I think the difference may be in the bonusses. The Pats seem to have adopted a strategy that bonusses must be tiered. That is, the entire sb bonus does not come up front.
That is a very smart move, because with the level of sb that are being paid today, the dead money risk is huge.
If all of the defections we have seen are based on a principle that says protecting against massive dead moeny in future years is the most essential factor in contract negotiations, I am very impressed with the Pats FO strategy.
The best, and perhaps ONLY way to stay on top long term in the cap era is to prevent or minimize dead money. BB dealt with dead moeny issues his first few years here, and has drastically minimized them. I think BB has seen how much more able he is to built a long term winner when he isnt straped with dead moeny as he was at the start of his time here.