Reminder: Pats Had $28.5M in Dead Cap Money in April.... then 8 Key Players Opted Out (Rebuild Year)

[DropKickFlutie]

Always knew this season was a rebuild given the dead cap money and 8 covid opt outs. Enjoyed seeing them not bounced from playoff chance till the holidays. We have to go DLine in the draft, we couldn't stop the run all year

 

[DropKickFlutie]

I've seen posts that the Pats have 175M in cap room next year or 69M in cap room. Which is it? Is it 175M if we basically don't re-sign anyone whose contract is up?

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[Lagaffe_07]

I've seen posts that the Pats have 175M in cap room next year or 69M in cap room. Which is it? Is it 175M if we basically don't re-sign anyone whose contract is up?

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We are projected around 70M. But with a lot of our own free agent. If you go with a competent veteran QB you can substract at least 20M but you can get money back with trading Gilmore.

 

[Ollie]

With a combination of resetting financially and also corona restrictions and opt outs it was always going to be a year that we had to endure rather than enjoy. If we can add quality to the front seven and find a decent qb and at least one top draw receiver then we will be ok next year. It's a big if and a lot to do in one season but there is youth and potential at LB and TE already so there is hope. If we were in this position without the cap space i would be much more worried.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

And the winner in Tom Brady-Bill Belichick divorce is: the QB

It’s time to declare a winner in the divorce between Bill Belichick and Tom Brady

www.boston.com

This article is absolutely ridiculous when we all knew it would be a rebuild year. A lot of media and fans were saying a 4-12 season.


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[sb1]

And the winner in Tom Brady-Bill Belichick divorce is: the QB

It’s time to declare a winner in the divorce between Bill Belichick and Tom Brady

www.boston.com

This article is absolutely ridiculous when we all knew it would be a rebuild year. A lot of media and fans were saying a 4-12 season.


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Now the Patriots will have nothing to play for during the final two games. Belichick has indicated he will stick with Newton at quarterback rather than give 2019 fourth-round pick Jarrett Stidham a tryout.

Has he actually said Cam is the starter for the last two games? Can't find this quote anywhere.

 

[sb1]

We are projected around 70M. But with a lot of our own free agent. If you go with a competent veteran QB you can substract at least 20M but you can get money back with trading Gilmore.

2021 NFL QB Free Agents Tracker | Spotrac

Nobody on this list will be paid anything close to 20M except Dak and I doubt he leaves the Cowboys.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Mailbag: Will the Patriots Finally Spend in Free Agency?

After a down season, the Patriots may have to change their roster-building philosophy.

www.si.com

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Now the Patriots will have nothing to play for during the final two games. Belichick has indicated he will stick with Newton at quarterback rather than give 2019 fourth-round pick Jarrett Stidham a tryout.

Has he actually said Cam is the starter for the last two games? Can't find this quote anywhere.

I think what's tough is once you make a move there's no going back. The locker room really likes Cam. Giving Stidham a game or two, you can't go back and forth on QBs. Stidham I think only plays if they're up or down big in a game.

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[mgteich]

THOUGHTS DECISIONS AFTER THE OPT-OUITS

1) By mid-August, Belichick knew that we had lost Hightower and the others for the season.

2) No one knew how many games would be played this year, and whether it would even resemble a season.

3) Belichick CHOSE not to sign or trade for one or more of the following: NT, LB, WR and TE. And before it's asked, I don't know who could have been acquired between mid-August and the trade deadline. It seems a HUGE stretch to believe that we couldn't have acquired help at any of these positions, especially in the front 7. We were close to the playoffs, even with all that happened. A couple of more players likely would have increased the likelihood of being in the playoffs. Perhaps, we would have matched last year's perfectly awful 12-4 season which easily could have been 13-3.

I well understand that this isn't enough for some of our posters, Unless we are favorites to be in the Super Bowl, we should just tear it down and rebuild.

4) Cap money was available. In addition to the available $20M (some had to be kept for the season). Gilmore could have been restructured or extended (even if the idea was to trade him later). We could have trade for players and redid their contract.

BOTTOM LINE
Belichick decided to try to win every game with what he had. He CHOSE not sign or trade additional players, or restructure or extend a player or two. Belichick CHOSE to have more money available for 2021. Folks can certainly disagree with his choices. Folks can also understand that these were reasonable choices.

We are at 2000, ready to start again. We had fine teams in the 70's. We went to Super Bowl in the 80's, and in the 90's. The franchise team was team that lasted for 2 full decades.

Folks who expect a repeat of 2000-2019, should consider moving on to another team. They will be disappointed. The patriots will NOT have the best QB of all time playing for them in now or in the future.

AN AFTERTHOUGHT
This year's team was a player or two away from the playoffs, We might even have been in the playoffs without COVID, if there were no opt-outs.
Players will retire. Players will be cut. Players will get better. There are TWO actions that the team will take: secure 2 quarterbacks, and reload every year. This team does NOT plan to tear everything down to get the one big shot at the SB, knowing that they will then have 5 years of mediocrity because of cap decisions made. That is not the patriot way.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

THOUGHTS DECISIONS AFTER THE OPT-OUITS

1) By mid-August, Belichick knew that we had lost Hightower and the others for the season.

2) No one knew how many games would be played this year, and whether it would even resemble a season.

3) Belichick CHOSE not to sign or trade for one or more of the following: NT, LB, WR and TE. And before it's asked, I don't know who could have been acquired between mid-August and the trade deadline. It seems a HUGE stretch to believe that we couldn't have acquired help at any of these positions, especially in the front 7. We were close to the playoffs, even with all that happened. A couple of more players likely would have increased the likelihood of being in the playoffs. Perhaps, we would have matched last year's perfectly awful 12-4 season which easily could have been 13-3.

I well understand that this isn't enough for some of our posters, Unless we are favorites to be in the Super Bowl, we should just tear it down and rebuild.

4) Cap money was available. In addition to the available $20M (some had to be kept for the season). Gilmore could have been restructured or extended (even if the idea was to trade him later). We could have trade for players and redid their contract.

BOTTOM LINE
Belichick decided to try to win every game with what he had. He CHOSE not sign or trade additional players, or restructure or extend a player or two. Belichick CHOSE to have more money available for 2021. Folks can certainly disagree with his choices. Folks can also understand that these were reasonable choices.

We are at 2000, ready to start again. We had fine teams in the 70's. We went to Super Bowl in the 80's, and in the 90's. The franchise team was team that lasted for 2 full decades.

Folks who expect a repeat of 2000-2019, should consider moving on to another team. They will be disappointed. The patriots will NOT have the best QB of all time playing for them in now or in the future.

AN AFTERTHOUGHT
This year's team was a player or two away from the playoffs, We might even have been in the playoffs without COVID, if there were no opt-outs.
Players will retire. Players will be cut. Players will get better. There are TWO actions that the team will take: secure 2 quarterbacks, and reload every year. This team does NOT plan to tear everything down to get the one big shot at the SB, knowing that they will then have 5 years of mediocrity because of cap decisions made. That is not the patriot way.

And by doing so we've developed several young players this year with potential, getting them good snaps and experience, setting a foundation for the future. Just like in 2000.


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[mgteich]

And by doing so we've developed several young players this year with potential, getting them good snaps and experience, setting a foundation for the future. Just like in 2000.


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I strongly disagree that franchise would have been worse off going 10-6 or 11-5 after do its normal of acquiring players near the 53 man deadline and the trade deadline. I understand than some posters would prefer to lose games and develop youngsters, unless our team is a favorite to win the conference and SB.

 

[FCB02062]

for all the opt out people...how many of the opt outs were from the last 3 draft classes - you know, players who should be contributing NOW....not sitting on IR, not taking "red shirt" years, not only playing special teams....
Point is if bill the GMs drafts weren't loaded with players who can't play the opt outs wouldn't have had the effect that the opt out people claim

 

[RobertWeathers]

for all the opt out people...how many of the opt outs were from the last 3 draft classes - you know, players who should be contributing NOW....not sitting on IR, not taking "red shirt" years, not only playing special teams....
Point is if bill the GMs drafts weren't loaded with players who can't play the opt outs wouldn't have had the effect that the opt out people claim

Thats what happens when you pick last every year and have picks taken away.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

I strongly disagree that franchise would have been worse off going 10-6 or 11-5 after do its normal of acquiring players near the 53 man deadline and the trade deadline. I understand than some posters would prefer to lose games and develop youngsters, unless our team is a favorite to win the conference and SB.

I hear you. I'm all for trying to win every single game. But as you note, the team chose to go with the guys they had. And this year as a result a lot of young guys have gotten a lot of snaps.

 

[Dr Pain]

What happened to the Patriots’ salary cap space?

At $1.75 million, the Pats rank second to last in the NFL in available cap space.

www.bostonherald.com

This article does a nice job summarizing. Tom Brady leaving (he chose to leave, he put up his house on the market in Aug'18), and Brady's original cap hits all accelerated to hit the Pats with $14M in dead money at once. Cutting AB (thanks Kraft) and several others also created dead money. They only had $1M to sign Cam at the time remember. Then later that summer a crazy high 8 players in the covid-19 opt-out left including Hightower, Chung, Cannon. So anyways this was always going to be a rebuilding year to clean the cap and set up for a strong 2021.

Just putting this all in perspective. Some need to chill out the same way it was unfair to pile on when Tom Brady completely didn't realize it was 4th down.

To be honest I don't think it would be much of a difference if Brady was here this year. OK perhaps they get a wildcard but would be one and done like last year. I am absolutely fine with this year and liked that new players got a chance to shine. Was a lost year no matter what, Brady no Brady, Covid/no Covid

 

[DropKickFlutie]

To be honest I don't think it would be much of a difference if Brady was here this year. OK perhaps they get a wildcard but would be one and done like last year. I am absolutely fine with this year and liked that new players got a chance to shine. Was a lost year no matter what, Brady no Brady, Covid/no Covid

I agree. This team gave up 257 rushing yards last game and multiple other games.
This team wouldn't make the playoffs with Brady. Brady chose to go to a team loaded with all stars to continue making his stats look good.

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[mgteich]

To be honest I don't think it would be much of a difference if Brady was here this year. OK perhaps they get a wildcard but would be one and done like last year. I am absolutely fine with this year and liked that new players got a chance to shine. Was a lost year no matter what, Brady no Brady, Covid/no Covid

We all have different views.

Some of us have goals of
division
playoffs
playoff win
AFC championship and
Super Bowl

with the staff always planning to give a team at least competitive for the playoffs.

For me, that is the patriot way. It mean a lot to me that we have tied for the division win or for the wildcard spot every year since 2001. It means something that we won 10 game in so many seasons in a row. It would mean LESS if we just gave up on seasons where we weren't really competitive for the Super Bowl and figured to have little chance of being in the Championship Game.

Some see the first three goals as worthless.
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[RobertWeathers]

I agree. This team gave up 257 rushing yards last game and multiple other games.
This team wouldn't make the playoffs with Brady. Brady chose to go to a team loaded with all stars to continue making his stats look good.

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...and get paid & away the hell from Bill.

 

[Ring 6]

I've seen posts that the Pats have 175M in cap room next year or 69M in cap room. Which is it? Is it 175M if we basically don't re-sign anyone whose contract is up?

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175 mill is the whole cap number projection I believe