The Official Patriots Opt Out Thread

[203Pat]

How do you set a plan in April/May when you have no idea what the national situation will be in August/September?

Even now, it would be nice if some soothsayer came down from on high and told us what things are going to look like in December/January, because then the NFL (and NCAA) can make a decision on how to proceed and whether or not to delay the season. But when you have absolutely no idea what the situation will be like in a couple months, it is kinda tough to make plans.

So you just do nothing?? You just hope for the best? Why have a plan?

 

[Rob0729]

If I am the Patriots, I don't spend a dime of the saved money from these players opting out and just push it to next year. With the reduced cap next year, there is likely to be some really good talent in free agency.

This year is going to be a wash year anyway. We don't even know if there will be a complete season. Games are likely going to suck with no contact in practice, no preseason, and players likely forced to IR because of COVID. Don't spend on Clowney. Go into this year with what we have. Develop young players and get ready to gear up for 2021.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

So apparently Hightower’s contract tolls for 2020, which means he won’t be a FA until 2021...if he were considered at risk like Cannon, his contract would not toll...

 

[FCB02062]

Wonder how Newton feels about all these fellow millionaires checking out on his season to make big $ next yr...

 

[Rob0729]

So if I understand it correctly his signing bonus hit stays with this year, correct ?

Meaning he will go into next year with an 8M price tag without any guarantees whatsoever. Seems like a prime candidate for either an extension or cut in salary in exchange for some guarantees.

That is my understanding.

Hightower will be 31 next year too. He will be looking for some security. Going into free agency at age 32 with his injury history is a crap shoot. Unless he is planning to retire after next season, he may be willing to renegotiate for a longer term deal.

 

[DaBruinz]

I think losing vet ST players will go under the radar because they are not given enough credit but it will be extremely hurtful this year. Without preseason games there isn't really a good way to evaluate some younger players and what they bring to the table.

A lot of players like Jonathan Jones initially only made the roster because of their contributions on ST.

Special Teams is going to look a LOT different this year with no Gost, Ebner or Bolden.

 

[DaBruinz]

Yes and no.

Cannon will likely be considered a medical reason. So this year's contract will be accrued. That means the Pats will get about $4.4 million back in cap money that they can push to next season. Hightower won't be considered that. So his contract year will not be accrued and will be pushed to next year and since his contract was due to expire after this year, his $8 million salary gets pushed to next year and he is under contract for 2021 when he was set to be a free agent.

This seems to run contradictory to what @Miguel of @Patscap stated. He said that Cannon's contract would toll and that Cannon's cap number would be some $4.85M in 2022.

 

[XLIX]

So you just do nothing?? You just hope for the best? Why have a plan?

whuh huh? Who said "do nothing"?

 

[203Pat]

whuh huh? Who said "do nothing"?

You said how do you set a plan in April. They didn't set a plan in April, or May, or June, or days before training camp. At some point you have to do something.

 

[Rob0729]

This seems to run contradictory to what @Miguel of @Patscap stated. He said that Cannon's contract would toll and that Cannon's cap number would be some $4.85M in 2022.

I will defer to Miguel since he knows more than me, but I thought if he did a high risk option this year accrues and next year they just move onto the next years part of the deal as if he was paid in 2020.

They threw this deal together so quickly that I have never looked at the details.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

So far...

Donte Hightower ILB
Marcus Cannon RT
Danny Vitale FB
Najee Toran G

And now...
Brandon Bolden RB

Good for all of them. Hopefully this is just the beginning of optouts in NE and leaguewide.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Is there an opt back in? Let's say half the season passes and something drastically improves things.

Not currently. The optouts are, under the current agreement, irrevocable. However, the NFLPA letter to the players does leave open the chance that if something significantly changes for the better it may try to negotiate allowing optouts to opt back in.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

His wife just had a kid. Perfectly reasonable.

Perfectly reasonable for him to opt out even if he didn't have a kid and was living alone.

 

[XLIX]

You said how do you set a plan in April. They didn't set a plan in April, or May, or June, or days before training camp. At some point you have to do something.

And they have done something, the players agreed to it, and things are moving forward.

Not sure what the problem is... as much as it terrifies people to hear this, it is a pandemic, and an extremely contagious one at that... you can mitigate, but you cannot eliminate, the risk.

 

[Falcons2020]

If Belichick had any “tanker” mentality, he could easily turn this into a run for Lawrence or Fields

But it’s not in Belichick and at this point he could probably coach Alabama to 6 wins in the NFL...jk...kinda

 

[203Pat]

And they have done something, the players agreed to it, and things are moving forward.

Not sure what the problem is... as much as it terrifies people to hear this, it is a pandemic, and an extremely contagious one at that... you can mitigate, but you cannot eliminate, the risk.

If you think the NFL handled this properly then I don't know what to tell you.

 

[JarOfMayo51]

His wife just had a kid. Perfectly reasonable.

Ahh yea didnt know he just had a baby, so that makes sense.. just the timing of it was unfortunate lol (well, not for Danny!)

 

[JarOfMayo51]

If Belichick had any “tanker” mentality, he could easily turn this into a run for Lawrence or Fields

But it’s not in Belichick and at this point he could probably coach Alabama to 6 wins in the NFL...jk...kinda

Honestly I think this is the type of challenge that gets BB up in the morning. I bet he's super excited every day to wake up and find ways to prepare this team to be a winner despite all of these obstacles and challenges

 

[XLIX]

If you think the NFL handled this properly then I don't know what to tell you.

Obviously what you don't know is how to support your thesis. Where's the evidence that they have handled it improperly? They have cancelled the preseason, but the regular season is still set to start on time. They have an agreement with the players regarding how to proceed. They have procedures in place to allow players to opt out.

What exactly should they be doing that they haven't done?

 

[luuked]

So apparently Hightower’s contract tolls for 2020, which means he won’t be a FA until 2021...if he were considered at risk like Cannon, his contract would not toll...

I don't think this is correct. The contracts toll either way its just the amount of money they get that differs and the fact that for Hightower it is considered an advance whereas for Cannon it is actual "new money".

At least that's how I understood it.