2021 Cap Space

[Uptown]

 

[holyredeemer]

Considering how many FA’s we have ourselves, it’s not a TON of money to play with. I know it’s the same story around the rest of the league but some the Pats guys sadly don’t have replacements on the roster if we don’t bring them back.

-Gonna be paying more for a QB next year.
-Guy is a FA.
-J.C. is going to get a solid bump in pay.
-Butler is a FA.
-White is a FA. We have a solid slate of RB’s but not a single one has proven to do what he can do.
-Andrews may not be perfect, but he has proven to be a very solid C and Capt. Someone is going to offer him some money.
-Justin Bethel too!
Next you have to think about the guys that took the year off and worry about them. Each of them for the most part is making a decent chunk of change. If they decide to come back, how’s the performance? A year off do good or poorly for them? You also have to think about the guys that could retire. The McCourty Bros, Slater, and again, all the starters that took the year off. If there is any year that Bill needs to be 100% on point, it’s this upcoming offseason. Every move has to be excellent if the organization wants to keep moving forward with a full rebuild.

 

[jmt57]

I'm not sure we need continuing reminders that the team failed to use their cap space on trading for a WR, NT or LB. I believe that we were a player away from being in the playoffs.

That cap space did not come about until Hightower, Cannon, Chung and all the others opted out of the 2020 season. By that time it was the end of July; free agency was virtually over, and the 31 other teams pretty much had their rosters set. When free agency began the Patriots had no cap space available.

 

[Sciz]

I'm not sure we need continuing reminders that the team failed to use their cap space on trading for a WR, NT or LB. I believe that we were a player away from being in the playoffs.

The cap room was created from opt outs that happened four months after the top free agents were signed.

 

[jmt57]

I keep hearing how the cap will go down to 175 around there but it wouldn’t shock me if it’s in the 190s.

Floor of $175, cap of $198 (plus whatever teams have available to rollover from 2020).

The estimate for 2021 had been $210 prior to the pandemic. The 2020 revenue drop should have resulted in the 2021 cap being just $130, but that kind of a drop would have created absolute chaos. The NFL and NFLPA agreed to make the adjustment over a three year period rather than in a single season.

While that makes adjustments a bit easier, there are still going to be a lot more cap casualties than usual across the league. The reason is that most teams construct contracts over three or four years based on the assumption the cap would continue to go up at about the same rate as it has over the last few years.

Agent's Take: Consequences of a lower 2021 salary cap, including the three teams who'll be hurt most

The reduced salary cap likely will produce a glut of free agents, as well as tag dilemmas involving Dak Prescott, others

www.cbssports.com

In my opinion there are going to be a lot of teams in far worse cap position than the Patriots, despite all the holes the Pats need to fill.

 

[Doctor DDS]

The Dolphins went into this past off season with a ton of cap space and completely rebuilt their team with a bunch of FA pickups. Pats are in a great spot to similarly re-make the team.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

That cap space did not come about until Hightower, Cannon, Chung and all the others opted out of the 2020 season. By that time it was the end of July; free agency was virtually over, and the 31 other teams pretty much had their rosters set. When free agency began the Patriots had no cap space available.

That's only half true. Belichick did have some cap room, but spent most of it on Thuney and McCourty. He also whiffed on Beau Allen, though I'm not sure if it was a "swing and a miss" (i.e., bad luck) or an Amari Darboh cluster (i.e., they should've known better).

 

[scott99]

I hope they draft a QB in the first round and sign a bridge QB in FA (shouldn’t cost the 20 mill spoken about in this thread). Then go after a decent WR and DT in FA. Can fill some major holes with decent cap space.


Rounds 2-5, draft ONLY EXPLOSIVE OFFENSIVE weapons, no slow pokes.

You can turn around this team pretty fast if they act wisely in FA & the draft. Unfortunately, I don’t have 100% confidence in our front office to do that.

 

[Guts]

I hope they draft a QB in the first round and sign a bridge QB in FA (shouldn’t cost the 20 mill spoken about in this thread). Then go after a decent WR and DT in FA. Can fill some major holes with decent cap space.


Rounds 2-5, draft ONLY EXPLOSIVE OFFENSIVE weapons, no slow pokes.

You can turn around this team pretty fast if they act wisely in FA & the draft. Unfortunately, I don’t have 100% confidence in our front office to do that.

A trade out of the first round where a stud QB/WR available only to draft a DB in the second is the most likely outcome.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

A trade out of the first round where a stud QB/WR available only to draft a DB in the second is the most likely outcome.

out of all those second round db’s, only Duggar is even remotely contributing! That is painful.

 

[scott99]

out of all those second round db’s, only Duggar is even remotely contributing! That is painful.

Well, not only is he contributing, he’s playing very well. I still didn’t like the trade, they passed up some better talent. But out of all of the horrible trade downs to only pick a DB, Dugger is the only one I liked. He’s a freak talent. We have some really good young talent on D. Winovich, Dugger, Uche, Jennings, and hopefully they resign Jackson & Butler.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Well, not only is he contributing, he’s playing very well. I still didn’t like the trade, they passed up some better talent. But out of all of the horrible trade downs to only pick a DB, Dugger is the only one I liked. He’s a freak talent. We have some really good young talent on D. Winovich, Dugger, Uche, Jennings, and hopefully they resign Jackson & Butler.

i do not see him playing well, but he is contributing.

 

[scott99]

i do not see him playing well, but he is contributing.

I know you’re one of the negative nellies of this board, but for a rookie coming from division II, he’s playing very well.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I know you’re one of the negative nellies of this board, but for a rookie coming from division II, he’s playing very well.

this is the nfl, there are no qualifiers allowed. Either you are contributing or you are not.
Duggar is playing, but that is about it, that is not negative, it is fact.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

this is the nfl, there are no qualifiers allowed. Either you are contributing or you are not.
Duggar is playing, but that is about it, that is not negative, it is fact.

No-one's opinion is a fact. Too funny.

You are arrogant, that is not negative, it is fact.

 

[Uptown]

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I am still shocked that newton was a pro bowl snub this year.

 

[Ring 6]

I'm not sure we need continuing reminders that the team failed to use their cap space on trading for a WR, NT or LB. I believe that we were a player away from being in the playoffs.

They didn’t have the cap space until no one was available.

 

[mgteich]

That cap space did not come about until Hightower, Cannon, Chung and all the others opted out of the 2020 season. By that time it was the end of July; free agency was virtually over, and the 31 other teams pretty much had their rosters set. When free agency began the Patriots had no cap space available.

Apparently, only the patriots are barred from acquiring players the week before and after the setting of the 53, as well as being barred from trading before the trade deadline.

 

[jmt57]

Apparently, only the patriots are barred from acquiring players the week before and after the setting of the 53, as well as being barred from trading before the trade deadline.

No, of course that is not the case.

It's just that at that point the number of game-changers are few and far between, unless you have an already very good team that is looking for one or two veteran rentals that will put you over the top.