What’s our cap space situation?

[maineman209]

I guess mathematics was never your strong suit. With Waddle inactive due to a knee injury, the Patriots were down to seven available offensive lineman on the roster.

Okay.

I've been willing to tolerate your ignorance about the realities of football, football players, cap space, roster-building, etc. and your arrogant attitude toward just about every other poster.

You insult me because you have no real facts or logical arguments to respond with, you're gone.

 

[ATippett56]

Okay.

I've been willing to tolerate your ignorance about the realities of football, football players, cap space, roster-building, etc. and your arrogant attitude toward just about every other poster.

You insult me because you have no real facts or logical arguments to respond with, you're gone.

Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I think Bennett and Dorsett are no-brainers to keep on their current deals. Allen and Harris are goners (if Harris couldn't break into this year's LB rotation, then clearly he does not belong in the NFL). Branch has gotta be a goner too: he's more than worth the cap savings if he's in 2016 form, but after this year I don't think can reasonably be assumed from him. Gillislee is a tougher call; it's hard to justify paying much of anything to a guy who was routinely a healthy scratch even when the RBs were banged up, but OTOH if they think he can be better next year there isn't much to be saved by cutting him.

All in all, it's a workable cap situation. Gotta figure a lot of that cap space will be going toward trying to get Solder re-signed, which might preclude signing Cooks to a market-rate long-term deal. I'm fine with that though, he was a good player this year but I don't think he's worth the numbers being thrown around for him, and if Cooks he ends up not sticking around long term I'm confident the team will be fine without him.

The big issue is that that doesn't leave a ton of space for upgrading the front seven, but with a combination of some draft picks and some of the young guys continuing to get better, and maybe a key veteran signing or two, that whole side of things could get much better.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Lemme guess, Belichick gets to be Stalin this time?

No question hes Stalin.

BB doghouse = gulags

 

[BradyFTW!]

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.

Personally I can't think of any good reason to keep Allen; he didn't demonstrate anything on the field to suggest he's better than a TE3, so cutting him outright before his bonus is due seems like the way to go. If he was a better player I could see paying a bit more to keep him around, but he was basically below replacement-level this year (replacement-level being Hollister).

 

[luuked]

Personally I can't think of any good reason to keep Allen; he didn't demonstrate anything on the field to suggest he's better than a TE3, so cutting him outright before his bonus is due seems like the way to go. If he was a better player I could see paying a bit more to keep him around, but he was basically below replacement-level this year (replacement-level being Hollister).

Among the best blocking TEs in the league, played well in his role, was directly responsible for 5-6 TDs either by taking coverage with him or opening up gaps. Was partly the reason Brady was not sacked or hit much more when we lost Cannon by staying in to protect a lot.

But he did nothing on the field. Do you guys even watch the games ? This is the same silliness with people who think Dorsett was a bust even though he did exactly what was asked of him in his role.

Whether this is worth the 5M to Josh and BB we will see but to suggest he did nothing is ignorant to the highest degree.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Among the best blocking TEs in the league, played well in his role, was directly responsible for 5-6 TDs either by taking coverage with him or opening up gaps. Was partly the reason Brady was not sacked or hit much more when we lost Cannon by staying in to protect a lot.

But he did nothing on the field. Do you guys even watch the games ? This is the same silliness with people who think Dorsett was a bust even though he did exactly what was asked of him in his role.

Whether this is worth the 5M to Josh and BB we will see but to suggest he did nothing is ignorant to the highest degree.

You know, next time you might want to read the full sentence you're quoting before you launch into some dumb rant about how ignorant other people are. Nobody said he did nothing on the field. What I did say is that he did nothing to establish himself as better than a TE3, aka a replacement-level tight end.

To be more specific: he's a good blocker (not amazing, but good) who is slow, unexplosive, and dropped about a third of the catchable balls thrown his way. If you think that skillset commands any kind of premium in the NFL, I dunno what to tell you- it's a replacement-level skill set. If he was actually good, your case for him wouldn't prominently feature the observation that when he runs routes the opposing defense has to cover him. It's pretty telling that you had to stretch that hard on his behalf.

 

[ATippett56]

No question hes Stalin.

BB doghouse = gulags

Malcolm Butler experienced the "gulag". Malcolm Butler will now experience permanent "exile".

 

[RobertWeathers]

Malcolm Butler experienced the "gulag". Malcolm Butler will now experience permanent "exile".

He got lucky since death is not an option

 

[GorBelSer]

Malcolm Butler experienced the "gulag". Malcolm Butler will now experience permanent "exile".

Lots of rainy days this time of year, he better be careful not to experience a poison-tip umbrella.

 

[luuked]

You know, next time you might want to read the full sentence you're quoting before you launch into some dumb rant about how ignorant other people are. Nobody said he did nothing on the field. What I did say is that he did nothing to establish himself as better than a TE3, aka a replacement-level tight end.

To be more specific: he's a good blocker (not amazing, but good) who is slow, unexplosive, and dropped about a third of the catchable balls thrown his way. If you think that skillset commands any kind of premium in the NFL, I dunno what to tell you- it's a replacement-level skill set. If he was actually good, your case for him wouldn't prominently feature the observation that when he runs routes the opposing defense has to cover him. It's pretty telling that you had to stretch that hard on his behalf.

He is a one of the best blockers in the league not just a good blocker. Otherwise we have to push players like Bennett or Eifert into the below average category which then requires a completely new designation for "TE" like Jimmy Graham who cant block at all.

He projects to get 20th highest salary out of TEs which is nowhere near a premium and is skewed by a ****ton of TEs being on rookie deals. 4-5m is approximately where most TEs on recent non-rookie contracts end up.

My case for him is his role in the offense where he by nature becomes one of the last options because of how stacked that offense is. His ceiling from when he was signed was at best around 25 catches and about 220-250 yards. An excellent blocking TE like him is more valuable to a team that has Cooks, Gronk, (Edelman), Hogan, Lewis, White, Amendola, Dorsett and Burkhead as well. We dont need another receiving option but someone flexible who can create mismatches by alignment or motion. Do you think it is a conincidence that it was Allen who was motioned across so often ?

Again, whether this is worth 5M to the team we will know in about a month but to suggest he was a replacement level player who by your own words was less valuable on the field than Hollister is ******ed:

If he was a better player I could see paying a bit more to keep him around, but he was basically below replacement-level this year (replacement-level being Hollister).

 

[patsbrasilpatriotas]

Personally I can't think of any good reason to keep Allen; he didn't demonstrate anything on the field to suggest he's better than a TE3, so cutting him outright before his bonus is due seems like the way to go. If he was a better player I could see paying a bit more to keep him around, but he was basically below replacement-level this year (replacement-level being Hollister).

1. He has 0 gtd money
2. He can lower his cap to 1.3m - that's good value for a fantastic blocking TE.
3. We need: ED, 2 LB's. SS, CB2 and a big RB.

So if we cut him. We will have another need .

 

[ohiopatsfan]

I think Branch and Harris are the first obvious cap space cuts. The situation at TE is still in a state of flux. Will Gronk leave (I don't think so)? Will Bennett retire or will he be willing to renegotiate his contract? Is Allen worth keeping at his current cap hit? These questions will be answered over the next few weeks. At RB, will either, or both, Lewis and Burkhead leave in FA? Their status will determine if Gillislee is a keeper.

 

[mgteich]

Easy-peasy. Happens every draft right?

yup, that was my point

I think it more likely that we sign another top starter, or have Rowe as our starter.

 

[mgteich]

The decisions that need to be decided first are those involving bonus payments. We need a list.

I think Branch and Harris are the first obvious cap space cuts. The situation at TE is still in a state of flux. Will Gronk leave (I don't think so)? Will Bennett retire or will he be willing to renegotiate his contract? Is Allen worth keeping at his current cap hit? These questions will be answered over the next few weeks. At RB, will either, or both, Lewis and Burkhead leave in FA? Their status will determine if Gillislee is a keeper.

 

[maineman209]

You know, next time you might want to read the full sentence you're quoting before you launch into some dumb rant about how ignorant other people are. Nobody said he did nothing on the field. What I did say is that he did nothing to establish himself as better than a TE3, aka a replacement-level tight end.

To be more specific: he's a good blocker (not amazing, but good) who is slow, unexplosive, and dropped about a third of the catchable balls thrown his way. If you think that skillset commands any kind of premium in the NFL, I dunno what to tell you- it's a replacement-level skill set. If he was actually good, your case for him wouldn't prominently feature the observation that when he runs routes the opposing defense has to cover him. It's pretty telling that you had to stretch that hard on his behalf.

I disagree that Allen was "below" Hollister as a "replacement level TE". Hollister's route-running/receiving wasn't as "good" as even Allens', and Hollister's blocking wasn't even in the same zipcode. The Pats blocking schemes, line calls and verbiage seem pretty difficult to grasp, but Allen, in half a season, appeared to have mastered them at least as well as Hooman had. I don't think that ability is all that easy to replace.

Of course, Allen's blocking accomplishments are overshadowed by the disappointment many feel about Allen's "failure" (so far) to become as productive a receiver in the Pats system as he was in Indy.

While I agree that Allen's $5M cap hit seems a bit dear for what he's contributed overall to date, unless there's near zero possibility that he can improve his receiving over the off-season, I think the Pats would probably try to keep him - hopefully with a cap-charge reduction, but possibly even without.

 

[maineman209]

The decisions that need to be decided first are those involving bonus payments. We need a list.

As far as I've been able to find on overthecap, it's only Bennett ($2M) and Branch ($1M), both due on the first day of the new league year (March 14th, AFAIK).

 

[Spiral]

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

For everyone who suggested that we should hang on to Jimmy G, then franchise him, the franchise number for QB's is $23M+. The Patriots would have to clear that much room before franchising him. At that point, you can forget about retaining just about any of the unrestricted free agents.

 

[Ivan]

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.

I think Brissett is a good kid but I don’t think he’ll ever be much better than he was this year. I want them to go QB early this draft.

 

[upstater1]

I think Brissett is a good kid but I don’t think he’ll ever be much better than he was this year. I want them to go QB early this draft.

The QB that will help the Patriots isn't there this year unfortunately.

Mason Rudolph is kind of a Rick Mallet type. Unless by some miracle Lamar Jackson lasts to the end of the 2nd round, the Patriots will not be finding a starting level QB. Maybe a Luke Falk type, possibly.

But I don't see any of the top 4 QBs leaving the first round.

That leaves Rudolph and Jackson. I'm leary of Rudolph, and would not take Jackson prior to the end of the 2nd.

Either way, I don't see the Patriots finding Brady's successor here.

Look into Kaepernick ;^)