Why the New England Patriots will need to create more cap space and how they can do so

[Tony2046]

While I agree that the team needs to shave some $$ off of Cannon's deal, if his toe is healthy I really think Scar can get him to where he was during the 2013 season.

It's a dilemma. If cutting him means the ability to sign our key defensive FA then he's probably gone.

 

[RobertWeathers]

It's a dilemma. If cutting him means the ability to sign our key defensive FA then he's probably gone.

No question. In that case he needs to go.

 

[mgteich]

It's a dilemma. If cutting him means the ability to sign our key defensive FA then he's probably gone.

And who is that?

 

[Tony2046]

And who is that?

Hightower, Collins, Butler etc.....

 

[supafly]

I was going to get Miguel as well, with a hypothetical "why would you advocate this move?"

The fact that he made the disclaimer so large just seemed to take all of the fun out of it.

 

[mgteich]

Hightower, Collins, Butler etc.....

None of these players is a free agent.

Hightower is a free agent in 2017. NO cap money is needed to extend his contract. An extension would increase the cap money available.

Collins and Butler are 2017 free agents. Miguel's discussion is very clear.

 

[JMC00]

swing man to two OT's with injury historie

What's with you thinking Solder has had injury problems. This is the 2nd or 3rd time i've responded to you about it. Before tearing his bicep last year Solder had never had an injury problem that forced him to miss games.


Solder Career

College
2009- 12 GS
2010- 12 GS
2011- 12 GS

Pro
2011- 19 G 16 GS
2012- 18 GS
2013- 17 GS (1 game missed)
2014- 19 GS
2015- Started the 1st 4 games before getting injured.

So in his career (college and pro) up until this past year Solder had missed only 1 game and it was due to a concussion

 

[Tony2046]

None of these players is a free agent.

Hightower is a free agent in 2017. NO cap money is needed to extend his contract. An extension would increase the cap money available.

Collins and Butler are 2017 free agents. Miguel's discussion is very clear.

Miguel's article is very clear and informative. Thanks for reaffirming that.

Please forgive me for using FA and not future FA. (Horrible and unforgivable mistake)

I take it you would rather wait to extend Hightower, Collins and Butler. I would not. Extending these guys (and Jones) has been a fairly popular discussion in this forum.

The current 6 million in cap space is not enough to do all of the following items

* Sign Jamie Collins to an extension. A deal that is slightly better than Lavonte David would take up over $5 million in cap space

* Have a cushion to extend players during regular season – $1 to $4 million. Example – Malcolm Butler

The $15 million should be more than enough to cover the remaining salary cap expenses as well as extend a couple of several key defenders.

 

[mgteich]

Miguel's article is very clear and informative. Thanks for reaffirming that.

Please forgive me for using FA and not future FA. (Horrible and unforgivable mistake)

I take it you would rather wait to extend Hightower, Collins and Butler. I would not. Extending these guys (and Jones) has been a fairly popular discussion in this forum.

I was just trying to clarify the situation.

Sure, we would all like to extend Hightower, Collins, Butler, Sheard, Ninkovich and a few others.

What I object to is thinking that every transaction will allow us to extend all those players. Perhaps, folks should be clearer. Perhaps, we should have extended Butler instead of signing Hogan. These are NOT the choices being made.

Extending Hightower and Sheard would create MORE cap money. Yet folks make believe that cutting Cannon will allow us to extend one of them. If Beliechick could sign a reasonable extension with these two, he would do so.

There are many, many ways to create cap space. We have it backwards. We should first look to the extension. If Belichick needed $3M or $4M of cap money, he would find it. The issue is getting them to want to sign a reasonable contract.

 

[Tony2046]

I was just trying to clarify the situation.

Sure, we would all like to extend Hightower, Collins, Butler, Sheard, Ninkovich and a few others.

What I object to is thinking that every transaction will allow us to extend all those players. Perhaps, folks should be clearer. Perhaps, we should have extended Butler instead of signing Hogan. These are NOT the choices being made.

Extending Hightower and Sheard would create MORE cap money. Yet folks make believe that cutting Cannon will allow us to extend one of them. If Beliechick could sign a reasonable extension with these two, he would do so.

There are many, many ways to create cap space. We have it backwards. We should first look to the extension. If Belichick needed $3M or $4M of cap money, he would find it. The issue is getting them to want to sign a reasonable contract.

OK gotcha. Originally I posted that IF keeping Cannon meant not being able to extend one of our (Future) free agents then I would opt for cutting him.

But I get and agree with your perspective.

Side note: When I stated dilemma I meant, but did not clarify, that although I want to keep key defensive contributors I also do not want to see the same O line issues we witnessed last season. Emotionally I would prefer 10 pro bowl offensive linemen on the roster but realistically know that isn't possible.

 

[zipster9]

The Cannon deal, in terms of money, made no sense in the first place. But BB might be loath to cut his losses due to the lack of depth in the OL as it stands right now. Maybe if some people emerge in Training Camp, Cannon will be deemed surplus to needs and cut but I don't see that move happening right away.

Agree.

I'd cut Cannon and draft 2 OTs. Cheaper and probably an upgrade.

 

[mgteich]

Agree.

I'd cut Cannon and draft 2 OTs. Cheaper and probably an upgrade.

This is a common view here. When we think a player isn't starting material (even when the team does), we think that we can just draft couple of replacements. AND THEY WILL BE ABLE TO START when Vollmer is hurt.

I strongly disagree. I would NOT go into the season with Solder, Vollmer and 2 rookies.

 

[50-yard-line]

The article said they needed to do something before April 9 - today's the 10th. Anything happen?

 

[Urgent]

This is a common view here. When we think a player isn't starting material (even when the team does), we think that we can just draft couple of replacements. AND THEY WILL BE ABLE TO START when Vollmer is hurt.

I strongly disagree. I would NOT go into the season with Solder, Vollmer and 2 rookies.

Not to derail, but they have Fleming and Waddle at tackle.

 

[mgteich]

Not to derail, but they have Fleming and Waddle at tackle.

And many posters have confidence that if Vollmer int down, one of them might be marginally capable of starting.

In any case, there are decisions to be made at OT. It seems unlikely that we will carry more than four. That's two backups among Cannon, Waddle, Fleming, an early draftee, and a late draftee.

My guess is that we keep one vet and one draftee.

 

[Miguel]

The article said they needed to do something before April 9 - today's the 10th. Anything happen?

Where did the article say that?

 

[50-yard-line]

Where did the article say that?

It didn't - I misread your second line. Sorry.