Jake Bailey's Cap Hit

[bresna]

Great punter, wish we had tried to draft one though.

They did... In the 5th round of the 2019 draft. He turned out to be an All Pro punter.

 

[BTTA]

Ok, but what if he finds a 75% as good punter for 25% of the price????

at some point the cba prices him out of retainability. i think this year still works for an extension but next year

He's not exorbitant @$4M for this year. Then he's a FA. He'll get signed to something a bit lower than that, for several years, and it will be a good contract for him and the team.

If not, he goes to free agency, he'll get $4M for a few years from a team that wants to instantly upgrade its punting and kickoffs. Then the Pats would be free to get a punter for $1M a year who averages 30 yards a kick and screws up a couple more kickoffs each year, as you suggest.

 

[Family]

When the Pats actually need the money, they will give him an extension. They tend to do deals like that early in camp and not really before unless absolutely necessary.

They sort of do need the money. They are even unable to sign their draft picks.

 

[borisman]

When the Pats actually need the money, they will give him an extension. They tend to do deals like that early in camp and not really before unless absolutely necessary.

I have yet to read through the rest of this thread but the way I understand it is that the Pats don't have enough money to sign the rest of the draft picks. I think I saw this on one of Miguel's tweets last week. I also mentioned Jake Bailey in a reply to his tweet but he didn't respond. He's good at answering questions but must not have seen mine.

 

[mgteich]

There are still a bunch of great free agents (ie: Tres Flowers) that could really help our team. To me this would be as good of a reason as any to create some cap room and snag him up before a better deal comes along.

I apologize for repeating. I seem to post this at least once a week.
====================
The patriots can sign Flowers or whoever they want. They can sign their rookies. They can have a season cushion for injuries.

THE CAP IS NOT, IS NOT, IS NOT STOPPING ANY TRANSACTION.
I think that we should all repeat this until the point is clear to us.
=====================
There are many restructures ($25M+) that can happen on the same day as any transaction. Any money that is freed up and not used would automatically go into next season's cap. Judon, Henry and Smith are the most obvious; about $16M is freed up by these three restructures.

There are many POSSIBLE extensions. Obviously, these take negotiations. Bailey and Smith are the most obvious.

There are several possible trades that would produce significant cap money, Any of these should wait until late in camp, when we know that these players are not needed as injury replacements before the season starts.

If there were lots of players that Belichick wanted, he probably could free up $50M. Clearly, that is NOT his intention.

 

[Sicilian]

I apologize for repeating. I seem to post this at least once a week.
====================
The patriots can sign Flowers or whoever they want. They can sign their rookies. They can have a season cushion for injuries.

THE CAP IS NOT, IS NOT, IS NOT STOPPING ANY TRANSACTION.
I think that we should all repeat this until the point is clear to us.
=====================
There are many restructures ($25M+) that can happen on the same day as any transaction. Any money that is freed up and not used would automatically go into next season's cap. Judon, Henry and Smith are the most obvious.

There are many POSSIBLE extensions. Obviously, these take negotiations.

There are several possible trades that would produce significant cap money, Any of these should wait until late in camp, when we know that these players are not needed as injury replacements before the season starts.

If there were lots of players that Belichick wanted, he probably could free up $50M. Clearly, that is NOT his intention.

The bolded part is the key for me. By the nature of a restructure, any cap hit you lower for this year, pushes that savings into a future year somewhere. Which means if you don't NEED to do it, you shouldn't. It wouldn't make any sense to restructure everyone you possibly can, then figure out what to do with the space after. They're going to make room when they have a move that necessitates it, and not before.

 

[DaBruinz]

So you're saying Bill has known about this for months now.

Yep. In fact, he probably knew about it since Bailey was elected to the Pro-Bowl in 2020.

 

[Rob0729]

They sort of do need the money. They are even unable to sign their draft picks.

When they are ready to sign the draft picks, they will free up the money. They could free up millions of dollars in a second if they wanted to by converting certain players' base salary into bonuses.

 

[Gumby]

He's not exorbitant @$4M for this year. Then he's a FA. He'll get signed to something a bit lower than that, for several years, and it will be a good contract for him and the team.

If not, he goes to free agency, he'll get $4M for a few years from a team that wants to instantly upgrade its punting and kickoffs. Then the Pats would be free to get a punter for $1M a year who averages 30 yards a kick and screws up a couple more kickoffs each year, as you suggest.

i think you misunderstand me.
i like Bailey and his value to Team so even if not extended, the cap hit is payable this year.
but I fully expect him to make another probowl, so what happens to his 2023 or 2024 salary. If it takes another leap at some point (do those rules only apply to first contract or continue-i‘m not sure) even if he were the greatest punter in nfl history is still just a punter and can’t be valued at wr, CB , and qb prices.

 

[BTTA]

i think you misunderstand me.
i like Bailey and his value to Team so even if not extended, the cap hit is payable this year.
but I fully expect him to make another probowl, so what happens to his 2023 or 2024 salary. If it takes another leap at some point (do those rules only apply to first contract or continue-i‘m not sure) even if he were the greatest punter in nfl history is still just a punter and can’t be valued at wr, CB , and qb prices.

OK.
He's through his rookie contract after this year, and an UFA. The CBA’s proven performance escalator provides these pay raises to non-first-round draft picks who make a Pro Bowl within their first three NFL seasons. This isn't a problem that will repeat.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

I suspect an extension at a lower Cap, still he could be gone.
I don't think BB wants him gone because he does 2 things...
Not at 4 though.

 

[Ross12]

I wonder how much wear and tear he’s saving Folk by doing the kick-offs every game. Folk’s getting old but he is still looking extremely sharp. Not having to blast kickoffs every night and only needing to worry about being accurate for field goals probably allows him to remain playing at a high level for longer.

 

[venecol]

There won't be any restructures or extensions. Cap savings will come from trades and cuts.

I think that we should all repeat this until the point is clear to us.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Bb seems to not want to push cap money into next year, but he has draft picks to sign and about 40 days to go it.

Something has got to give!

 

[RxJock1120]

I apologize for repeating. I seem to post this at least once a week.
====================
The patriots can sign Flowers or whoever they want. They can sign their rookies. They can have a season cushion for injuries.

THE CAP IS NOT, IS NOT, IS NOT STOPPING ANY TRANSACTION.
I think that we should all repeat this until the point is clear to us.
=====================
There are many restructures ($25M+) that can happen on the same day as any transaction. Any money that is freed up and not used would automatically go into next season's cap. Judon, Henry and Smith are the most obvious; about $16M is freed up by these three restructures.

There are many POSSIBLE extensions. Obviously, these take negotiations. Bailey and Smith are the most obvious.

There are several possible trades that would produce significant cap money, Any of these should wait until late in

If there were lots of players that Belichick wanted, he probably could free up $50M. Clearly, that is NOT his intention.

I apologize for repeating. I seem to post this at least once a week.
====================
The patriots can sign Flowers or whoever they want. They can sign their rookies. They can have a season cushion for injuries.

THE CAP IS NOT, IS NOT, IS NOT STOPPING ANY TRANSACTION.
I think that we should all repeat this until the point is clear to us.
=====================
There are many restructures ($25M+) that can happen on the same day as any transaction. Any money that is freed up and not used would automatically go into next season's cap. Judon, Henry and Smith are the most obvious; about $16M is freed up by these three restructures.

There are many POSSIBLE extensions. Obviously, these take negotiations. Bailey and Smith are the most obvious.

There are several possible trades that would produce significant cap money, Any of these should wait until late in camp, when we know that these players are not needed as injury replacements before the season starts.

If there were lots of players that Belichick wanted, he probably could free up $50M. Clearly, that is NOT his intention.

I think what you are saying is technically true, but practically not something that ever happens. How often do the Pats get 3 star level players earning top dollar all getting restructured in the same year?

By creating so much cap space, via restructures, all in one year you significantly limit your ability to cut that player in the future, because you would have to incur a large dead money hit if/when those players are cut.

Hence you get relief today and significantly mortgage your future.

This is my best guess on why BB would never just create 50M in cap space for one year.

 

[Froob]

They did... In the 5th round of the 2019 draft. He turned out to be an All Pro punter.

I meant there was a few great punters available and they'd be available for pennies.

 

[bresna]

I meant there was a few great punters available and they'd be available for pennies.

How on earth can you call a draft pick great when they already have an All Pro punter on the roster? Everyone seems to complain about the Patriots draft history and here we have an All Pro drafted in the 5th round and it's still not good enough?

Johnny Hekker, probably Belichick's favorite punter in the NFL, was available this off season. He signed a 3 year deal with the Panthers ($1.8 Million in 2022, $3.4 Million in 2023 & $2.4 Million in 2024). The Patriots could've gone after him and signed him to this deal and cut Bailey. But they didn't. Because Bailey's the current All Pro punter in the AFC. Cutting an All Pro player for a draft pick does not seem like a smart move to me.

 

[BTTA]

Cutting an All Pro player for a draft pick does not seem like a smart move to me.

But a classic Patsfans idea!

 

[TinhWoodhead]

are we really nickel and dime’ing a punter

 

[Pape]

They sort of do need the money. They are even unable to sign their draft picks.

all but three of the draft picks have signed already... Strange, Thornton and Zappe are the only ones who haven't signed their contracts...