LB Signs Offer Sheet, McGinest Restructures
After their plethora of free agent signings last season, New England jumped out and made the first move in the NFL’s restricted free-agent market after signing linebacker Mike Maslowski to an offer sheet.
The Kansas City middle linebacker appeared in eight games in 2001 and didn’t start in any of them, but apparently head coach Bill Belichick along with his personnel experts saw enough in Maslowski to make him a one-year $900,000 offer. The Chiefs have seven days to decide whether or not to match the offer.
Fortunately for the Patriots it seems unlikely they will.
Why? Because since the deal is just for one season the entire $900,000 will count against the salary cap, and considering how important cap room is in the NFL it’s doubtful that they would spend the money on a guy who played so little for them last season.
To make matters worse for the Chiefs should they lose him they’ll get nothing in return since Maslowski came into the NFL as an undrafted free agent.
MCGINEST TAKES A PAY CUT
Defensive end Willie McGinest took one for the team on Thursday after restructuring his contract in an effort to lessen his salary cap hit.
The move will reportedly save the team about $2-million against the cap this season.
McGinest, who Belichick had once likened to Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor, was left exposed in the expansion draft but wasn’t selected by the Texans earlier last month.
He’s been plagued by groin and back problems in recent years and has had problems staying healthy. In his nine seasons in the league he’s only played an entire season just three times, and appeared in just 11 games with a mere five starts in New England’s championship run last season.
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