What’s our cap space situation?

[supafly]

Miguel is fantastic. If we restructure both (Allen and Bennet) that cap will increase $6,500,000. I would rather keep both of them and use all our draft capital on D.

I think people may be surprised at the idea of some of our picks being spent on the offensive side of the ball. We may have needs at OT, TE, and quite possibly QB considering the fact that it takes at least a couple of seasons to groom the hopeful replacement.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

I like Dorsett, but...

Why did we trade Brissett?

We knew things were coming to a head with Jimmy G.

We could sure use Brissett right now... one less position to worry about in the draft.

Because we thought we had adequate depth at the 'sett position, and perceived a need for depth at the Malco(l)m position and the
Brand(e/I/o)n position.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

(translation: we were all 'sett.)

 

[upstater1]

He was traded because he had no future as his "skillset" does not fit this team at all. Instead we got Cooks insurance which manifested itself in the SB when despite Cooks going out we could still use the same type of playcalls with Dorsett running the route.

Did not fit this team at all? He was drafted with plenty of gametape.

 

[luuked]

Did not fit this team at all? He was drafted with plenty of gametape.

And then he was here for two offseasons, the coaches had a deep look at him and he got traded before the cut deadline to the Colts for a WR4/5. He cant process reads quick enough and his release is too slow to be effective in our offense.

 

[mgteich]

Obviously, a lot depends on which TE's are on the roster when draft time comes., and whether we re-sign Solder.

I would note that RB is also a question mark unless both Burkhead and Lewis are re-signed.

I think people may be surprised at the idea of some of our picks being spent on the offensive side of the ball. We may have needs at OT, TE, and quite possibly QB considering the fact that it takes at least a couple of seasons to groom the hopeful replacement.

 

[Tony2046]

Yes, no one would ever want to come to Foxborough to play in the annual Tom Brady invitational for the greatest coach in the history of the game.

Why even reply to that obviously trolling bs?

 

[Tony2046]

To me he is among the most interesting stories next summer. I think he is not much slower than Cooks but considerably more elusive in space. If he can put it all together and make Brady actually throw to him he could get Cooks' contract in 2019 because he is more versatile and most probably cheaper.

I don't think it is very probable but the potential is there.

I always thought he looked faster on film than Cooks. (That's no knock on Cooks)

But maybe I've confused being quicker in space to being faster.

Interesting point Luuked. Anyways I'd really like to see him back for a full season to see what he can do.

 

[supafly]

Why even reply to that obviously trolling bs?

I can’t quite get a full read on that dude. Sometimes he seems to be okay, and other times he seems to be here for sheer basement dwelling troll-level excitement.

Also, I’ve noticed lately that some have been what I deem as way too harsh towards the greatest coach of all time, so I didn’t want to see that narrative continue, no matter what the intent was. Sometimes, bad ideas spread like wildfire, particularly around here.

 

[luuked]

I always thought he looked faster on film than Cooks. (That's no knock on Cooks)

But maybe I've confused being quicker in space to being faster.

Looking at mockdraftable they are both 4.33 guys with generally the same numbers. Up until now I actually never had looked at those numbers. Based on film I thought that Dorsett was slightly slower in terms of straight line speed than Cooks but maybe that is not true.

Either way Dorsett looked more natural and elusive when given the ball in space the 2-3 times it happened this season. Fingers crossed that he can work himself up in that circle of trust with Brady. But there really is a logjam of players ahead of him on offense.

 

[maineman209]

Why did we trade Brissett?

Timing.

The trade happened after it was clear that Edelman and (likely) Mitchell would be going to IR, and just before the start of the regular season. The Pats had Cooks, Hogan and Amendola healthy and had an immediate need for a #4 with NFL experience and upside who'd also not be expensive.

Filling that roster hole represented greater value to the team for 2017 than retaining Brissett as a third QB.

Dorsett may not have been the Pats only option to trade for, but it was the first one they tried, apparently - possibly because they didn't have any extra 2018 draft picks to give in a trade.

 

[maineman209]

Branch, Harris, McClellin, Bennett out. Maybe Gillislee. Restructure Allen. Maybe dont resign Slater, he is 33 in September. But above everything else - SEVER ALL TIES WITH RICHARDS AND ROBERTS. I am on the verge of a nervous breakdown when I see either of them on the field, let alone both at the same time.

Branch and Harris both ended up been regularly-inactive reserves, and they have no upside left at their ages. Cutting them saves about $4.4M net and creates no significant roster holes.

McClellin's health is a major question mark since, aside from rumor and speculation, we have no information on what his injury was. If he's cut or retires (due to injury), it saves about $1.8M in cap space. Even if he's retained, his roster spot wouldn't be guaranteed with Van Noy, Hightower, Roberts and Marquis Flowers (if re-signed) all competing with him for roster spots in a defense that doesn't use even three LBs all that often anymore.

Yes, I'm including Roberts. In his 2nd NFL season, his play did improve, even if most "fans" weren't willing to notice. He and Richards are under contract cheaply. Cutting them saves very little in cap space - the combined amount being less than losing McClellin would save - and cutting them arbitrarily and pre-emptively simply creates two more roster holes with no guarantee whatsoever that even adequate replacements can be signed and trained before the end of Camp.

The same pretty much applies to Gillislee, especially while the possibility remains that both Lewis and Burkhead may go elsewhere in FA. If that happens and Gillislee is already cut, then the Pats have THREE holes to fill at RB.

When you have players who have significant experience in the system who can play ST and/or be at least adequate deep reserves, and those players are under contract cheaply, there's no logic to shedding them and creating those additional roster holes until upgrades are already in hand and under contract. Which may not happen until the end of Camp.

 

[Snooky97]

I think Miguel worked out we could have 25-35m cap space, with cuts and a possible Brady reconstruction

 

[maineman209]

I think Miguel worked out we could have 25-35m cap space, with cuts and a possible Brady reconstruction

IIRC, that $25M-$35M included potential extension-based restructurings for both Brady and McCourty and was pretty much the maximum reasonable estimate.

 

[luuked]

Yes, I'm including Roberts. In his 2nd NFL season, his play did improve, even if most "fans" weren't willing to notice. He and Richards are under contract cheaply.

I feel like we all have been over this so many times. Roberts is not a bad player but someone who has a very specific skillset that makes him vulnerable to being picked on if the other team can design plays around him. What needs to happen for him is his snap count has to drop from about 50% into a 15-20% range where he is mostly used in specific sub packages. As long as he is on a rookie contract that role is perfectly fine.

That being said it would be nice if we could add him onto more ST units to bolster the value of his roster spot otherwise he will end up being one of those verge players that are part of the shadow roster. He played only about 12% ST snaps this year. Of course this could have been a function of his increased regular D role.

 

[maineman209]

I feel like we all have been over this so many times. Roberts is not a bad player but someone who has a very specific skillset that makes him vulnerable to being picked on if the other team can design plays around him. What needs to happen for him is his snap count has to drop from about 50% into a 15-20% range where he is mostly used in specific sub packages. As long as he is on a rookie contract that role is perfectly fine.

That being said it would be nice if we could add him onto more ST units to bolster the value of his roster spot otherwise he will end up being one of those verge players that are part of the shadow roster. He played only about 12% ST snaps this year. Of course this could have been a function of his increased regular D role.

From my perspective what Roberts is at the end of 2017 (only his second NFL season), is a better player than he was at the start of 2017, and a much better player than he was in his rookie season (just last year).

What he may be by the start of the 2018 season is beyond knowing. That's not necessarily going to be what he is in our current snapshot.

 

[luuked]

From my perspective what Roberts is at the end of 2017 (only his second NFL season), is a better player than he was at the start of 2017, and a much better player than he was in his rookie season (just last year).

What he may be by the start of the 2018 season is beyond knowing. That's not necessarily going to be what he is in our current snapshot.

He improved in coverage which takes some time as we have seen with great players like Shazier (who needed 2 years to be competent at that on NFL level).

Where he did not really improve is being baited into attacking the wrong gap or into a block thereby opening up running lanes. If he reads something correctly he makes plays behind the LOS but when was the last time you saw him do that ? Other teams know about his tendencies and are exploiting him regularly.

 

[MSPatsFan28]

Just wanted to mention, Miguel does not believe McClellin will be cut due to a clause in the CBA about injury protection. Thus 50% of his P5 salary would be guaranteed. He would not be able to be cut until he gained medical clearance.

 

[maineman209]

He improved in coverage which takes some time as we have seen with great players like Shazier (who needed 2 years to be competent at that on NFL level).

Where he did not really improve is being baited into attacking the wrong gap or into a block thereby opening up running lanes. If he reads something correctly he makes plays behind the LOS but when was the last time you saw him do that ? Other teams know about his tendencies and are exploiting him regularly.

Roberts' gap discipline is still inconsistent, and he still overruns some plays - but it was much less consistently bad in the last half of the season. There were numerous times that I saw him being baited when he didn't take it, although I expected him to.

Again, second-year player with suddenly twice as many opportunities to eff-up, while playing behind a DL that was far less experienced than the 2016 DL and certainly more shaky, especially on the edges.

 

[mgteich]

fair, after ALL the restructurings

We do then need to consider the cost of our free agents on offense, especially Burkhead, Lewis, Amendola and SOLDER. IMHO, there are lots and lots of reasons to believe that Solder will be extended and paid. Also, as a low coster, we will need re-sign Fleming and/or Waddle.

There will be room to spend on defense (including almost all the high draft choices). However, I expect that we will have at least one signing in the defensive backfield, probably 2 corners and a safety for camp.

Yes we need linebackers. We also need to understand what we can get out the injured: Hightower, McClellan, Rivers and Langi.

IIRC, that $25M-$35M included potential extension-based restructurings for both Brady and McCourty and was pretty much the maximum reasonable estimate.