Hightower faces a long healing; recovery span 6-7 months

[mgteich]

Hightower and Chandler Jones--you mean.

Jamie Collins has only played 2 years, and will be under contract for both 2015 and 2016. Since he was a 2nd round pick, he is not eligible for the 5th year option.

fixed

 

[mgteich]

I'm doubting that Ayers is kept, myself. I think not only is he going to be too pricey to keep, but he'll also likely want to play somewhere where he competes for a starting role; after all, he saw very limited snaps once Chandler Jones returned down the stretch. I like what he added here, but I have a hard time seeing Belichick justify paying him 2m dollars+ or so per year as a depth option/role player.

If what Jeff Howe is saying about Mayo's pact is true, then the Pats can't even begin to think about restructuring him until he's healthy enough to pass a physical. Since everyone agrees that he won't be able to participate in OTAs or mini-camp, that may not happen until at least the start/middle of the summer.

Yes, I understand why folks think that a player who can start at three positions is not worth $3M. Folks would rather rely on Buchanan, Moore and UDFA's play significant time or have Belichick find another player or two in mid-season trades if someone is injured. I agree that you cannot have starter quality backups for every position. But it does seem wrong to plan not to have any backup if there is even one injury in camp seems wrong.

IMHO, it is poor policy to have weak depth at DE and LB when the season starts. It is much different policy to believe in Febrauary that quality depth at LB/DE is not even worth having.

IMHO, backups at DE/LB is similar to backups on the OL. There are five positions. If there are no injuries, backups may get almost no reps (except as a TE which is a different position). I think that Belichick is willing to pay for quality backups. As an aside, I would note that this board is shocked when Belichick pays guys like Cannon and Arrington (and even Connolly) serious money.

 

[Miguel]

Lol Jeff Howe said what I have been saying for months about Mayo's injury guarantees

 

[supafly]

Lol Jeff Howe said what I have been saying for months about Mayo's injury guarantees

The suggestion has been made this past week that the team can free up money (soon) by getting Mayo to agree to a restructure. I'm just referencing an article that was on the main page feed last night stating otherwise. I don't think you'll have any doubters that you were on top of it before anyone else

As you mentioned, it seems that the Patriots will have to wait until at least early summer to free up any money through Mayo, as it's hard to imagine him passing a physical before then.

 

[patriot1136]

Man I really hope we can find a way to keep both Ayers and Casillas. Or hit in the draft like we did we Hightower and Collins in the first place.

 

[patman52]

Mayo cannot be renegotiated until he is able to pass a physical, so it's looking like this won't happen until June/July. It does not appear as though restructuring Mayo can give the team any relief for quite some time.

According to Howe: "Of Mayo’s $6.25 million base salary, $4.5 million is guaranteed for injury until he passes a physical. So if the Pats cut Mayo before he passes his physical, they would owe him $4.5 million. As soon as Mayo passes his physical, the injury guarantee disappears, and that’s when the Patriots could really approach Mayo to restructure his deal, if that’s the route they choose."

Why can't they get the deal done before? Is there a concern that mayo won't restructure unless he is told he will be cut the next day?

 

[JMC00]

Since everyone agrees that he won't be able to participate in OTAs or mini-camp, that may not happen until at least the start/middle of the summer.

First off, who is everyone?

Mayo could "pass" a "physical" and still not participate in mini-camp

Also Mayo 2 weeks ago was already back to light lifting.

.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Take your time Bud..we need you in long run

 

[supafly]

First off, who is everyone?

Mayo could "pass" a "physical" and still not participate in mini-camp

Also Mayo 2 weeks ago was already back to light lifting.

.

Why would he? What incentive would there be to try and pass a physical if he's still recovering? Those are important questions to ask.

"Everyone" is too broad a term, I agree (multiple sources close to the team)--but if he's not expected to participate in mini-camp or OTAs, then how could he realistically pass a physical?

Either way, the team cannot restructure him to save money on the cap until he has recovered significantly enough to pass a physical, and that isn't going to be anytime soon. We're basically almost at the beginning of March, so 8 weeks would already take us to the beginning of May, with 12 at the beginning of June.

A big part of the physical is going to be examining his current injury, no?

 

[supafly]

Why can't they get the deal done before? Is there a concern that mayo won't restructure unless he is told he will be cut the next day?

Can't save money with the injury guarantee in place, and until he can pass a physical the guarantee will not go away.

 

[mgteich]

Lol Jeff Howe said what I have been saying for months about Mayo's injury guarantees

It is a bit embarrassing that folks are treating this as a new scoop.

 

[mgteich]

Can't save money with the injury guarantee in place, and until he can pass a physical the guarantee will not go away.

To be the contrarian, Mayo's contract can indeed be re-structured if Mayo agrees. I would think that the $4.5M would need to continue to be guaranteed. If the $4.5M portion of the salary were moved to a bonus, $3M of 2015 cap money would be saved.

The risk to the team is minimal. If Mayo does not recover from injuries, the money is owed anyway. If Mayo is healthy, then the team will have he best LB corp in the NFL in addition to saving cap money.

Of course, this would give up on the dream of posters here to drastically cut Mayo's salary or be cut. That scenario could not be played out until June or so, after he has passed his physical. So, if the team wants to save the max, they will need to wait and cut Mayo. My personal view is the team has no interest in Mayo leaving.
=======
All this being said, if the team is willing to forego the immediate cap relief, they can wait until after Mayo's passes his physical June or even July and see how Mayo has progressed. At that point the team and Mayo can have a negotiation to decide how much Mayo might play for over the next three years. This re-write would be beneficial to the patriots in lots of ways, and also beneficial to Mayo.

Mayo probably SHOULD be paid less that $6.25M of new money. Waiting to negotiate would result in a pay cut; negotiating would likely not result in a pay cut, except perhaps a minor reduction in non-guaranteed money (perhaps $750K). Even that would reduce the cap reduction to $3.75M.

BOTTOM LINE
If Mayo is willing to reduce his salary by $750K and move $4.5M to a new bonus, then the team can say $3.75M in cap room.

So, Mayo could insist on keeping everything, but I suspect that he might agree to this $750K pay cut. Obviously, the $3M or $3.75M of cap room could be used to sign Gostkowski or Vereen or Ayers or Connolly and Casillas.

 

[kennyb]

Mayo could negotiate a smaller non injury guarantee if he realizes that he'll pass a physical soon enough.

It's another reason to cut Revis though. Doesn't mean they can't re-sign him but the space would be nice.

 

[meatface]

With Hightower looking at this long rehab it would seem unlikely to me that Mayo will get cut. Plus if Hightower has to go on the PUP then he will come off just in time for Mayo's obligatory week 6 injury

 

[supafly]

To be the contrarian, Mayo's contract can indeed be re-structured if Mayo agrees. I would think that the $4.5M would need to continue to be guaranteed. If the $4.5M portion of the salary were moved to a bonus, $3M of 2015 cap money would be saved.

The risk to the team is minimal. If Mayo does not recover from injuries, the money is owed anyway. If Mayo is healthy, then the team will have he best LB corp in the NFL in addition to saving cap money.

Of course, this would give up on the dream of posters here to drastically cut Mayo's salary or be cut. That scenario could not be played out until June or so, after he has passed his physical. So, if the team wants to save the max, they will need to wait and cut Mayo. My personal view is the team has no interest in Mayo leaving.
=======
All this being said, if the team is willing to forego the immediate cap relief, they can wait until after Mayo's passes his physical June or even July and see how Mayo has progressed. At that point the team and Mayo can have a negotiation to decide how much Mayo might play for over the next three years. This re-write would be beneficial to the patriots in lots of ways, and also beneficial to Mayo.

Mayo probably SHOULD be paid less that $6.25M of new money. Waiting to negotiate would result in a pay cut; negotiating would likely not result in a pay cut, except perhaps a minor reduction in non-guaranteed money (perhaps $750K). Even that would reduce the cap reduction to $3.75M.

BOTTOM LINE
If Mayo is willing to reduce his salary by $750K and move $4.5M to a new bonus, then the team can say $3.75M in cap room.

So, Mayo could insist on keeping everything, but I suspect that he might agree to this $750K pay cut. Obviously, the $3M or $3.75M of cap room could be used to sign Gostkowski or Vereen or Ayers or Connolly and Casillas.

So, you're saying that a restructure could in theory, happen---only if the team really isn't interested in actually saving money?

In other words, you've reminding us that a short-term solution does exist, which wouldn't really solve anything, but would still address the 2015 salary cap in the way that if often seen via a "restructuring," and not a real pay cut.

What would you place the odds of that happening at, out of curiosity?

 

[supafly]

It's another reason to cut Revis though. Doesn't mean they can't re-sign him but the space would be nice.

I wouldn't think that most here would agree with you. Most here are more than happy to have one of the top 1-2 shutdown corners in the league.

 

[JMC00]

My gut if there are no setbacks, Hightower is ready to go opening night.

 

[supafly]

With Hightower looking at this long rehab it would seem unlikely to me that Mayo will get cut. Plus if Hightower has to go on the PUP then he will come off just in time for Mayo's obligatory week 6 injury

I can't believe that some would even remotely entertain the thought of Mayo getting cut from the team, but that's just me.

I think there's an excellent chance that he'll need to take less money, but that's just a personal opinion.

 

[kennyb]

I wouldn't think that most here would agree with you. Most here are more than happy to have one of the top 1-2 shutdown corners in the league.

As am I. 25m cap hit for one year is untenable though.

 

[mgteich]

I can't believe that some would even remotely entertain the thought of Mayo getting cut from the team, but that's just me.

I think there's an excellent chance that he'll need to take less money, but that's just a personal opinion.

?????

I've suggested that he be signed for $750K less and put his $4.5M of guaranteed money into a bonus. You considered the idea absurd. Saving $750K of new money and $3.0M of cap money wasn't enough for you.

What are you suggesting for Mayo?