Six Salaries and Contracts

[mgteich]

There are many, many extensions that could happen which likely won't have huge effects on this year's cap.
Possibilities include Ninkovich, Long, Branch, Knighton, Ryan and Harmon. I suppose one could include Cooper and Blount. These are extensions that could happen at any time, including during the season.
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THE SIX CONTRACTS - THE UNDERPAID
Collins - $917K salary
Butler - $600K salary

Will Belichick offer these players $10M AAV or more on an extension? If it is a true extension, the only 2016 hit would be the amortized portion of the bonus. For example, a four year extension with a $10M bonus would only add $2.5M to the 2016 cap.

THE SIX CONTRACTS - THE SOURCES
The team has a bit of extra cap money at the moment. In addition, any of the following COULD be extended with significant cap savings.
Cannon - $3.4M (obviously a pay cut or a waiver is also a possibility)
Hightower - $7.8M
Sheard - $4.0M
Bennett - $5.51M

 

[chasa]

I think josh normans deal hurt Butlers chances of getting extended before the season ends.

Norman got a HUGE deal after ONE good year, some would argue that butler isn't on normans level, but butler is definitely a #1 CB which means some team might fork out 12-14 mil a year for him.

so unless butler WANTS to stick around, i don't see him signing anything, and then getting franchised, thus giving the pats leverage for an extension, or at the very least seeing what sort of offers they might get for him.

 

[mgteich]

I think josh normans deal hurt Butlers chances of getting extended before the season ends.

Norman got a HUGE deal after ONE good year, some would argue that butler isn't on normans level, but butler is definitely a #1 CB which means some team might fork out 12-14 mil a year for him.

so unless butler WANTS to stick around, i don't see him signing anything, and then getting franchised, thus giving the pats leverage for an extension, or at the very least seeing what sort of offers they might get for him.

For 2017, Butler is an RFA. If a team wants to give him $12M a year (quite possible if he has a good year), then the patriots could match or let him go and receive a 1st rounder as compensation.

I'm having a bit of a problem hearing that Butler is a "team" player and is OK with getting $600K and playing for peanuts agains next year because no one will give up a 1st. Doesn't he have an agent?

 

[supafly]

For 2017, Butler is an RFA. If a team wants to give him $12M a year (quite possible if he has a good year), then the patriots could match or let him go and receive a 1st rounder as compensation.

I'm having a bit of a problem hearing that Butler is a "team" player and is OK with getting $600K and playing for peanuts agains next year because no one will give up a 1st. Doesn't he have an agent?

I think they'll wait for Butler to have another year under his belt and a larger sample size, before throwing around tens of millions of dollars. That's just my personal guess. I would expect his situation to be addressed after the season, unless both parties somehow agree on fair value right now.

 

[mgteich]

I think they'll wait for Butler to have another year under his belt and a larger sample size, before throwing around tens of millions of dollars. That's just my personal guess. I would expect his situation to be addressed after the season, unless both parties somehow agree on fair value right now.

Butler and his agent will certainly remember playing this year for $600K.

 

[BTTA]

Butler is the best case study ever in the value of being a Patriot vs. getting all you can in the open market. A few months ago, he is just hoping to make enough money in an NFL career to put aside a few hundred thousand and take care of his immediate family. Now, with another good year and without serious injury, he could put aside a few million and take care of his extended family (if he chooses to). This, combined with his apparent humility, work ethic, and being part of Patriots' lore forever, makes for a fantastic unfolding story.

I wonder if he'll be unsure he could have this kind of playing success somewhere else, and sign up for the sure thing soon, something like $5M a year for 4 years. Or has the success fully settled in, and with an agent's help, he'll be fine saying goodbye to the place where it all started and going for a Norman type deal.

I have no way of knowing anything about this until it actually happens.

 

[supafly]

Butler and his agent will certainly remember playing this year for $600K.

While true, I'm not sure that they'd be looking for less money on a second deal if he had been scheduled to make, say, 4-5m dollars this year, either.

I was kind of hoping that they'd both come to an agreement this year for something more "reasonable" (cheaper) than most of the projections being thrown around, but I don't know how realistic that is for either side--hence the larger sample size comment.

 

[DarrylS]

Difficult for me to believe that in the Pats Economic Plans that Cannon will start the season with this $4.7 million dollar cap hit, my guess it will be tweeked..

Sheard is another guy who can fit this scenario.. currently on the books for $6.8 M cap hit..

 

[willard]

I think Butler will get an extension. Currently we have his super cheap salary for 2016, It goes up next year with a first round tender, and then we could franchise him 18. So that is 3 years the Patriots have control, sorry I am not a cap person, but probably averages less than 6 million per. Of course the Patriots could walk away at any point with no dead money and thus the risk is all on Butler. So a 6 year extension with an out after 4 for the Patriots with a good deal of the first 4 guaranteed and Revis money on the last 2 years might work for both sides.

 

[Galeb]

Butler and his agent will certainly remember playing this year for $600K.

I'm sure they'll also remember the Pats were the ones who gave him a chance and groomed him. Both Butler and his agent know this is a business. If he wants more money under his rookie contract, he'll have to settle for less money later (see Gronk). Holding a grudge over such things is bad business. If Butler isn't extended during his rookie contract, it will be up to him to choose between chasing absolute top dollar vs. at or near market money in a desired location/situation.

 

[DaBruinz]

Difficult for me to believe that in the Pats Economic Plans that Cannon will start the season with this $4.7 million dollar cap hit, my guess it will be tweeked..

Sheard is another guy who can fit this scenario.. currently on the books for $6.8 M cap hit..

Sheard is worth every penny of that. I'm hoping the Pats toss in a 2 year extension worth 14-16 million so that we've got some stability there.

 

[Ivan]

I think josh normans deal hurt Butlers chances of getting extended before the season ends.

Norman got a HUGE deal after ONE good year, some would argue that butler isn't on normans level, but butler is definitely a #1 CB which means some team might fork out 12-14 mil a year for him.

so unless butler WANTS to stick around, i don't see him signing anything, and then getting franchised, thus giving the pats leverage for an extension, or at the very least seeing what sort of offers they might get for him.

People keep talking as if Butler needs a new deal right now when in truth the Patriots have him under control for the next three seasons if they wish. He is a very, good player but he's only had one good season. He is going to be a restricted free agent after this season and although some continue to say, that another team will give him big money as well as their first round pick no one can give an example of the last time that happened. If no one does that means he is here for the next two seasons and then they can franchise tag him, so that means he will play two seasons at minimal money before the tag gives him 14 million. I think the Patriots will discuss a new deal with him, this year but it will be in the 8 million a year range and not the 10-12 some here have suggested.

As far as the most pressing deals I still think Hightower will get done first and Collins will very the tag. After that I think they will try to sign Sheard but won't go overboard and give him 10 million plus per season. Same goes for Bennett but there is the additional factor of Gronks deal to consider if they go there.

 

[mgteich]

People keep talking as if Butler needs a new deal right now when in truth the Patriots have him under control for the next three seasons if they wish. He is a very, good player but he's only had one good season. He is going to be a restricted free agent after this season and although some continue to say, that another team will give him big money as well as their first round pick no one can give an example of the last time that happened. If no one does that means he is here for the next two seasons and then they can franchise tag him, so that means he will play two seasons at minimal money before the tag gives him 14 million. I think the Patriots will discuss a new deal with him, this year but it will be in the 8 million a year range and not the 10-12 some here have suggested.

As far as the most pressing deals I still think Hightower will get done first and Collins will very the tag. After that I think they will try to sign Sheard but won't go overboard and give him 10 million plus per season. Same goes for Bennett but there is the additional factor of Gronks deal to consider if they go there.

I believe that Hightower and Sheard are next in line for extensions since their extension would free up significant cap room.

 

[jmt57]

Difficult for me to believe that in the Pats Economic Plans that Cannon will start the season with this $4.7 million dollar cap hit, my guess it will be tweeked..

Sheard is another guy who can fit this scenario.. currently on the books for $6.8 M cap hit..

The Patriots have some time/less urgency with Marcus Cannon should an agreement on a new contract/restructure not be agreed upon. Jabaal Sheard's situation is different.

Sheard represents New Englands's sixth largest salary cap figure for the 2016 season. If he is cut this month he would take up $2.5 million of cap space, and should he be released after June 1 then his contract would eat up over $3.7 million of dead cap money this season.

On the other hand the Patriots would only lose less than $1.2 million of cap space should Cannon be cut or traded, with just a slight variance based on when that would hypothetically occur.

 

[Ivan]

I believe that Hightower and Sheard are next in line for extensions since their extension would free up significant cap room.

I hope you are right, but I think it's going to go more by the right deals than by priority for the team. It won't matter how much they want Hightower, Collins, Sheard, or Bennett if they want 90 million dollar deals, they aren't going there for anyone. They will give decent market numbers to their top free agents but they aren't going to throw money at them, and they shouldn't.

The Patriots need to feel out those they can sign those they can't and go from there. Hightower basically locks up their LB corps for the next 2 seasons, so I put him first. Collins could get the tag and be gone in 2018 it just depends on how he plays it. Bennett is next for me and if they can get him for 8 million a season I would lock him up for the next 3-4 years. After that they can address the rest of the roster and expect to fill some holes, like Ryan and Harmon.

Butler is RFA next off-season, he's not a priority imo.

 

[mgteich]

The Patriots have some time/less urgency with Marcus Cannon should an agreement on a new contract/restructure not be agreed upon. Jabaal Sheard's situation is different.

Sheard represents New Englands's sixth largest salary cap figure for the 2016 season. If he is cut this month he would take up $2.5 million of cap space, and should he be released after June 1 then his contract would eat up over $3.7 million of dead cap money this season.

On the other hand the Patriots would only lose less than $1.2 million of cap space should Cannon be cut or traded, with just a slight variance based on when that would hypothetically occur.

1) The June 1st date is of now importance under the present CBA contract.

2) NO ONE is suggesting that Sheard will be cut. He is well worth the $4M of cap space. The issue is getting him under contract for a 2-3 additional years.

 

[mgteich]

I hope you are right, but I think it's going to go more by the right deals than by priority for the team. It won't matter how much they want Hightower, Collins, Sheard, or Bennett if they want 90 million dollar deals, they aren't going there for anyone. They will give decent market numbers to their top free agents but they aren't going to throw money at them, and they shouldn't.

The Patriots need to feel out those they can sign those they can't and go from there. Hightower basically locks up their LB corps for the next 2 seasons, so I put him first. Collins could get the tag and be gone in 2018 it just depends on how he plays it. Bennett is next for me and if they can get him for 8 million a season I would lock him up for the next 3-4 years. After that they can address the rest of the roster and expect to fill some holes, like Ryan and Harmon.

Butler is RFA next off-season, he's not a priority imo.

I doubt very much that the patriots would guarantee Collins $14.5M for his 2017 services.

 

[jmt57]

1) The June 1st date is of now importance under the present CBA contract.

2) NO ONE is suggesting that Sheard will be cut. He is well worth the $4M of cap space. The issue is getting him under contract for a 2-3 additional years.

My comments were in regard to salary cap number (which seems to be a focus on some threads) versus potential cap number if in worst case scenario the two sides cannot come close to a common ground. In my opinion Cannon's situation should not be lumped together with Sheard's based on the variance of their value to the club.

I agree; I am not implying that Sheard will or should be cut. Sometimes responses to comments by others do not reflect full thoughts on a subject matter - they are simply reactions to a very specific response. Mine was just a worse case scenario/doomsday hypothetical. But to clarify, while the net cap number is indeed $4 mil - it is still worth noting that Sheard is counting for $6.8 million worth of cap space this year.