The Patriots were toast before the season began- a casualty of the salary cap.

[Zuma]

Everyone acknowledges we have a ton of cap space in the future. That's a fact. A fact which would've given us the ability to extend anyone into the future.

This is true…however the problem is with the person picking the groceries.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

This is true…however the problem is with the person picking the groceries.

I think the point was that the dead cap charges were eaten instead of extended so going forward the slate is clean and there is a lot of cap room (top 5 I think). People are complaining that Bill the GM didn't spend the $$s and add void years to fill out the team.

Personally I am glad BB did not blow a lot of cap dollars and extend the money with future dead years with the uncertainty at QB. When we have a good QB then it makes sense to me to play the "cap games" with void years. Guys thinking it is clever "GMing" to add a lot of void years to sign players when the QB can't see a wide open slant over the middle makes no sense to me. Save the money until we have a QB.

 

[upstater1]

I think the point was that the dead cap charges were eaten instead of extended so going forward the slate is clean and there is a lot of cap room (top 5 I think). People are complaining that Bill the GM didn't spend the $$s and add void years to fill out the team.

Personally I am glad BB did not blow a lot of cap dollars and extend the money with future dead years with the uncertainty at QB. When we have a good QB then it makes sense to me to play the "cap games" with void years. Guys thinking it is clever "GMing" to add a lot of void years to sign players when the QB can't see a wide open slant over the middle makes no sense to me. Save the money until we have a QB.

Also a product of the team being young. If Onwenu, Dugger and Uche had Pro Bowl years, you want to keep them, and pay huge contracts. I think Anfernee might be up as well

 

[Brotherblues]

Ranking NFL teams by age after 53-man cutdowns: 2023 edition

Where do the Eagles rank in age among the 32 NFL teams?

www.phillyvoice.com

At start of year pats were 26th youngest team. So not young relative to other teams

We have a 40yo special teams captain that inflates their average age. Another special teamer at 35ish. Lotta jag role players over 30 skewing that average. The bulk of their actual talent is pretty young (Rham, Bourne, Douglas, Onwenu, Strange, Dugger, Uche, White, Gonzalez, Jack, Marcus, Barmore)-- though some are due for free agency. Those are the guys they need to re-up. Extend the guys who are young and have done well in the system, not the likes of Devante Parker.

 

[50-yard-line]

Agreed, they do have some decent talent to re-sign and start over with, though not much.

Dugger, Jones,Jones, even Wade is playing pretty well…Barmore, White, Jennings, Uche…Bentley is still pretty young…Strange, Onwenu, Sow, Mafi…Pop…

I think if one of Boutte, Raegor, or Thornton works out…

The problem is: QBs are hard to find, and while I have hope for a couple of the young’uns, most are good, not elite.

If they don’t start opening the wallet for top-end talent (Roquan Smith a couple of years ago, for example) there will always be a top-heavy team that escapes injury and is far ahead of them.

If several teams a year are willing to mortgage the future for a run, it’ll be hard to get by all of them.

 

[VrabelJr]

Nuanced, logical, and well reasoned thread. Hard pass.

 

[State]

Ranking NFL teams by age after 53-man cutdowns: 2023 edition

Where do the Eagles rank in age among the 32 NFL teams?

www.phillyvoice.com

At start of year pats were 26th youngest team. So not young relative to other teams

But look at our offense. We were the second oldest last season. Not sure about this year.

That’s why Mapu in the third round was so bat **** crazy. After the first two picks on defense, offense should have been next.

BTW Mapu has been disappointing.

 

[Fubby]

A lot of teams play salary cap chess and some still playing checkers, and then we have Bill playing his own game. At this point I think it may be Candy Land…

 

[venecol]

Ranking NFL teams by age after 53-man cutdowns: 2023 edition

Where do the Eagles rank in age among the 32 NFL teams?

www.phillyvoice.com

At start of year pats were 26th youngest team. So not young relative to other teams

They're the 2nd oldest. Not sure why he keeps saying they're one of the youngest.

 

[venecol]

Before the Pats took the field, they were at a significant disadvantage.
(data from OverTheCap contract files- early September, 2023)

Comparing the two most salary cap extreme teams - the Eagles & Pats
** The Eagles have eleven players making $= > $10M, the Pats 2.
** The Eagles contracts with all their players worth $277 (APY), Pats $184(APY)
** The Pats salary cap charge was $19M more than the Eagles on contracts $93M less.

Comparing the Pats to the rest of the league.
** The average NFL club has contracts of $235M (APY), The Pats $184.
** The average NFL club has a cap charge of 80% of the contract to APY value.
** The Jets cap to contract value was 71%, the Bills 74%, the Dolphins 76%, the Pats 103%.
** The Pats are the only NFL club that salary cap charges exceed to APY contract value.

Finally, the 8 highest contract APY teams through 10/31 are winning 64% of their games, the lowest 8 are winning 36%. Until the cap rules are changes, it is nothing but a giant shell game.

Nice thread.

If there's a real life case like the Eagles, could you do their taxes? Asking for a friend.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

They're the 2nd oldest. Not sure why he keeps saying they're one of the youngest.

Maybe because he’s a Bill Belichick apologist robot which makes him a pathological liar?

 

[ctpatsfan77]

** The Jets cap to contract value was 71%, the Bills 74%, the Dolphins 76%, the Pats 103%.

And the price BUF and MIA pay is that they have to shed $25M+ in payroll before next season starts. (The JEST have about $25M to spend.)

 

[ctpatsfan77]

There are specific monies set aside for the Salary cap. Trying to say that the Patriots are skimping because of the cash there spending is BS when you use the REAL numbers as set in the CBA. Ignoring this makes your entire % spiel null and void.

The whole point of the hard salary cap is to prevent a situation like MLB where one team is able to consistently spend $100M more (or less) than other teams.

 

[1960Pats]

Ranking NFL teams by age after 53-man cutdowns: 2023 edition

Where do the Eagles rank in age among the 32 NFL teams?

www.phillyvoice.com

At start of year pats were 26th youngest team. So not young relative to other teams

It sounded good though.

 

[1960Pats]

It's kind of interesting seeing fans try to dismiss the obvious. It's like a small group of fans are shutting their eyes, blocking their ears and screaming so they don't have to see or hear it.

 

[Water Boy]

This thread is BS. In hindsight people will see the genius in:

- Paying Thuney a 5th yr option and then letting him walk

-Extending Parker rather than signing DHop

-Trading Shaq Mason for a 5th and drafting Cole Strange in the first.

-Signing JJSS and letting Myers go.

-Not locking up any promising rookie prior to their final contract year and letting them "test" the market.

- Most likely letting Uche, Dugger and Onwenu walk in their contract year rather than trading one of them for a draft pick during a lost season.

- Paying top dollar for a long snapper.

-Wasting salary cap resources available during Mac's rookie contract.

 

[JayNM]

This thread is BS. In hindsight people will see the genius in:

- Paying Thuney a 5th yr option and then letting him walk

-Extending Parker rather than signing DHop

-Trading Shaq Mason for a 5th and drafting Cole Strange in the first.

-Signing JJSS and letting Myers go.

-Not locking up any promising rookie prior to their final contract year and letting them "test" the market.

- Most likely letting Uche, Dugger and Onwenu walk in their contract year rather than trading one of them for a draft pick during a lost season.

- Paying top dollar for a long snapper.

-Wasting salary cap resources available during Mac's rookie contract.

Chess vs tic tac toe

 

[CPA_MM]

Interesting and helpful breakdown... Should void years be limited to 1 season or eliminated completely?

Interesting and helpful breakdown... Should void years be limited to 1 season or eliminated completely?

I believe the cap should have some relationship to reality. Example- Last season the Eagles signed Fletcher Cox to a one year deal- fully guaranteed- for $14M. Because of four void years- the cap hit was $4M. This makes no sense.

or- continue as is- a giant shell game. When you have a quarterback capable of taking you to the Super Bowl - go for . The Eagles have eleven players making $10M or more. They can afford it because of void years on contracts. The Eagles can delay dead cap problems for at least six seasons. In the meantime- chase the super bowl.Teams that worry about dead cap will be left in the dust.

I would rather teams win- loss record be determined by play on the field- not in some dusty office in the bowls of some stadium based on the design of a contract.

 

[CPA_MM]

So good teams manipulate the cap and bad teams claim it as a hinderance to building a good team.

Do you want the winner of the Super Bowl based on who played the best on the field or who manipulated the cap the most?

 

[CPA_MM]

As he pointed out, the Eagles will have to pay eventually for those void years. Of course, the cap increases with inflation every year so it becomes relatively less expensive.

The Patriots are paying a lot of money on dead hits because of crappy past signings where they had to eat it, and continuing to make stupid signings. These big splash deals have consequences years later.

The Eagles, as they should, are stacking all of their cap money into their window of contention for now. At some point that will cost them (see Rams, Saints) but it’s probably worth it.

In the 2023 season, the Eagles had $57 of dead cap with $174 for active contracts. The Patriots had $24M of dead cap with $193M for active contracts. When the dust settles- the Eagle players have contracts worth $277M - the Patriots $184M.

In the current salary cap- up is down and down is up.