Expect a big move cap-wise

[Oswlek]

The Pats don't give Wayne the contract they gave him last week if they think he's on the roster fringe. They just wouldn't do it - that contract means they see him as a significant contributor this year, which means he'll be on the 53.

Cutting Amendola not only won't happen, it can't happen. Strictly from a cap perspective, it would cost a million dollars more to cut him than to keep him.

I don't think the contract for Wayne guarantees much. It was appeared to be a trial balloon that both provided some injury protection for NE, some compensation for Reggie in the event his stay was short and potential for extra money if he proves worth keeping. Not that I expect him to go, but I don't think the contract has much to say about it.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I don't think the contract for Wayne guarantees much. It was appeared to be a trial balloon that both provided some injury protection for NE, some compensation for Reggie in the event his stay was short and potential for extra money if he proves worth keeping. Not that I expect him to go, but I don't think the contract has much to say about it.

Doesnt he keep the 450k?

 

[Oswlek]

Doesnt he keep the 450k?

Yup. That's what I meant when I said, "some compensation for Reggie in the event his stay was short."

 

[RobertWeathers]

Yup. That's what I meant when I said, "some compensation for Reggie in the event his stay was short."

Yea. I do wonder b/c of that investment, they would not cut him.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I don't think the contract for Wayne guarantees much. It was appeared to be a trial balloon that both provided some injury protection for NE, some compensation for Reggie in the event his stay was short and potential for extra money if he proves worth keeping. Not that I expect him to go, but I don't think the contract has much to say about it.

Sounds like we differ on what constitutes guaranteeing much. I think guaranteeing $450K to someone two weeks before final cutdowns--especially when you're up against the cap like the Pats are--is pretty significant. You don't guarantee $450K to someone at that point unless you're confident enough in his ability to keep him after what he's done in that time.

Or, to phrase it differently: if you're so uncertain of a guy's ability that you're going to cut him unless he blows you away in the last two preseason games, you don't guarantee him $450K two weeks before final cutdown in the first place.

 

[Oswlek]

Sounds like we differ on what constitutes guaranteeing much. I think guaranteeing $450K to someone two weeks before final cutdowns--especially when you're up against the cap like the Pats are--is pretty significant. You don't guarantee $450K to someone at that point unless you're confident enough in his ability to keep him after what he's done in that time.

Or, to phrase it differently: if you're so uncertain of a guy's ability that you're going to cut him unless he blows you away in the last two preseason games, you don't guarantee him $450K two weeks before final cutdown in the first place.

I look at that as the cost to bring a guy like Wayne in the door. Obviously it indicates an expectation that he'd make the squad, but it won't remotely get in the way if they decide he hasn't earned it.

 

[DaBruinz]

My 55:

QB - 2 Brady, Garoppolo
RB - 5 Bolden, James White, Gray, Blount, Lewis,
FB - 0
C - 1 Stork
G - 4 Wendell, Kline, Mason, Jackson
OT - 4 Vollmer, Solder, Cannon, Cameron Fleming
WR - 5 Amendola, Edelman, Lafell, Dobson, Wayne
TE - 3 Rob Gronkowski, Chandler, Williams
DE - 6 Ninkovich, Chandler Jones, Flowers, Grissom, Sheard, Johnson
DT - 6 Branch, Easley, Siliga, Moore, Malcom Brown, Chris Jones
LB - 5 Collins, Hightower, Mayo, Dane Fletcher, Freeny
CB - 5 , Butler, Bradley Fletcher, Coleman, Tarell Brown, Swanson
S - 5 McCourty, Harmon, Chung, Richards, Ebner
ST - 1 Slater
P - 1 Allen
K - 1 Gostkowski
LS - 1 Cardona

Orange = Reserve/Pup
Red = Suspended

Not sure what that does Cap wise..

 

[Oswlek]

My 56:

QB - 2 Brady, Garoppolo
RB - 6 Bolden, James White, Gray, Blount, Lewis,
FB - 0
C - 1 Stork
G - 4 Wendell, Kline, Mason, Jackson
OT - 4 Vollmer, Solder, Cannon, Cameron Fleming
WR - 5 Amendola, Edelman, Lafell, Dobson, Wayne
TE - 3 Rob Gronkowski, Chandler, Williams
DE - 6 Ninkovich, Chandler Jones, Flowers, Grissom, Sheard, Johnson
DT - 6 Branch, Easley, Siliga, Moore, Malcom Brown, Chris Jones
LB - 5 Collins, Hightower, Mayo, Dane Fletcher, Freeny
CB - 5 , Butler, Bradley Fletcher, Coleman, Tarell Brown, Swanson
S - 5 McCourty, Harmon, Chung, Richards, Ebner
ST - 1 Slater
P - 1 Allen
K - 1 Gostkowski
LS - 1 Cardona

Orange = Reserve/Pup
Red = Suspended

Not sure what that does Cap wise..

The numbers add to 56, but you have only 5 RBs listed. Did you mean to add one more there or do you have room for another player?

 

[DaBruinz]

The numbers add to 56, but you have only 5 RBs listed. Did you mean to add one more there or do you have room for another player?

Ooops.. I corrected it.. Should have read 55..
Room for another player, though I doubt Belichick will add anyone with Blount only being gone for 1 game..

 

[BradyFTW!]

I look at that as the cost to bring a guy like Wayne in the door. Obviously it indicates an expectation that he'd make the squad, but it won't remotely get in the way if they decide he hasn't earned it.

Sure, but then I think you have to go a step further and consider why they brought him in the door. The Pats knew that they would be right up against the cap. They don't have $450K to just be throwing around on flyers to someone that they aren't pretty certain will make the team. So the fact that they were willing to pay to get Reggie Wayne in the door pretty strongly suggests to me that they saw him as someone who they were very confident would be a significant part of the offense in 2015.

And I don't see how you get from that starting position to "he's not worth a spot on the roster" based on the past 2 weeks. He looked pretty good last night, and nobody looked good the week before. To arrive at the conclusion that he wasn't worth a spot on the roster based on Wayne's last two weeks, you'd have to be starting from the opinion that he's a fringe guy. And when you're up against the cap you don't spend $450K guaranteed to bring a fringe player in for a two week trial.

I agree that they'd cut him if they felt he hadn't earned a roster spot. But I don't see how they could get from the level of confidence they must've had to sign him to that deal two weeks ago to a willingness to cut him based on the intervening two weeks. It's not like he's performed badly. So far he's been exactly what I thought he would be.

 

[Oswlek]

Sure, but then I think you have to go a step further and consider why they brought him in the door.

Agreed, and I'm probably being pedantic but I read your initial post as meaning the contract had a say in the matter. I'm not arguing the rationale behind his signing nor am I rejecting the likelihood that he makes the team, I just don't read much into the contract itself.

 

[micronin127]

Wayne - the 400K signing bonus doesn't guarantee anything, like an up front injury settlement. They need him week-to-week possibly depending on LaFell availability post Week 6. Would actually make sense to cut him and re-sign him before Week 2. What is the risk that a team would sign Wayne pre-Week 1 when he was out of football as recently as two weeks ago? Probably low.

Ryan Wendell - probably a goner.

Robert McClain - probably a goner.

Hooman/Branch - both in the maybe category. Not core players. Can save a few bucks if you feel you are covered with a younger player. Don't want to make a hole on the roster.

Solder resign? - don't think so, but maybe. Redskins just screwed us with the LT market by signing Trent Williams to huge money. Colts are looking like they will franchise tag Costanzo. The franchise tag numbers for OL in 2015 was 12.943 million. So, the one year deal at 7.5 million is a relative value, not sure how much lower they could make it with an extension. Anything is possible and I hope they do extend Solder.

Tavon Wilson - I thought he outplayed Ebner on the field. Ebner is purely ST. Wilson doesn't look out of place on defense. I guess if the cap is so dire they might have to.

More likely - injury settlements to take a whack out of the IR total.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Wayne - the 400K signing bonus doesn't guarantee anything, like an up front injury settlement. They need him week-to-week possibly depending on LaFell availability post Week 6. Would actually make sense to cut him and re-sign him before Week 2. What is the risk that a team would sign Wayne pre-Week 1 when he was out of football as recently as two weeks ago? Probably low.

Ryan Wendell - probably a goner.

Robert McClain - probably a goner.

Hooman/Branch - both in the maybe category. Not core players. Can save a few bucks if you feel you are covered with a younger player. Don't want to make a hole on the roster.

Solder resign? - don't think so, but maybe. Redskins just screwed us with the LT market by signing Trent Williams to huge money. Colts are looking like they will franchise tag Costanzo. The franchise tag numbers for OL in 2015 was 12.943 million. So, the one year deal at 7.5 million is a relative value, not sure how much lower they could make it with an extension. Anything is possible and I hope they do extend Solder.

Tavon Wilson - I thought he outplayed Ebner on the field. Ebner is purely ST. Wilson doesn't look out of place on defense. I guess if the cap is so dire they might have to.

More likely - injury settlements to take a whack out of the IR total.

Apparently they reached one with photoholder Jake Bequette.

 

[farn]

I'm more of a Wendell fan than most. I think he offers a lot in terms of flexibility and I credit he and Connelly with much of the turnaround after the rough start last year. But, I wouldn't be surprised to see them move on from him if someone needs to go to get the money right.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I'm more of a Wendell fan than most. I think he offers a lot in terms of flexibility and I credit he and Connelly with much of the turnaround after the rough start last year. But, I wouldn't be surprised to see them move on from him if someone needs to go to get the money right.

You absolutely keep Wendy on this team. It's a no-brainier.

He backs up C, RG and LG. Hell he is most likely your starting LG.

I love Shaq but I don't think hes ready.

Solder's play before Connolly slipped in at LG was sketchy. Once a seasoned vet presence slid in there things stabilized.

I'm afraid that could happen again. Wendy helps me sleep at night

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Replacing Wilson ($965,166 salary) with Ebner (660K salary) on my 56-man projected roster creates almost 300K in cap space

Just great, Miguel. There goes my hope for a Wilson Patriots jersey.
Oh well, Ebner is kinda a binkie of mine.

 

[makoute]

You absolutely keep Wendy on this team. It's a no-brainier.

He backs up C, RG and LG. Hell he is most likely your starting LG.

I love Shaq but I don't think hes ready.

Solder's play before Connolly slipped in at LG was sketchy. Once a seasoned vet presence slid in there things stabilized.

I'm afraid that could happen again. Wendy helps me sleep at night

Hopefully Solder was more health related then who was next to him!

 

[RobertWeathers]

Hopefully Solder was more health related then who was next to him!

Solder was a little banged-up last year but sheesh, he seemed like a rookie out there.

 

[makoute]

Solder was a little banged-up last year but sheesh, he seemed like a rookie out there.

I thought he had testiscular cancer? That is a pretty big issue to deal with.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I thought he had testiscular cancer? That is a pretty big issue to deal with.

Was taken care of before TC. Certainly a horrific ordeal but my understanding is that it did not impact his 2014 season.

Thought he had a calf or thigh thing.