2014 Pats Salary Cap Breakdown

[Miguel]

Miguel's UNOFFICIAL 2014 Patriots Salary Cap Information Page

is my take (cap-wise) on the Patriots offseason.

 

[ausbacker]

Thanks Miguel!

 

[jsull87]

Awesome Breakdown.

 

[mgteich]

As Miguel indicates, we could keep all our current players and still have $7.5M for free agency and rookies. I would note that this includes the effect of several restructures or extension which may or may not happen.

Of course, the bad news is that this leaves almost no money for re-signs and free agency. Usually, we estimate that $6M is needed for rookies, player 52 and 53, and to replace those placed on IR during the offseason and during the season.

FREE AGENTS - OFFENSE
WR - Edelman
OC - Wendell
RB - Blount
OT - Svitek
TE - Hooman

FREE AGENTS - DEFENSE
CB - Talib
LB - Spikes
LB - Fletcher

 

[Miguel]

As Miguel indicates, we could keep all our current players and still have $7.5M for free agency and rookies. I would note that this includes the effect of several restructures or extension which may or may not happen.

The $7 million is before the restructures/releases and extensions.

 

[mgteich]

Thank you for the correction.

However, I am still confused. I think that I understand the $7M number.

It is the $7.5M that I thought was after the possible changes.
===========================================
As you can see, based on my projections above, the Patriots would be under their projected 2014 cap by $7 million if they do not cut any veterans or renegotiate any contracts. There are plenty of opportunities to do both, thereby opening up millions of dollars under the cap. Here are some possible ways that the Pats could free up cap space. Please note that I am NOT advocating that the Patriots do all of these salary-manuevers.

Release Isaac Sopoaga - net cap savings of $2.005 million.
Release Dan Connolly - net cap savings of $2.505 million
a.)Reduce Wilfork's salary from $7.5 million to $4 million while converting $3.5 of his salary into a NTLBE incentive - cap savings of $3.5 million
b) Release Wilfork - net cap savings of $7.505 million
c) Extend Wilfork through the 2016 season - converting $6 million of his $7.5 million into a signing bonus - cap savings of $4 million
Convert $4.5 million of Mankins's $6.5 million salary into a signing bonus - cap savings of $3 million while pushing out $1.5 million of signing bonus proration to the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
Extend Gostkowski's contract by 4 years while giving him a $5 million signing bonus and lowering his salary from $2.9 million to $900,000 - cap savings - $1,000,000
Extend McCourty's contract by 4 years while giving him a $10 million signing bonus while lowering his projected 2014 salary from $4 million to $1 million - cap savings - $1,000,000
Release Steve Gregory - net cap savings of $1.855 million
Release Tommie Kelly - net cap savings of $1,661,250
As you can see from above, the Pats could free up more than $21 million in cap room if they chose to do so. The Pats could free up more than $7.5 million in cap room WITHOUT releasing a single player.

The $7 million is before the restructures/releases and extensions.

 

[Miguel]

Thank you for the correction.

However, I am still confused. I think that I understand the $7M number.

It is the $7.5M that I thought was after the possible changes.

As you can see from above, the Pats could free up more than $21 million in cap room if they chose to do so. The Pats could free up more than $7.5 million in cap room WITHOUT releasing a single player.

To make it clearer I will add the word "additional".

 

[jsull87]

Thank you for the correction.

However, I am still confused. I think that I understand the $7M number.

It is the $7.5M that I thought was after the possible changes.
===========================================
As you can see, based on my projections above, the Patriots would be under their projected 2014 cap by $7 million if they do not cut any veterans or renegotiate any contracts. There are plenty of opportunities to do both, thereby opening up millions of dollars under the cap. Here are some possible ways that the Pats could free up cap space. Please note that I am NOT advocating that the Patriots do all of these salary-manuevers.

Release Isaac Sopoaga - net cap savings of $2.005 million.
Release Dan Connolly - net cap savings of $2.505 million
a.)Reduce Wilfork's salary from $7.5 million to $4 million while converting $3.5 of his salary into a NTLBE incentive - cap savings of $3.5 million
b) Release Wilfork - net cap savings of $7.505 million
c) Extend Wilfork through the 2016 season - converting $6 million of his $7.5 million into a signing bonus - cap savings of $4 million
Convert $4.5 million of Mankins's $6.5 million salary into a signing bonus - cap savings of $3 million while pushing out $1.5 million of signing bonus proration to the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
Extend Gostkowski's contract by 4 years while giving him a $5 million signing bonus and lowering his salary from $2.9 million to $900,000 - cap savings - $1,000,000
Extend McCourty's contract by 4 years while giving him a $10 million signing bonus while lowering his projected 2014 salary from $4 million to $1 million - cap savings - $1,000,000
Release Steve Gregory - net cap savings of $1.855 million
Release Tommie Kelly - net cap savings of $1,661,250
As you can see from above, the Pats could free up more than $21 million in cap room if they chose to do so. The Pats could free up more than $7.5 million in cap room WITHOUT releasing a single player.

Of the above i see us:
1.) Reducing Wilfork's salary from $7.5 million to $4 million while converting $3.5 of his salary into a NTLBE incentive - cap savings of $3.5 million
2.) Releasing Isaac Sopoaga - net cap savings of $2.005 million.
3.) Converting $4.5 million of Mankins's $6.5 million salary into a signing bonus - cap savings of $3 million while pushing out $1.5 million of signing bonus proration to the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
4.) Extending Gostkowski's contract by 4 years while giving him a $5 million signing bonus and lowering his salary from $2.9 million to $900,000 - cap savings - $1,000,000

This will provide us with an additional $10.5 m in room to address our FA's without altering the core of the roster too much. IMO that should be enough to look after some of the Pats FA's Talib, Edelman, Hooman, Fletcher and Blount

 

[mgteich]

As of now, I am close to accepting your ideas. I wouldn't think that Wilfork will take a voluntary reduction as you suggested, so I would expect (hope for) an extension.

I would add Wendell to your list of re-signs. My gut says that Talib will not be re-signed.

Of the above i see us:
1.) Reducing Wilfork's salary from $7.5 million to $4 million while converting $3.5 of his salary into a NTLBE incentive - cap savings of $3.5 million
2.) Releasing Isaac Sopoaga - net cap savings of $2.005 million.
3.) Converting $4.5 million of Mankins's $6.5 million salary into a signing bonus - cap savings of $3 million while pushing out $1.5 million of signing bonus proration to the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
4.) Extending Gostkowski's contract by 4 years while giving him a $5 million signing bonus and lowering his salary from $2.9 million to $900,000 - cap savings - $1,000,000

This will provide us with an additional $10.5 m in room to address our FA's without altering the core of the roster too much. IMO that should be enough to look after some of the Pats FA's Talib, Edelman, Hooman, Fletcher and Blount

 

[jsull87]

As of now, I am close to accepting your ideas. I wouldn't think that Wilfork will take a voluntary reduction as you suggested, so I would expect (hope for) an extension.

I would add Wendell to your list of re-signs. My gut says that Talib will not be re-signed.

I don't think that is a "reduction" for Wilfork (unless i am reading it wrong). he will still get that money, we would just be spreading it out over time was my understanding.

Wendell would be an option yes, but IMO the fact someone like PFF (i know they aren't credible but they at least offer some "stats") place him as the worst pass blocking C in the league does at least say something about his bass blocking ability.

Anyway it's always hard to make these determinations with less than 20% of the information we need i.e what was called e.t.c

But the FA's i mentioned i think could be fit into that cap figure and keep especially our defense on the upward trend. It would also mean we don't need to spend another draft pick on CB with 4 solid guys there in Talib, Dennard, Ryan and Arrington.

 

[ATippett56]

I would add Wendell to your list of re-signs.

You have to be kidding?

 

[supafly]

Certain factors that will help to determine who to try and keep and who to possibly let go off the top of my head:

VALUE--contractual issues and cap hits (always the top of the list in the era of free agency). If a guy like Spikes is expecting a new pact of 4.5m per year AAV, he won't be staying. Also if another outside team swoops in with an offer that is too good to be true like in the case of David Givens to TEN at 5/25m, he'll obviously be gone too. Any of our players who we're in talks with can be candidates.

OPEN TO EXTENSIONS/RESTRUCTURES--players such as Connelly, Wilfork, Gregory etc may be retained and/or extended if they are open to helping to bring us a more reasonable cap number.

FREE AGENT TARGETS--Belichick is always looking for more of the lower tiered players in free agency, along with some lesser middle tiered moves. If anyone is available to replace and improve our production for a lessened cost, that obviously makes players expendable.

DRAFT TARGETS--every year we seem to have a good idea at what positions may be targeted in the draft. If, for example, we are targeting the position of safety again in the higher to middle rounds, it could certainly impact such players as Gregory, A.Wilson, etc.

YOUNGER, CHEAPER PLAYERS WHO CAN FILL THE ROLE--hello to the Ryan Allens and Shane Vereens of the world, who many complained about with the loss of Mesko and Woodhead. If the competition is close enough, Belichick will often lean towards going with the younger, cheaper player to help to save cap space. Certain candidates for this year include guys such as Logan Ryan (probably not though, unless we'd be also taking another FA/and or/draft pick to help replace Talib), Duron Harmon to replace Gregory or A.Wilson, the reshuffling of our LBs with Collins to help replace Spikes, and guys like Siliga to replace Sopoaga--who's already likely gone as it is.


In the end, I would prefer to see some of the usual moves made in terms of restructuring/extending certain players, and the release of certain players whose contracts do not provide value any longer to add to our cap number. This could potentially allow us to keep players such as Fletcher, Talib, and Edelman for the future, while also replenishing the pond in the draft and with a handful of outside players from the free agent pool.

 

[mgteich]

WILFORK
A NLTBE incentive is just that. With a $7.5M slaty, he is guaranteed that money when he is on the roster for Game One. If he converts the money to incentive, how much he gets depends on the nature of the incentive and his performance.

An extension through 2016 is Miguel's other suggestion. This option gives cap savings and guaranteed money.

TALIB
Of course, we want to bring Talib back. The question is whether we will be willing to pay what another team is willing to pays.

I don't think that is a "reduction" for Wilfork (unless i am reading it wrong). he will still get that money, we would just be spreading it out over time was my understanding.

Wendell would be an option yes, but IMO the fact someone like PFF (i know they aren't credible but they at least offer some "stats") place him as the worst pass blocking C in the league does at least say something about his bass blocking ability.

Anyway it's always hard to make these determinations with less than 20% of the information we need i.e what was called e.t.c

But the FA's i mentioned i think could be fit into that cap figure and keep especially our defense on the upward trend. It would also mean we don't need to spend another draft pick on CB with 4 solid guys there in Talib, Dennard, Ryan and Arrington.

 

[PATSNUTme]

To make it clearer I will add the word "additional".

Miguel, where is the link to your cap pages? I like to read them and make my own bone head calculations, which I keep entirely to myself.

Yes, I would like to keep Talib but would not go overboard paying him given his medical history. I would not even give him franchise money for one year.

If another team wants to go large with him, then we should let him go if that is what he wants.

 

[mgteich]

Miguel's UNOFFICIAL 2013 Patriots Salary Cap Information Page

Miguel, where is the link to your cap pages? I like to read them and make my own bone head calculations, which I keep entirely to myself.

Yes, I would like to keep Talib but would not go overboard paying him given his medical history. I would not even give him franchise money for one year.

If another team wants to go large with him, then we should let him go if that is what he wants.

 

[mgteich]

The only folks who don't want to re-sign Wendell are message board posters. Message board posters wanted Connolly to start at OC and Cannon to Svitek to start at RG.

Dante chose differently.

I don't know what Wendell is worth on the open market. In any case, we need a starting center or a guard.

You have to be kidding?

 

[mgteich]

Bleacher Report has Wendell as the #12 center (a bit above average) with very high grades for run blocking (50 out of 50). They indicate that his pass blocking is improving.

Wendell is not a stud. He is simply a solid starting NFL center.

We lost Thomas last year because another team considered him a starter. Here, the situation is different. Dante also considers Wendell a starter.

Wendell would be an option yes, but IMO the fact someone like PFF (i know they aren't credible but they at least offer some "stats") place him as the worst pass blocking C in the league does at least say something about his bass blocking ability.

 

[ATippett56]

The only folks who don't want to re-sign Wendell are message board posters. Message board posters wanted Connolly to start at OC and Cannon to Svitek to start at RG.

Dante chose differently.

I don't know what Wendell is worth on the open market. In any case, we need a starting center or a guard.

There are always alternatives, such as the 2014 NFL Draft.

 

[javajunky]

Where is the $4,160,574 carryover from being under the cap in 2013? I can't find it on the page. I'm I going blind?

 

[ATippett56]

Bleacher Report has Wendell as the #12 center (a bit above average) with very high grades for run blocking (50 out of 50). They indicate that his pass blocking is improving.

Wendell is not a stud. He is simply a solid starting NFL center.

Bleacher Report is a joke.