Onwenu Takes Paycut for 2026

[PatsFan2]

Thanks Doc, no doubt you’ve seen his xray and made a solid diagnosis.

How good was Stefon Diggs knee last season in comparison?

I have a feeling I'm going be right about this one.

 

[Brady85-23]

Maybe get baremore to do something similar

 

[Wozzy]

I have a feeling I'm going be right about this one.

Can you give me the winning powerball numbers for next week while you’re at it?

 

[PatsFan2]

Can you give me the winning powerball numbers for next week while you’re at it?

If you promise to share.

 

[Wozzy]

If you promise to share.

You can see the future, you know the answer to that.

 

[Rob0729]

the fact that the team could manipulate or eliminate Onwenu's contract is why the cap is crap

No it isn't. If they eliminated his contract, they would have still had a cap hit. But why would they eliminate his contract unless they felt he wasn't living up to his contract and they wanted to use his money and cap space on someone else? He is still a solid player. But he is eliminated because his cap and money is too high? Doesn't scream the cap is crap.

The cap is crap phrase is just an oversimplified, misleading way to describe the cap. The cap is flexible. It isn't irrelevant and does restrain teams from holding onto players who's value has diminished enough that their cap hit isn't justified or just going after every free agent you want.

 

[Wozzy]

No it isn't. If they eliminated his contract, they would have still had a cap hit. But why would they eliminate his contract unless they felt he wasn't living up to his contract and they wanted to use his money and cap space on someone else? He is still a solid player. But he is eliminated because his cap and money is too high? Doesn't scream the cap is crap.

The cap is crap phrase is just an oversimplified, misleading way to describe the cap. The cap is flexible. It isn't irrelevant and does restrain teams from holding onto players who's value has diminished enough that their cap hit isn't justified or just going after every free agent you want.

Every dollar in salary means a dollar of cap needs to be paid. There’s no magical way for cap to be cleared beyond paying it off. There’s no tax shelter in the Bahamas where you can hide spending, no loophole to make existing cap debt disappear. That’s not magic, that’s certainly not crap.

All you need to understand the “cap is crap” philosophy is to praise teams overspending and throwing away draft picks in a desperate attempt to win a ring.

Then once they run out of cap space, draft picks, have no talent and win 3 games… drop them like a hot potato and find a new team that’s just beginning to overspend and throw away draft picks in a desperate attempt to win a ring.

It’s really easy, because you’re not actually a fan of these teams.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Good move for '26. Patriots should also consider getting creative with Onwenu longterm - he is only 28 and likely cheaper this time around to sign for another 3 years. His flexibility is valuable, why not have him replace Moses, especially if Campbell has to move inside. Lomu and Onwenu could probably provide league average tackle play by '27, and we would have 2 potential all pro guards.

Owenu was terrible at T and too stiff in his movement to take on edge rushers. He's stabilized at G, so it's not a good idea to keep playing musical chairs with him. Pats and Owenu are doing the right thing by coming to an agreement as his salary is now reasonable. Cutting/trading him at this point would've been stupid. However, do not extend him. Make these players play well for teams to make a tough decision when they are a FA.

Maybe get baremore to do something similar

Beat me to it. He has been awful since his extension and it won't shock me if he's traded. That guy was doing the waltz with OT's more than anyone along that front 7 last season.

 

[RxJock1120]

You clearly haven't bothered to check his stats. The claims that he's not performing like a top guard are false. If he got cut, he'd have signed within the week for as much or more than his current contract.

As I pointed out below, only 3 guys performed better last year in pass protection than Onwenu. Only 1 of them is paid better than Onwenu.

Onwenu was one of the better run blockers in the league. as well.

Post in thread 'I suspect that 12 positions are truly up for grabs.'

May 3, 2026

Looked at his contract again and it's insane. $21 and $25 million last year and this year.

Trey Smith is averaging $24 million and hes one of the top guards. Owenu got that tackle money. If he asks for more money...he needs a big time salary hair cut. Hope his agent is being honest with him

His contract isn't insane at all. Onwenu is one of the top 10 guards in the league. No. Onwenu did NOT get tackle money. I debunked that BS when it happened. Onwenu's contract made him that 3rd highest paid guard at the time he signed it. There are now 8 guards ahead of Onwenu. Trey...

• DaBruinz

Please show me a legit website that tracks well founded guard stats (pff does NOT count)...spoiler alert there isn't one.

Based exclusively on 32 years of experience of being an obsessive football fan, he does not pass the eye test of an elite guard. Just a pretty good one, above average and nothing more. Gets paid like an elite guard thought and there are plenty of legit websites to confirm that metric.

 

[rkarp1]

Every dollar in salary means a dollar of cap needs to be paid. There’s no magical way for cap to be cleared beyond paying it off. There’s no tax shelter in the Bahamas where you can hide spending, no loophole to make existing cap debt disappear. That’s not magic, that’s certainly not crap.

All you need to understand the “cap is crap” philosophy is to praise teams overspending and throwing away draft picks in a desperate attempt to win a ring.

Then once they run out of cap space, draft picks, have no talent and win 3 games… drop them like a hot potato and find a new team that’s just beginning to overspend and throw away draft picks in a desperate attempt to win a ring.

It’s really easy, because you’re not actually a fan of these teams.

the Pats just shaved off $7.5m dollars of cap. that is $7.5m dollars that does not have to be paid.
if they loved Brown, or Lomu at RG, they could have shaved $16m off the cap, that would not have to be paid.
learn the game, please

 

[rkarp1]

This is correct. Onwenu didn’t take a pay cut even, his contract was front loaded and he basically didn’t have a contract because he wasn’t about to play with zero guarantees.

This is like Rkarp suggesting Boutte show up and play despite having no contract going forward or protection should he get hurt. He pretends to be a “cap expert” but has zero clue how NFL deals even work.

oooof
do you not understand the cap or what??
the guy just took a $7m haircut

 

[RxJock1120]

He's paid below the price of a good guard (non All-Pro level).

He was averaging $17m a year.

That's not in the top 10 anymore.

Mediocre guys like Zion Johnson and David Edwards are getting $15m per year now.

I think Onwenu would easily get $17m in the open market.

Good point, let's overpay for average guards...
He may have been averaging $17m a year, but that is not what he was being paid in his final year, this year. It is not what his cap hit was this year...

 

[rkarp1]

The cap isn't crap. You can do a lot to manipulate it, but there are limits. With the new broadcasting contracts, the limits are far greater than they were in the past. But it doesn't change the fact that there are still limits to what you can do with the cap. Otherwise, teams with tons of money and not afraid to spend would buy contenders.

And if Ownenu took a pay cut, that is not proof that the cap is crap. If the cap is crap, why would they need Owenu to take a pay cut to get more cap space. They could just manipulate his money without reducing his salary. If he took a pay cut, it doesn't prove the cap is crap. In fact, it supports the opposite.

yes, they could have done that as well. they easily could have lowered his cap hit in half, with a simple extension.
again, with out you realizing it, you are agreeing that the cap is crap

 

[rkarp1]

Good point, let's overpay for average guards...
He may have been averaging $17m a year, but that is not what he was being paid in his final year, this year. It is not what his cap hit was this year...

his base pay was $16m this year. straight salary. not guaranteed.
his pro rated bonus was the balance of his cap hit, which was $25m

 

[TheRainMaker]

Please show me a legit website that tracks well founded guard stats (pff does NOT count)...spoiler alert there isn't one.

Based exclusively on 32 years of experience of being an obsessive football fan, he does not pass the eye test of an elite guard. Just a pretty good one, above average and nothing more. Gets paid like an elite guard thought and there are plenty of legit websites to confirm that metric.

You're wasting your time with that poster. Just ignore him.

Owenu, Dugger, Barmore and Rham had absolutely no business getting the contracts they did in 2024.

 

[Rob0729]

yes, they could have done that as well. they easily could have lowered his cap hit in half, with a simple extension.
again, with out you realizing it, you are agreeing that the cap is crap

Yes, in your oversimplifed and not actually accurate definition of the "cap is crap", sure. You can manipulate salaries under the cap to a certain point. No the cap isn't crap or there wouldn't be a cap in the first place.

 

[Rob0729]

Every dollar in salary means a dollar of cap needs to be paid. There’s no magical way for cap to be cleared beyond paying it off. There’s no tax shelter in the Bahamas where you can hide spending, no loophole to make existing cap debt disappear. That’s not magic, that’s certainly not crap.

All you need to understand the “cap is crap” philosophy is to praise teams overspending and throwing away draft picks in a desperate attempt to win a ring.

Then once they run out of cap space, draft picks, have no talent and win 3 games… drop them like a hot potato and find a new team that’s just beginning to overspend and throw away draft picks in a desperate attempt to win a ring.

It’s really easy, because you’re not actually a fan of these teams.

I wish whoever came out with the term the "cap is crap" never did. It is such a misleading statement. The cap is flexible. It isn't crap.

 

[Family]

They have until week 1 until the money locks in.

Do they? it says guaranteed.

the fact that the team could manipulate or eliminate Onwenu's contract is why the cap is crap

You are correct if you say that the only thing that matters in an NFL contract is guaranteed money, but that has nothing to do with the cap.

If it's not guaranteed, you can cut a player and save everything cap, but the guaranteed money previous and future, that hasn't counted against the cap yet.

That doesn't make it crap.

 

[TheRainMaker]

I wish whoever came out with the term the "cap is crap" never did. It is such a misleading statement. The cap is flexible. It isn't crap.

It was your boy Michael Felger. And to a certain extent it is because it gives teams outs when Owners don't want to pick up the tab anymore. An NBA style cap would make Owners/GM's think twice about signing players - especially the mediocre one's getting massive deals. This has been a real problem the last 8 years.

 

[Rob0729]

It was your boy Michael Felger. And to a certain extent it is because it gives teams outs when Owners don't want to pick up the tab anymore. An NBA style cap would make Owners/GM's think twice about signing players - especially the mediocre one's getting massive deals. This has been a real problem the last 8 years.

Felger ain't my boy despite my avatar.

The NBA has a hard cap. The NFL do have a hard cap with rookies, but not overall.

I will tell you this. Quarterback salaries are going to start to make the cap less and less flexible for a lot of teams. When an average QB is getting upwards to $50 million a year, it is giving teams a lot of hassle with what they can do.