Time To Free Up Some Cap Room?

[supafly]

We've replaced an outside pass-rush of Carter and Anderson with one of Scott.
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Our biggest weakness last year was at safety.
We brought in Gregory to replace Ihedigbo as our starter.
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How is this manageable?

Again..you talk as if the season is starting next week.

They have had exactly ONE week to make moves in one area of the draft, FA signings, and trades.

What you should be saying is "in the first week they haven't replaced the players that I would've liked to see." Then you'd have a legitimate gripe.

 

[supafly]

drop ocho..now

Unfortunately, I don't think that will make too much of a difference if I'm remembering correctly.

I believe that molewisrocks stated that they would save an additional 1.75 million if they made it as a post-June 1st cut/transaction.

They may end up cutting him now, but they may also bring him into camp to see if he happens to provide any competition with the other WR's, since it really doesn't make much of a difference as far as cap savings are concerned.

Either way, it doesn't seem as though it would save too much money though.

 

[micronin127]

There are a few reasons to cut players now: large workout bonuses or upcoming roster bonuses and a view that the player is a fringe player.

Ocho has a $100K workout bonus and offseason program starts in April.
Josh Barrett has a $200K roster bonus and a $25K workout bonus and has been injured two years and counting.

The Patriots have 65 players under contract and 3 RFA/ERFA tendered players for 68 total. At this rate they could run up against the 80 player offseason roster limit in a few weeks.

I would like them to explore a few players for the defense: Luis Castillo and Yeremiah Bell. Neither should break the bank, but they might cost more than the minimum.

I still think we have $3 to $3.5 million in cap space and 1-year vet minimum deals don't really consume much if any space given the Rule of 51. It's the more than minimum deals that they need some space for.

 

[mgteich]

We finished Day 8.

I guess it is now time to free up some cap room.

We're are into Day 7 of fee agency.

We've re-signed 5 players (including Love) and signed 10 free agents from other teams.
We have done well with our cap space! It seems likely that some move may need to be made soon.

 

[ausbacker]

We finished Day 8.

I guess it is now time to free up some cap room.

I'm not sure there has been a more curious off season in the past few seasons as Patriots fans. Right now, there are so many possibilities. I wake up every day with the thought of, I wonder what the Patriots did whilst I was asleep.

 

[supafly]

We finished Day 8.

I guess it is now time to free up some cap room.

I believe the restructuring of Brady's pact netted them a cap savings of 7.2 million against this year's cap hit.

I can't honestly say that I expected that much to be able to be saved, just from his deal alone.

The bad news is that the money will be prorated over the next 3 years, which is about 10-11 million. His cap hit will be pretty high for those upcoming years already.

 

[mgteich]

The cap room is needed this year and next. I expect Brady to restructure again next year.
The very high 2014 and 2015 cap effects will be in years when the cap is expected to be much higher because of additional television contract revenue.

I believe the restructuring of Brady's pact netted them a cap savings of 7.2 million against this year's cap hit.

I can't honestly say that I expected that much to be able to be saved, just from his deal alone.

The bad news is that the money will be prorated over the next 3 years, which is about 10-11 million. His cap hit will be pretty high for those upcoming years already.

 

[supafly]

The cap room is needed this year and next. I expect Brady to restructure again next year.
The very high 2014 and 2015 cap effects will be in years when the cap is expected to be much higher because of additional television contract revenue.

Exactly. If the front office can get through one more year in 2013, it jumps up quite significantly for 2014.

The downside of that is that we have to take care of some of the younger guys now who will be up then, although I'd expect one of Gronkowski, Spikes, or Hernandez to be extended before then.

Next year may be a bit more difficult with the likelihood of one of those extensions + Vollmer, and Chung; so at this point I wouldn't expect them to be nearly as aggressive in FA for 2013. The good thing is that keeping our young core guys will be the most important item on the agenda, and I would assume that will get done.

 

[mgteich]

I agree with your analysis.

I would note that Vollmer's health is a concern.

I wouldn't think that we'll see any more restructures until pre-season. Belichick has about $10M to work with until then.

The only ones left are Ochocinco and Wilfork. Signing Welker to a 4-year deal would free up 3 million. In addition, we might have a cut/retirement or two that might give us significant monies late. Since we need to have about $6M for rookies and for when the season starts, this set should be enough.

Exactly. If the front office can get through one more year in 2013, it jumps up quite significantly for 2014.

The downside of that is that we have to take care of some of the younger guys now who will be up then, although I'd expect one of Gronkowski, Spikes, or Hernandez to be extended before then.

Next year may be a bit more difficult with the likelihood of one of those extensions + Vollmer, and Chung; so at this point I wouldn't expect them to be nearly as aggressive in FA for 2013. The good thing is that keeping our young core guys will be the most important item on the agenda, and I would assume that will get done.

 

[ATippett56]

Next year may be a bit more difficult with the likelihood of one of those extensions + Vollmer, and Chung; so at this point I wouldn't expect them to be nearly as aggressive in FA for 2013. The good thing is that keeping our young core guys will be the most important item on the agenda, and I would assume that will get done.

However next year, the following players will be completely off the books in addition to Chung and Vollmer:

Matt Light - $8,000,000
Brian Waters - $2,250,000
Kyle Arrington - $2,150,000
Brian Hoyer - $1,926,750
Danny Woodhead - $1,499,788
Ron Brace - $1,345,120
Trevor Scott - $1,150,000
Josh Barrett - $1,133,120

Furthermore, the New England Patriots can hopefully minimize the dead cap hit carryover into the 2013 NFL Season.

 

[Wilfork#75]

However next year, the following players will be completely off the books in addition to Chung and Vollmer:

Matt Light - $8,000,000
Brian Waters - $2,250,000
Kyle Arrington - $2,150,000
Brian Hoyer - $1,926,750
Danny Woodhead - $1,499,788
Ron Brace - $1,345,120
Trevor Scott - $1,150,000
Josh Barrett - $1,133,120

Furthermore, the New England Patriots can hopefully minimize the dead cap hit carryover into the 2013 NFL Season.

Yeah we have over $10mil of dead cap coming off the books in 2013 and Mayo's cap value actually goes down (almost $4mil) next year. So we should have plenty of space to make moves. The health of Chung and Vollmer will affect how they approach it, but they have a lot of flexibility.

 

[ATippett56]

Yeah we have over $10mil of dead cap coming off the books in 2013 and Mayo's cap value actually goes down (almost $4mil) next year. So we should have plenty of space to make moves. The health of Chung and Vollmer will affect how they approach it, but they have a lot of flexibility.

If Matt Light and Brian Water do not retire, the New England Patriots offensive draft priority may shift to running back, since BenJarvus Green-Ellis signed with the Cincinnati Bengals and Danny Woodhead will be an unrestricted free agent next year.

 

[supafly]

Yeah we have over $10mil of dead cap coming off the books in 2013 and Mayo's cap value actually goes down (almost $4mil) next year. So we should have plenty of space to make moves. The health of Chung and Vollmer will affect how they approach it, but they have a lot of flexibility.

However next year, the following players will be completely off the books in addition to Chung and Vollmer:

Matt Light - $8,000,000
Brian Waters - $2,250,000
Kyle Arrington - $2,150,000
Brian Hoyer - $1,926,750
Danny Woodhead - $1,499,788
Ron Brace - $1,345,120
Trevor Scott - $1,150,000
Josh Barrett - $1,133,120

Furthermore, the New England Patriots can hopefully minimize the dead cap hit carryover into the 2013 NFL Season.

Very good point. Thanks fellas.

 

[supafly]

If Matt Light and Brian Water do not retire, the New England Patriots offensive draft priority may shift to running back, since BenJarvus Green-Ellis signed with the Cincinnati Bengals and Danny Woodhead will be an unrestricted free agent next year.

You never know what can happen in the mid to later rounds. Anything's possible.

I think it's safe to assume that we won't leave the draft next month without ANY picks at all in rounds 5, 6, and 7; as I see Belichick trading down at some point for at least one/two picks in those rounds.

I wouldn't personally put RB at a priority myself, but Belichick certainly might.

I think with the RBBC system, we wouldn't necessarily need to use high round resources (rounds 1-3) on a RB during this particular year. I would think that some type of FA signing would be sufficient in this case, but if the right player falls you never know.

 

[ATippett56]

I think with the RBBC system, we wouldn't necessarily need to use high round resources (rounds 1-3) on a RB during this particular year. I would think that some type of FA signing would be sufficient in this case, but if the right player falls you never know.

I predict the New England Patriots will select a running back either in the third or fourth round, if the New England Patriots do not sign a running back in unrestricted free agency prior to the 2012 NFL Draft.