Sign the Beast XII -- Report: Pats in the mix for DE/OLB Jabaal Sheard

[RobertWeathers]

For those of you that watch House of Cards

Jabaal Sheard @jabaalsheard · Feb 27
My Friday night!!!! #HouseOfCards @HouseofCards it's about to be a late night

Jabaal Sheard @jabaalsheard · Feb 27
I need a Claire Underwood in my life! She's a keeper #HouseofCardsSeason3

Danger Zone ‏@Danger_Zones 7m7 minutes ago
@jabaalsheard @HouseofCards Come sign with the Patriots! Also, if Claire Underwood watched football, we all know she'd be a Patriot fan.

Still see her as Jenny from Forrest Gump

 

[50-yard-line]

Still see her as Jenny from Forrest Gump

Princess Buttercup.

 

[nabwong]

I would have been a better pick than Dowling!

Dowling was trained by the league of shadows.

 

[reneluar]

Is he related to Jabaal Gaffney?

 

[RobertWeathers]

Princess Buttercup.

Now that's waaaaay back.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Princess Buttercup.

Now that's waaaaay back.

 

[mayoclinic]

I don't disagree with anything you said, with exception perhaps of your comment about DA. IIRC, Miguel has stated that should the Pats cut DA, we'd only get something like a $2.5MM cap benefit. I could be wrong. Also, I don't think the Pats can do anything with Mayo's cap number until he can pass his physical.

From Miguel:

Cut Danny Amendola before June 2 and make him a post June 1 designation:

That means the Pats would carry his $4 million salary and his $500,000 roster bonus on their books until June 2nd. On June 2nd he would be released. His 2015 cap number would then drop from $5.7 million to $1.2 million ($1.2 million signing bonus proration) – gross cap savings in 2015 of $4.5 million, net cap savings of $3,915,000.

http://www.patsfans.com/salary-cap/?p=1394

Also, regarding Jerod Mayo, I believe a restructure can be done at any time. $4.5M of his $6.25M 2015 salary is guaranteed for injury, so if he's cut before passing a physical the Pats would owe him that, but that shouldn't preclude restructuring his current deal.

http://www.patsfans.com/salary-cap/?p=1354

FWIW Mike Loyko noted last night, after the McCourty signing was areported:

Next shoe to drop for #Patriots is likely a Mayo restructure amongst others. Browner converstion from salary to bonus likely too.

https://twitter.com/NEPD_Loyko/status/574762523578269696

Speculation, but it makes sense.

The key elements of your post that are worth repeating (in brief), are that aside from Revis, the Pats won't be participating in any of the first couple of weeks of the FA frenzy. I also agree that a there is a lot of potential for creating of cap space. Surely plenty of room for the Pats to participate in the 2nd round of FA after the draft. Or commonly know as the Filenes's Basement round.

The first few days of FA are the feeding frenzy (which has already started over the weekend, even though FA doesn't officially start until tomorrow). By the end of this week most of the big money signings will be done, and a lot of teams will have used up massive amounts of cap space. Then the market will get more selective. Whoever is left - whether Pats players or external FAs - will have much slimmer pickings to choose from.

So I'd lock up Revis, clean up the cap space situation, and keep open lines to everyone. Anyone who wants to sign within budget may be brought into the fold early, but I wouldn't expect a ton of activity before the end of the week at the earliest, and possibly next week.

But here's the hitch. Every year we go through this exercise and the Pats very rarely ever do more than half of what's ever available. I think that's because they have to look beyond this year, because some of the restructures and cuts that look so easy to us to do today, are going to be needed when the Pats have to do deals with the Jones', Hightowers', and Collins' of the world.

Unfortunately, one of the big problems in drafting as well as the Pats have done in the last 4 or 5 years, is that eventually those players get to their 2nd contract and want to be paid.

2016 shouldn't be too painful, as Hightower and Jones will both have 5th year options and Jamie Collins will still be on his rookie deal. Any extensions for these guys will likely be cap-friendly for 2016. Jerod Mayo can come off the books in 2016 with an $8M cap savings, and a $9.5M cap savings for 2017. Expected cap bumps should help. I think that things can be managed, though your point is certainly valid that the team will be thinking about the long term, and 2017 could get tricky.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I don't disagree with anything you said, with exception perhaps of your comment about DA. IIRC, Miguel has stated that should the Pats cut DA, we'd only get something like a $2.5MM cap benefit. I could be wrong. Also, I don't think the Pats can do anything with Mayo's cap number until he can pass his physical.

The key elements of your post that are worth repeating (in brief), are that aside from Revis, the Pats won't be participating in any of the first couple of weeks of the FA frenzy. I also agree that a there is a lot of potential for creating of cap space. Surely plenty of room for the Pats to participate in the 2nd round of FA after the draft. Or commonly know as the Filenes's Basement round.

But here's the hitch. Every year we go through this exercise and the Pats very rarely ever do more than half of what's ever available. I think that's because they have to look beyond this year, because some of the restructures and cuts that look so easy to us to do today, are going to be needed when the Pats have to do deals with the Jones', Hightowers', and Collins' of the world.

Unfortunately, one of the big problems in drafting as well as the Pats have done in the last 4 or 5 years, is that eventually those players get to their 2nd contract and want to be paid.

The disparity that you're identifying with Amendola is whether he's a pre or post-6/1 cut. As a pre-6/1 cut, he would save $2.1M against this year's cap. As a post-6/1 cut, he would save $4.5M (this is all according to Overthecap).

 

[50-yard-line]

The disparity that you're identifying with Amendola is whether he's a pre or post-6/1 cut. As a pre-6/1 cut, he would save $2.1M against this year's cap. As a post-6/1 cut, he would save $4.5M (this is all according to Overthecap).

Right but in that case, he's also going to count 2.4 against NEXT YEAR's cap (which he will anyway if he stays this year).

best thing for Amendola and the Pats, given his recent history, might be an incentive-laden restructure, since many of those, even ones DA thinks he can achieve if he stays healthy, would probably be NLTBE...at least, if I correctly understand the designation.

 

[Username]

Pats also allegedly interested in Ahtyba Rubin from the Browns, who I can honestly say I've never heard of...
http://www.patspulpit.com/2015/3/9/...-interested-in-ahtyba-rubin-and-jabaal-sheard

 

[SeanBruschi54]

Is he related to Jabaal Gaffney?

I believe you mean Jabar?

Pats also allegedly interested in Ahtyba Rubin from the Browns, who I can honestly say I've never heard of...
http://www.patspulpit.com/2015/3/9/8175455/sources-patriots-interested-in-ahtyba-rubin-and-jabaal-sheard

Lombardi connection, big Wilfork typy body. Would love to bring him in! Very happy with that

 

[Gronkowski123]

sign these guys!

 

[DW Toys]

Pats also allegedly interested in Ahtyba Rubin from the Browns, who I can honestly say I've never heard of...
http://www.patspulpit.com/2015/3/9/...-interested-in-ahtyba-rubin-and-jabaal-sheard

Cousins, I would be all in if the Pats can't resign Ayers and Sheard is Plan "B".

Might have another thought!

It is getting near that time. The seventh annual DW Toys "Trade-A-Rama" to the moans of some of the "elite" on this forum. I can picture pitchforks and torches from the unimaginative big hitters. How about this for a "tease"?:

You have B.O. ,Romeo, Vrabel and Pleasant as Pat/ Texas connection. Looks like they have locked up Hoyer and Mallett. Big Vince is in play as well.

Most of the Football world was enthralled by Jadeveon Clowney last Draft. His potential skills are undeniable. Through some bad luck of a meniscus injury followed by micro fracture, he is supposedly on target for 2015. The flashes were there. His CAP numbers for 2015-2017 are roughly $5m,$6m,$7m. I view him as a diamond and an All Pro potential that the Pats can never hit in a Draft (which is not a bad thing because it means we are good). Here is a chance just for discussion..and thought......please!

Cruel as it might be to some and "getting rid of players who another Team might not want" might be the battle cry here, but who cares.

Would the Texans nibble? If their fan base views Clowney as a "bust" it can't hurt to think.

We also have CAP savings we might resolve below.

My thought?

-Mayo
-Dennard
-Dobson (a Texans need at WR)
-Plus our pick #32 in the first round.

-For Clowney and Texans 3rd rounder?

Mayo still has value and Romeo and Vrabel would welcome him as another tool with Watt and perhaps VW.

They are thin at CB. Moving Dennard frees up some space for us.

The Dobson experiment had diminishing returns but he is still young and has some familiarity with Mallett. Especially interesting for the Texans if they jettison Johnson.

All of these players had health problems in 2014. That is a trade off.

A healthy Clowney brings a face of the Pats D lineman in perhaps an awkward way but why not. He could have a Seymouresque career here. It is not a far fetched as some will blurt out deal wise. Too bad if both F.O.s don't see this post!

Good trade?
DW Toys

 

[JMC00]

Jabaal Sheard visiting Pats tonight.

@AdamSchefter
Jabaal Sheard is visiting the Pats tonight. No deal yet.​

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Best news of the day. Get it done BB.

 

[IcyPatriot]

I love it ... hope we get him.

 

[patsinthesnow]

Sounds promising. That'd be quite the pass rush trio between Jones, Ninko, and Sheard.

@BenVolin: Jabaal Sheard is a versatile DE/OLB who can play in multiple schemes. 23 sacks, 7 FF in four years. Only 25 years old​

 

[JayNM]

He and Ayers are slightly similar. Ayers might be better at pass rushing than Sheard, but worse at run support. I like it a lot, under the radar sign, that can be a good steal if worked properly, since he is still young (26 YO at the start of next season)

 

[Marqui]

I'd rather have him than Ayers.

 

[Big-T]

Ninkovich jr in style! Not the flashiest of players but reliable, will get you that timely sack and has a good turnover rate.