Onwenu Takes Paycut for 2026

[DaBruinz]

He had no guaranteed money, resigning gave him 10 M guaranteed. That's how I understood it.

Incentives have nothing to do with Guaranteed money. Which is why Wozzy was saying that details still needed to be released.

 

[DaBruinz]

We paid a guy who plays at a pro-bowl level 14.5 mil a year. Now he gets injured A LOT, but we put in clauses in his contract in case those injuries continue, so if he doesn't play much for the Pats, he will be lucky to see half of that 14.5/year.

Back to your point, Onwenu won't make above 10/year in free agency. And even that may be a generous projection.

You clearly have no clue WTF the going rate is for guards. ZION JOHNSON, who stinks in pass pro and is above average in the run game just got 16.5M AAV. So this idea you're pushing that Onwenu, who is better in pass pro and just as good in the run game, wouldn't get $10M/AAV on the open market is complete and UTTER BS. It shows you're out of touch with reality.

 

[Triumph]

I’d like to see Lomu supplant Moses this year though …same with Wilson over Bradbury.

It just looks like fixing a problem that does not exist.

RT was not the Pats biggest need though. Moses is still playing at a high level.

 

[Huckleberry1]

This is a big reason why i am all for drafting WRs in the first round. They are overpaid in the market, the best thing you can do for your team is find value with drafted players. If you get a cheap WR room that produces for your offense and a reasonably priced QB your it is rather easy to build a top 10 OL through free agency with plenty of cash to spare.

It is kind of surprising only 1 OT makes over 30M/year and just barely. Perhaps part of the reason is teams have gotten better at interior pressure. I think the past the pass rush use to come much more from the edge in Defensive lines with the interior focused on run stopping. Now seems much more mixed and this has caused the valued between IOL and OT to reach closer to parody. That is more of a guess though, i don't have good data to back it up.

In general I think you are right, although I wouldn't say they have to be first round picks, but that prioritizing the highest paid positions on the first 2 days of the draft makes the most sense. It's going to be really hard to pay your top players and keep a contender together.

 

[rkarp1]

What was the AAV of Onwenu's contract before it was restructured? It was 19M.
After the restructure, it's 16.5M. How is that you say? Because the $10M he's getting paid for this year is part of the $57M contract he got. You take 7.5 from 57 and you get what? 49.5M. Divide 49.5/3 and you get 16.5.

Congrats on showing yourself to be an imbecile, @rkarp1. YOU are the one who should stop talking about finances because you're the one embarrassing yourself.

do you know what "unless he restructures" means?
before you attempt math, or god forbid finances, learn english

 

[DaBruinz]

do you know what "unless he restructures" means?
before you attempt math, or god forbid finances, learn english

Yes. I do understand what "unless he restructures means". You're the one with the reading comprehension issues. Because I didn't contradict what you stated as a definition.

You also don't understand that, contrary to the claims, Onwenu didn't rip up the old contract. They changed $6M of the salary to Signing bonus, adjusted the salary to $2.95M making it fully guaranteed, put in another 1.05M in guarantees bringing the total guaranteed money to $10M and included $2M in incentives. They did not add any void years.

If you actually understood English. Math or god forbid, Finances, you'd have understood that I was showing you that the AAV did change because of the restructure. Which is exactly what WOZZY stated when he said "The AAV for this year is 16.5M"

Thank you for showing everyone that YOU are the one with the issues, RKarp. Not Wozzy or Myself.

 

[DaBruinz]

He had no guaranteed money, resigning gave him 10 M guaranteed. That's how I understood it.

The Pats converted $6M of his salary to Signing Bonus. Then they reduced the the remaining salary to $2.95M but Guaranteed that. They also put in another 1.05M in guarantees bringing the total guaranteed money to $10M. There are also $2M in incentives in the contract according to Mike Reiss.

 

[patman52]

Carlton Davis and Marcus Jones earn more that Gonzo right now.

Yeah, and they also make than drake Maye and any other players playing on rookie deals.

 

[rkarp1]

Incentives have nothing to do with Guaranteed money. Which is why Wozzy was saying that details still needed to be released.

it has been reported there are no incentives

 

[Triumph]

Yeah, and they also make than drake Maye and any other players playing on rookie deals.

The Pats cannot extend Maye until he completes 3 accrued seasons.

Gonzo just finished his 3rd NFL season and if he isnt the best CB in the NFL, he aint far from it. Pay him now and get ready for Maye in 2027.

 

[State]

The right side is too fat (OneMenu) or too old (Grandpa) to realistically offer outside-zone runs.

Left side is a different story.

And if there's one thing this team needs to do more is outside-zone.

But we make it that much easier in opposing defenses by Onwenu's and Moses' lack of lateral mobility. Just sayin.

 

[mayoclinic]

And if there's one thing this team needs to do more is outside-zone.

But we make it that much easier in opposing defenses by Onwenu's and Moses' lack of lateral mobility. Just sayin.

This I agree with.

Individual grades do not tell the whole story. Onwenu is solid in a phone both, but the physical limitations of the right side of the line constraints the available options.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Yes. I do understand what "unless he restructures means". You're the one with the reading comprehension issues. Because I didn't contradict what you stated as a definition.

You also don't understand that, contrary to the claims, Onwenu didn't rip up the old contract. They changed $6M of the salary to Signing bonus, adjusted the salary to $2.95M making it fully guaranteed, put in another 1.05M in guarantees bringing the total guaranteed money to $10M and included $2M in incentives. They did not add any void years.

Right - and throwing in his previous pro-rated signing bonus that has him at $17.5 million on the cap, with $10 million guaranteed with the potential for $2 million more - rather than go game to game with no guaranteed money.

To me that's spot on what he's worth in terms of cash (and I do view his previous bonus as "part" of his salary this year) - $17.5 million

I'd say this final contract year was almost designed to be restructured or extended given the high cap hit and lack of guaranteed money. I don't think he was ever going to be cut. That's a win for the team and a win for the player - so I feel bad anyone is looking at this as a knock on Owenu.

 

[mgteich]

Right - and throwing in his previous pro-rated signing bonus that has him at $17.5 million on the cap, with $10 million guaranteed with the potential for $2 million more - rather than go game to game with no guaranteed money.

To me that's spot on what he's worth in terms of cash (and I do view his previous bonus as "part" of his salary this year) - $17.5 million

I'd say this final contract year was almost designed to be restructured or extended given the high cap hit and lack of guaranteed money. I don't think he was ever going to be cut. That's a win for the team and a win for the player - so I feel bad anyone is looking at this as a knock on Owenu.

I don't why this is apparently so hard for some folks.

Onwenu could have been cut and then the team would have moved on, having $17.5M to spend.

Make believe that Onwenu was cut and then re-signed. Contractually, that is really what happened. Onwenu was signed for $10M guaranteed.

Onwenu could be worth $10M to the patriots. If not, he will be traded for a 2028 7th. He could be worth a bit more or not. Perhaps, Onwenu is giving the team a home-town discount.

In any case, Onwenu is a $10M RT on a 2026 show-me contract which may or may not get him more in his next contract.

Hopefully, he will play better with Wilson next to him instead of Bradbury.

 

[Brady85-23]

My gonzo take is mcduffie gets 31 mil a year highest paid corner. Witherspoon will want more lets call it 32 mil a year. Id offer gonzo 33 a year right now 4 year deal heck I'd even give him a 6 year deal. Healthy fair chunk of guarantees. I think gonzo is the best cb in the league only other corner in that discussion for me is the Denver cb surtain. BUT if 33 a year isn't enough and he wants the patriots to reset the market in some crazy way then it's trade time cuz thats bad business. Heck pats could get Josh sweat a 1st and a 2nd or 3rd
Something like that. Pats would still have 2 good corners and 2 good safetys

 

[RxJock1120]

You clearly have no clue WTF the going rate is for guards. ZION JOHNSON, who stinks in pass pro and is above average in the run game just got 16.5M AAV. So this idea you're pushing that Onwenu, who is better in pass pro and just as good in the run game, wouldn't get $10M/AAV on the open market is complete and UTTER BS. It shows you're out of touch with reality.

Clearly...
That's why he took the pay cut, cause he could of just asked for his release and made more in the open market.
Players just love to give up 7 mil, cause hey who needs money anyways...

 

[TheRainMaker]

Clearly...
That's why he took the pay cut, cause he could of just asked for his release and made more in the open market.
Players just love to give up 7 mil, cause hey who needs money anyways...

No point even engaging with him. With that said, Owenu should've told the Pats he's not taking a pay cut and can go pound sand. It's way too late to be asking for that and the Pats don't have anyone that could threaten his job. If it were early March, that's another story as he could've been a cap casualty. The Pats releasing him over $7.5M if he didn't take a pay cut now would've been idiotic.

He really did the Pats a solid.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Clearly...
That's why he took the pay cut, cause he could of just asked for his release and made more in the open market.
Players just love to give up 7 mil, cause hey who needs money anyways...

And I would add that players have agents that call teams to gauge interest to see what the player is worth on the open market. Onwenu did not take that haircut because he loves RK. He took the haircut because his agent could not find a significantly better deal if Onwenu was a FA. Why? Onwenu is great in a phone booth, but not mobile. A lot of teams do not want a phone booth RG. That is why Onwenu was a 6th round pick and has a limited FA value.

 

[TheRainMaker]

And I would add that players have agents that call teams to gauge interest to see what the player is worth on the open market. Onwenu did not take that haircut because he loves RK. He took the haircut because his agent could not find a significantly better deal if Onwenu was a FA. Why? Onwenu is great in a phone booth, but not mobile. A lot of teams do not want a phone booth RG. That is why Onwenu was a 6th round pick and has a limited FA value.

That begs the question as to why the Pats ran to the table so quickly to get him to sign the extension he did in 2024? There's a small minority here say he would've gotten more on the open market while others like myself would've let him walk if that were the case.

I've posted many times (but continues to get ignored by Owenu defenders) that execs don't really view Owenu as good as those delusional posters do. Some here claiming he's one of the best in the game is flat embarressing.

 

[TommyD4207]

That begs the question as to why the Pats ran to the table so quickly to get him to sign the extension he did in 2024? There's a small minority here say he would've gotten more on the open market while others like myself would've let him walk if that were the case.

I've posted many times (but continues to get ignored by Owenu defenders) that execs don't really view Owenu as good as those delusional posters do. Some here claiming he's one of the best in the game is flat embarressing.

All those 2024 extensions, in retrospect, was to make sure we spent to the salary floor. The only one that even kind of worked out has been Stevenson. and honestly, he's still making too much.