I think first you have to look at the obvious moves....
The cuts
Allen: ($7.4 mil cap savings, no dead money)
No way they can justify him at this number.
McCourty ($9.5 mil cap savings, $3.9 mil dead money)
Maybe one of the worst contracts in Pats history, finally time to get out from underneath it.
Slater ($2.5 cap savings, $500,00 dead money)
let him retire with grace, but his time has come. (should have kept Boldin over him this year (and that was my opinion long before Boldin had his day yesterday.)
Hoyer ($1.49 mil cap savings, $1.5 in dead money)
He just isn't that good, at least give a younger cheaper player a shot.
Keionta Davis ($570,000 cap savings, no dead money)
If he can't make the game day roster with the 2018 defense, cut him and create more cap space.
The re-signings:
Tender Josh Gordon at the first round rate.
$4.429 cap hit, all guaranteed (no brainer).
Franchise tag Trey Flowers ($17.144,000 cap charge) try to re-sign him, but if nothing else don't let him walk.
Try to bring back at a reasonable rate:
Trent Brown
Malcom Brown
Coradelle Patterson
Let walk:
Ghostkowski-too much money, too many misses.
Ryan Allen-might as well get younger and cheaper at both punter and kicker (although he could easily be in the "bring back at a reasonable rate club too).
Jason McCourty
Chris Hogan
Danny Shelton (sucks that they still owe a 3rd round pick for this guy who can't beat out a number of UDFA).
Jeremey Hill
Anthony Dorsett
Rowe
So all these moves and a restructure of Hightower's contract leaves the Pats with $24 million in cap space.
As of today they have 12 draft picks in 2019
They have their own picks in rounds 1,2,4,7 (3-Shelton, 5-Gordon,6-Bademosi)
1st-own
2nd-own
2nd- from Chicago
3rd from Detroit
(2) 3rd round comp picks (solder, Butler)
4th-own
5th rd comp pick (Amendola)
7th-own
7th from Philly
7th from Cleveland
7th rd comp pick (Fleming)
Needs:
pass rusher, speed LB, Safety, QB, TE
Free Agency:
Demarcus Lawrence and Jadaveon Clowney are both going to be UFA, I would say go after one of them, and still try and keep Flowers, but that will never happen.
Safeties: Earl Thomas or Landon Collins
TE: Jared Cook might be a good safety blanket in case Gronk goes down
LB:K.J Wright, Anthony Barr