as I have been for five years. If we don't want to pay $3M for an experienced, starting RG (and C), someone else will.

With regard to Wendell, the only folks who don't like his performance are on message
boards. He will start for someone. He is one of the best run-blockers in the nfl. At inimum, he is an average nfl starter. As with the case with Connolly, Wendell will start for someone next year. I don't know what Wendell would cost, but his first year cap would certainly be manageable.

I agree that we need an addition to the OL. I don't agree with a plan of plugging in Practice Squad players for seasoned starters.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ol

I didn't expect anyone to agree but Wendell and Connelly aren't the reason for a decent OL and I can't see paying them $7+M combined.