A team's adjusted cap consists of three numbers:
- League cap number
- Prior year carryover adjustments for Likely To Be Earned (LTBE)/Not Likely To Be Earned (NLTBE) incentives
- Adjustments for Likely To Be Earned (LTBE)/Not Likely To Be Earned (NLTBE) incentives. In 2017, the Patriots were debited a total of $1,006,553 against their 2017 adjusted cap number because of LTBE/NTLBE calculations.
Vince Wilfork
Background
Earned LTBE incentives:
Unearned LTBE incentives:
Earned NTLBE incentives:
Unearned NLTBE incentives:
Matthew Slater
Dont'a Hightower
Patrick Chung
Patrick Chung
Patrick Chung
Patrick Chung
Patrick Chung
Dont'a Hightower
James Develin
James Develin
David Harris
Harris
David Harris
Alan Branch
Alan Branch
Alan Branch
Impossible. If the Patriots defense continues to average 66.5 snaps a game and even if Branch were to play in 100 percent of them going forward his playing-time percentage for the year would be 57.24 percent.
Julian Edelman
Impossible
Unlikely: $700,000
Possible: $800,000
Probable: $1,100,000
$3,200,000
italicized
Ryan Allen
Nate Solder
Nate Ebner
Possible
Shea McClellin
Johnson Bademosi
Unlikely since he is not listed on the Pro Bowl ballot
Dont'a Hightower
Johnson Bademosi
Johnson Bademosi
Johnson Bademosi
LaAdrian Waddle
LaAdrian Waddle
Dion Lewis
Dion Lewis
Dion Lewis
Lewis
Lawrence Guy
Lawrence Guy
Lawrence Guy
Duron Harmon
Duron Harmon
Duron Harmon
Possible since Harmon has played in 76.2 percent of the defensive snaps.
Alan Branch
Impossible. If the Patriots defense continues to average 66.5 snaps a game and even if Branch were to play in 100 percent of them going forward his playing-time percentage for the year would be 57.24 percent.
Dont'a Hightower
Shea McClellin
* Rob Gronkowski's $1 million incentive can be earned in one of the following four ways:
- Scores 10 touchdowns
- Catches 60 passes
- Has 800 receiving yards
- 70 percent playing-time
66 receptions
990 receiving yards
81.8 percent playing time
* Rob Gronkowski's $3 million incentive can be earned in one of the following four ways
- 80 percent playing-time
- Scores 12 touchdowns
- Catches 70 passes
- Has 1,000 receiving yards
81.2 percent playing time
* Rob Gronkowski's $5.5 million incentive could have been earned in one of the following five ways
- 90 percent playing-time
- Scores 14 touchdowns
- Catches 80 passes
- Has 1,200 receiving yards
- Named first-team All-Pro
Possible. While Gronk's pace of 8 touchdowns, 68 receptions, 990 receiving yards, and 81.2 percent playing time would leave him short of the needed numbers he can reach them over the final six games. In order to so Gronk would need to average 1.5 touchdowns a game OR 6.5 receptions a game OR 96.83 receiving yards a game. Please note that it is now mathematically impossible for Gronk to earn the 90 percent playing-time incentive. The Patriots offense has averaged 72.4 snaps a game during the first ten games of the season. The Patriots offense would have to average 89 snaps the last six games of the season AND Gronk would have to play all of them to reach 90 percent for the season.
Summary
Rex Burkhead
Stephon Gilmore
Austin Carr:
Cody Hollister:
Jason King:
David Jones:
Kenny Moore:
Credits
Unearned LTBE incentives:
Unearned LTBE 46-man active roster bonuses:
Guaranteed Salary Offset Credit:
Total Credits:
plus
League Cap:
Prior Year Carryover:
Adjustment:
Patriots Adjusted Cap:
2018 Cap Commitment:
Ted Karras
2018 Cap Space
Q: Your cap space number is currently around $3.7 million. Why do you think that they will end up with $3 million?
Q: Who are those five players?
Dwayne Allen
Q: What would happen to a player's 2018 cap number if he reaches a NLTBE incentive in 2017?
Q: Can Gronkowski earn $9.5 (1+3+5.5) million in incentives this year?
Q: Will rushing for a touchdown, however unlikely, help Gronkowski reach his incentives?
Q: Some reports of Gronkowski's incentives do not mention scoring 14 touchdowns as part of his top tier?
Q: Besides the already mentioned players what Patriots have incentives for the 2018 season whose likeliness to be earned classification will be determined by how they do in 2017?
- David Andrews has two playing-time incentives that commence in 2018. He will earn $250,000 if he plays in at least 65 percent of the snaps next year. He will earn another $450,000 if he plays in 85 percent. If he continues to average play 90.3 percent of the snaps in the 2017 season, both incentives will be considered LTBE for the 2018 season increasing his 2018 cap number by $700,000.
- James White has four incentives that commence in the 2018 season. He will earn $250,000 if he plays in at least 50 percent of the snaps in 2018, and will earn another $250,000 if he plays in 60 percent. He will earn $250,000 if he has 1,000 total yards from scrimmage and another $250,000 if he has 1,200 total yards from scrimmage. White has played in 42.1 percent of the snaps in the 2017 season, and is on pace for 826 yards from scrimmage, so none of his four incentives would be considered LTBE for the 2018 season.
Q: How else can playing-time affect the Patriots cap?
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