What To Do With Our Leftover Cap Money? ($12.6 Million Available)

[MrBigglesWorth]

Looking at that list, lets trim some of the fat...
JAGs (Just Another Guy) - Davis, Evans, Pass, Alexander
- can easily be replaced at veteran minimum by players of similar skill

Under contract control -Gay, Wright
- I believe the Pats have the first opportunity to sign these players because of their lack of tenure
- even if they are not under control they can be replaced

If Healthy - Koppen, Graham
- if they can prove they are healthy I like both these players but only for value, a 2nd TE and Center are not expensive positions
- still if the numbers work it would wise for the Pats to sign them as it is often better to go with the devil you know versus the devil you don't

Unknown - Gabriel, Bunta-Cain
- if Gabriel is on his last year and seems to click with Brady, worth approaching for an extension
- Bunta-Cain, too early to tell, at this point he looks replaceable but may sign for cheap $$ and could be worth it as he knows the system and can play special teams

Seasoned Starter - Samuels
- out of this group I would sign Samuels first, not because he is the best corner in the league but because corner is an expensive position and if he can be locked up it solidifies the position for the next couple of years
- ideally top end skill is brought in via FA (Nate Clements - Buffalo) or via the draft to push the talent level into one of the leagues best. A trio of Clements, Hobbs and Samuels would look pretty sweet

If Gabriel, Samuels, Koppen and Graham are under contract it dramatically reduces the number of holes that need filling next year. If they are not signed then we need to replace a starting corner, starting center, top WR, 2nd TE as well as find ways to improve Inside LB, Outside LB, add youth to SS and make any other upgrades.

Thinking as I type, signing Samuel, Koppen, Gabriel as a minimum would put the team in great position to develop a solid young base while adding more youth and playmakers through next years draft.

good analysis

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

I think if we extend or give any players raises before week 10, they count towards this year's cap. After week 10, they are averaged out over the life of the deal. After the regular season, they hit the 2007 cap number. Is that right?

If we were to use any of the money, we need to do it in the next 9 weeks.

.

maybe that's why they decided to get on with life

 

[maverick4]

can we start talking about the 30th and the 32nd pick?

I'm not sure I understand what you're insinuating. This is a pressing, current issue, as we have a boatload of cash left for THIS year. I think it would be silly not to spend to the cap, frontload a few players right now, to help us out for next year.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Ther are a lot of big sales coming up on Columbus Day.

 

[DaBruinz]

Re: What To Do With Our Leftover Cap$$ Money Now?

The Branch trade is a blessing for our team, cap-wise. We got a #1 pick who we can sign cheap so we didn't lose value, and now we have money to extend some of our younger guys.

From Miguel's page, young players whose contracts end after this year:
Dan Koppen
Daniel Graham
Asante Samuel
Doug Gabriel (I thought we had him cheap for 2 years, not 1?)
Tully Banta Cain
Randall Gay
Mike Wright
Heath Evans
Don Davis
Patrick Pass
Eric Alexander

Don Davis is not young.
Mike Wright is an ERFA.
Randall Gay will be an RFA.
Bam Childress is an ERFA.
Evans needs to prove that he's worth re-signing.

Lets not forget that the Patriots have to pay out 6.66 million to Seymour Between now and the end of the year. Whether its done as a roster bonus (all at once) or a signing bonus (amortized) the Patriots have to keep that money free. The extra 5 million could easily be used to give contracts to Koppen, Samuel, and Graham.

 

[BigT815]

Re: What To Do With Our Leftover Cap$$ Money Now?

I think Graham is one that they will look at to resign/extend. He is a good blocking TE with decent hands. Of anyone on this list RIGHT NOW, I would think he would be at the top.

 

[maverick4]

Re: What To Do With Our Leftover Cap$$ Money Now?

I think Graham is one that they will look at to resign/extend. He is a good blocking TE with decent hands. Of anyone on this list RIGHT NOW, I would think he would be at the top.

Yeah two months ago I was a big advocate for trading Graham and re-signing Branch, but now that Branch is traded for a #1 pick, and we have a boatload of cash left, I wouldn't mind having Grahambo around for another few years.

.

 

[fgssand]

Re: What To Do With Our Leftover Cap$$ Money Now?

Don Davis is not young.
Mike Wright is an ERFA.
Randall Gay will be an RFA.
Bam Childress is an ERFA.
Evans needs to prove that he's worth re-signing.

Lets not forget that the Patriots have to pay out 6.66 million to Seymour Between now and the end of the year. Whether its done as a roster bonus (all at once) or a signing bonus (amortized) the Patriots have to keep that money free. The extra 5 million could easily be used to give contracts to Koppen, Samuel, and Graham.

No intent to question or doubt....so much mis-information coming from all angles....Can anyone CONFIRM that 6.6MM must be kept liquid to resolve RS's contract?

I think NE needs a PR boost now as the old "cheap" card is certainly being overused by Patriot haters.

I look for and I really hope to see deals for Samuels, Koppen and Graham very soon. Then some extensions would also be in order as spending to the cap is a must and quickly at that methinks.

Kraft needs to do something very soon IMHO to shut some people up.

 

[captain stone]

Re: What To Do With Our Leftover Cap$$ Money Now?

No intent to question or doubt....so much mis-information coming from all angles....Can anyone CONFIRM that 6.6MM must be kept liquid to resolve RS's contract?

I think NE needs a PR boost now as the old "cheap" card is certainly being overused by Patriot haters.

I look for and I really hope to see deals for Samuels, Koppen and Graham very soon. Then some extensions would also be in order as spending to the cap is a must and quickly at that methinks.

Kraft needs to do something very soon IMHO to shut some people up.

I agree with your hope for extensions as a PR boost; I'd also like to see more of our young core locked up. However, BB has cared less than nothing about PR; in fact, he would rather allow unfounded speculation about a player's ability/willingness to recover from injury, than set the record straight and provide a reasonable timetable for a return.

BB/SP have placed their reputations on the line; anything less than a SB victory will be viewed as an indictment of their modus operandi. And any significant leftover cap $$, without a SB victory, will be viewed as resources wasted. There's still time to maximize those resources, though; not as much time as yesterday, but more than tomorrow.

 

[maverick4]

Re: What To Do With Our Leftover Cap$$ Money Now?

Kraft needs to do something very soon IMHO to shut some people up.

Not only to get fans to shut up, but also to keep the players from destroying the locker room. Can you imagine playing on the Pats and knowing they left 12.6 Million on the table this year?

 

[BelichickFan]

Re: What To Do With Our Leftover Cap$$ Money Now?

No intent to question or doubt....so much mis-information coming from all angles....Can anyone CONFIRM that 6.6MM must be kept liquid to resolve RS's contract?

I think NE needs a PR boost now as the old "cheap" card is certainly being overused by Patriot haters.

I look for and I really hope to see deals for Samuels, Koppen and Graham very soon. Then some extensions would also be in order as spending to the cap is a must and quickly at that methinks.

Kraft needs to do something very soon IMHO to shut some people up.

Unfortunately no-one wants to take the money. And the 2007 FA group may see themselves as close enough to the jackpot to wait it out.

If they don't want the money I'd look to extend some other contracts who are further away. Wilfork, Warren, Watson, give them some money several years early to tie them up. I'd also target Hobbs even through he's several years away, we could probably get two cheap years at the end by giving him a few million now, as a 3rd round pick he's not making much for a while.

Bottom line, I'd extend whoever's willing to take the money but that may not be the Samuel, Koppen, Graham group.

 

[maverick4]

Re: What To Do With Our Leftover Cap$$ Money Now?

Unfortunately no-one wants to take the money. And the 2007 FA group may see themselves as close enough to the jackpot to wait it out.

If they don't want the money I'd look to extend some other contracts who are further away. Wilfork, Warren, Watson, give them some money several years early to tie them up. I'd also target Hobbs even through he's several years away, we could probably get two cheap years at the end by giving him a few million now, as a 3rd round pick he's not making much for a while.

Bottom line, I'd extend whoever's willing to take the money but that may not be the Samuel, Koppen, Graham group.

Interesting - some players don't want the money! If Samuel and Graham won't re-up, I wouldn't mind throwing some early cash at Wilfork and Warren. We absolutely need to spend the money though. I am less worried about the fans than I am about what the players will think knowing that the Pats left all that money unspent.

.

 

[mgteich]

Re: What To Do With Our Leftover Cap$$ Money Now?

The $6.6M does not have to paid this year. If it is, it can count against the 2006 cap or it can be spread out over the life of the contract, depending on how the payment is structured. Even more cna be given to Seymour by converted some of next year's bonus to this year's salary.

No intent to question or doubt....so much mis-information coming from all angles....Can anyone CONFIRM that 6.6MM must be kept liquid to resolve RS's contract?

I think NE needs a PR boost now as the old "cheap" card is certainly being overused by Patriot haters.

I look for and I really hope to see deals for Samuels, Koppen and Graham very soon. Then some extensions would also be in order as spending to the cap is a must and quickly at that methinks.

Kraft needs to do something very soon IMHO to shut some people up.

 

[mgteich]

I suspect that extensions will be discussed and decisions made during the bye week. My understanding is that the transactions don't need to be reported until the week before Week 9 and 10.