Pats Decline G Jonathan Cooper's 5th year Option

[RobertWeathers]

Im not numbers guy, but I'm pretty sure we don't need to cut Amendola and Cannon in order to sign the rookies.. especially without a 1st Round Pick.

Correct. They can keep both at the current pay structure and sign rookies.

The consensus is that because of performance, Cannon needs to either reduce his salary or be gone.

It's a much more passionate discussion re: Amendola. He's performing and valuable to the team so the discussion is one of reduction to help signing pending FAs and is he worth the ~$6m cap slot

With that said, does cutting both players now help the team resign Collins, High, Malcolm and Sheard to long term deals over the next 2 years. Miguel has done a ton of work in this area and while incredibly comprehensive, I think there will be 1-2 players that will demand top of the market compensation and the team needs to plan for that (if they feel the player is deserving of it.)

 

[Ivan]

Cooper is here to show what he can do this season, no one expected them to pick this up. If they like what they see they will offer him a new deal, if not adios. I don't get why anyone would write him off until we see what happens?

I love all, the competition on the OL, hopefully they end up deep and talented.

 

[The Gr8est]

Cooper is here to show what he can do this season, no one expected them to pick this up. If they like what they see they will offer him a new deal, if not adios. I don't get why anyone would write him off until we see what happens?

I love all, the competition on the OL, hopefully they end up deep and talented.

No matter who wins, with the competition we have a good chance of fielding a strong interior OL.

 

[IcyPatriot]

A great business decision ... let him earn a contract something he has yet to do in the NFL.

 

[Jackson 2]

Cooper is here to show what he can do this season, no one expected them to pick this up. If they like what they see they will offer him a new deal, if not adios. I don't get why anyone would write him off until we see what happens?

I love all, the competition on the OL, hopefully they end up deep and talented.

Agreed. I see absolutely no connection between this decision and any performance expectations they have for Cooper. Simply no relationship there.

 

[Ivan]

Agreed. I see absolutely no connection between this decision and any performance expectations they have for Cooper. Simply no relationship there.

None of their young linemen can sit comfortably, there's a ton of competition on the interior line and only the ones who play really well will be on the field.

 

[RobertWeathers]

None of their young linemen can sit comfortably, there's a ton of competition on the interior line and only the ones who play really well will be on the field.

Can't recall a more competitive camp at the guard position in the 17 years of BB camps. Doesn't mean they have the most talent, just the most competitive.

 

[Ivan]

Can't recall a more competitive camp at the guard position in the 17 years of BB camps. Doesn't mean they have the most talent, just the most competitive.

I think they have a ton of talent there but that's never a guarantee, however with scar coming back I think they could really develop into a special unit. I think Belichick is waiting for his next first to address tackle again.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I think they have a ton of talent there but that's never a guarantee, however with scar coming back I think they could really develop into a special unit. I think Belichick is waiting for his next first to address tackle again.

Yea good point. I look at maybe the Mankins/Neal era and the Mankins/Watters camp as a little higher talent scale bu who knows...

 

[Miguel]

My summary of the Chandler Jones trade = Chandler Jones for Jonathan Cooper, Joe Thuney, Malcolm Mitchell and $3.6 million in 2016 cap space. One can then say that the Patriots used the $3.6 Million to sign Chris Long and Clay Harbor.

My current cap space number for the Patriots is 5.6 million. It should take between 969K and 1.05M to sign the 2016 draft picks depending on who is in the Top 51 when they are signed.

 

[BradyFTW!]

No surprise, that had to be the expectation.

 

[mgteich]

My summary of the Chandler Jones trade = Chandler Jones for Jonathan Cooper, Joe Thuney, Malcolm Mitchell and $3.6 million in 2016 cap space. One can then say that the Patriots used the $3.6 Million to sign Chris Long and Clay Harbor.

My current cap space number for the Patriots is 5.6 million. It should take between 969K and 1.05M to sign the 2016 draft picks depending on who is in the Top 51 when they are signed.

Please clarify the contract situation with Cooper. It seems that we are on the hook for about $2.3M, unless we cut him and he is signed elsewhere, when we would be responsible for $675K plus the difference between $1.7M and what he signed for elsewhere. It would seem that a team would sign Cooper for a minimum in 2016, with perhaps a higher salary later. The team would then have a cap hit of about $1.7M.

Personally, I'm fine with all of this, if this is the situation. I just wanted clarification.

Thanks!

 

[Miguel]

Please clarify the contract situation with Cooper. It seems that we are on the hook for about $2.3M, unless we cut him and he is signed elsewhere, when we would be responsible for $675K plus the difference between $1.7M and what he signed for elsewhere. It would seem that a team would sign Cooper for a minimum in 2016, with perhaps a higher salary later. The team would then have a cap hit of about $1.7M.

Any offset for Cooper will be a credit in 2017.

 

[mgteich]

My conclusion is that Cooper counts $2.3M against the 2016 cap, and he'll play for the team this year.

 

[Rusty Griswold]

No its btw 1- 1.5m. They are fine...

What?

 

[TheFlyingWedge]

For all we know, AZ threw Jonathan Cooper into the trade for cap reasons. In other words, they wouldn't execute the trade of a second rounder for Chandler Jones unless the Pats did them a favor by taking Cooper off their hands/books.

Obviously with how much competition there will be at the Guard spot in training camp, Cooper's chance of earning a job here is not automatic.

 

[manxman2601]

Really looking forward to seeing how IOL, CB and WR shape up in pre-season. Potentially fascinating battles for spots on the final roster.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Yep, BB scored Jamie Collins and Logan Ryan (and Boyce) simply by fleecing Minny GM Rick Spielman.

Brilliant.

Not a big fan of Sheldon Richardson. Immature, mouthy kid who may not look as effective when the Jets trade Wilkerson.

Not sure if people realize this, but Chris Jones had more sacks and tackles for loss as a rookie in 2013 playing next to Vellano, in fewer snaps, than Sheldon Richardson.

Just saying.

Jones was under-rated, and I'm not a fan of Richardson as a person either. But as players, it's not even close.

Oddly, Jones got no respect whatsoever in rookie of the year voting, which Richardson won. But since then, it's been all Richardson minus Jones's FG block which was great.

 

[mgteich]

Obviously with how much competition there will be at the Guard spot in training camp, Cooper's chance of earning a job here is not automatic.

Obviously, if Cooper is awful, Belichick will simply eat the $2.3M of cap room. I just think that it is very unlikely that Cooper will not be seen to be worthy of being our 9th OL.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

Watch videos of chandler mic ed up. Listen to the way he talks on the field, to the team, he has incredible energy. A true leader with production

Some patriots fans on this forum feel super talented productive players like jones don't deserve as much hype as the far less talented marginally talented blue collar players