Patscap Mailbag: How frequently have Patriots spent to the cap? Plus questions on quarterbacking and Malcolm Mitchell

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[embed]https://twitter.com/stephenoleski/status/952911945069400064[/embed]

Answer: Since 2000 there have been indeed years that the Pats have not spend to the cap. You can see from this Mike Reiss' report in 2014. There have also been years where they have spent over the cap. For four league years (2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016), the Patriots were among the lowest teams in terms of cash spending. But they also won two Super Bowls during that time. Seems safe to say the Patriots' roster building modus operandi works for them. What is more likely? Focusing on having a strong roster as reason for the Patriots' relatively lack of cash spending? Or the Patriots purposely not spending cash when Super Bowl wins increases a team's value? I vote for the former. If your friend wishes to believe the latter while also ignoring the information in Reiss' report, so be it...

[embed]https://twitter.com/PointlessDude/status/952894155990228993[/embed]

Answer: Yes. But I have not done enough work on the draft to take a guess on who.

[embed]https://twitter.com/kenfaretra/status/952693049972416512[/embed]
Answer: Ken clarified in later tweets that he meant "unlikely" and that Garoppolo would play the 2018 and 2019 seasons under the franchise tags. Under that very unlikely scenario, Garoppolo would then become an UFA in 2020 if the 49ers do not place a third-round franchise tag on him. They could use a transition tag on him in 2020.

[embed]https://twitter.com/ezlazar/status/946829609370341376[/embed]

Answer: Malcolm can be activated during the playoffs. Since his first practice was Wednesday, Dec.27 the deadline to activate him is this Wednesday.

[embed]https://twitter.com/RomanSpurs/status/951891102436593664[/embed]

Answer:
1st round -- Assigned or Original
2nd round -- (#41 or #43) From the 49ers as part of the Garoppolo trade
2nd round -- Assigned or Original
3rd round -- Assigned or Original
4th round--  Traded to Eagles for Eric Rowe.
4th round (#136) --  Compensatory pick for Jabaal Sheard
5th round -- Traded to Seahawks for Cassius Marsh
6th round (#208) -- Assigned or Original
7th round -- Traded to Bengals for Marquis Flowers
7th round-- Patriots traded the Seahawks pick acquired in the Justin Coleman trade back to the Seahawks as part of the Cassius Marsh trade

[embed]https://twitter.com/johndavidmac1/status/951909831878856705[/embed]

Answer: At the Combine in February.

[embed]https://twitter.com/514Nipper/status/951910510466883584[/embed]

Answer:. The three 6-10 teams (Raiders, 49ers, and Dolphins) will be rotating spots throughout the draft. Whomever has the top spot in the rotation in the 1st round (nine overall pick) will drop to the bottom of the rotation in the 2nd round (43rd overall).

[embed]https://twitter.com/ETthomehome/status/951611205902262273[/embed]

Answer: No, since postseason pay is considered a benefit. Therefore, the $28,000 the players will make playing this weekend does not count against the team's salary cap. For more information on postseason pay please see this piece of mine from December.

[embed]https://twitter.com/PlanetWalter/status/951603702024081408[/embed]

Answer: Signs elsewhere. Ernie Adams will ensure that the Pats receive the third-round 2019 compensatory pick that Butler's free agent deal will garner.

[embed]https://twitter.com/JonPypa/status/949792389388005376[/embed]

Answer: Players only.

[embed]https://twitter.com/nunoc3/status/951592395115716613[/embed]

Answer: No, since Nate Solder can't be tagged per a clause in his contract. The running back tag (around $12 million) is too much money for Dion Lewis. Can't see the Patriots tagging Butler at around $15 million.

[embed]https://twitter.com/Cudge86/status/951586824870354944[/embed]

Answer: Not that I know of. If there is one, we should hear about it in February or March. I am not expecting one until all of his lawsuits/trials are settled.

[embed]https://twitter.com/FeeneyMB/status/951582825182097410[/embed]

Answer: Expect the quotable Bennett to retire, much to the chagrin of the Patriots beat writers. Expect Allen's deal to be restructured. Expect Gronk's deal to remain the way it is.

[embed]https://twitter.com/VincentTed12/status/951582700095361024[/embed]

Answer: Yes. Expect a similar deal to James White with maybe an incentive that includes return yardage.

[embed]https://twitter.com/Fineparker89/status/951582361182859264[/embed]

Answer: No. Kenny Britt's deal has no guaranteed money.

[embed]https://twitter.com/CheyenneSulli14/status/950853226424930304[/embed]

Answer: Mike Gillislee's 2018 cap number is $2,181,250. Cutting him would create $1,626,250 in cap space as a player with a $480,000 salary will replace him on the Top 51 list. A Gillislee release would have no dead money.

[embed]https://twitter.com/ArthurHermsdorf/status/950890539821477888[/embed]

Answer: The carryover feature was introduced in 2011 with the new CBA

[embed]https://twitter.com/GregFalco15/status/951577941674221568[/embed]

Answer: Garoppolo would not lose a cent if he waited until right before Week 1 to sign the tag. Franchise Tags counts against a team's salary cap once made in February. Remains on cap until withdrawn. Pats would get 1/17th credit on cap after each missed regular-season Week.

[embed]https://twitter.com/kevinjoyce67/status/951576244918870017[/embed]

Answer: No. I see a bigger need to ensure that the middle class and veterans get more money instead of teams carrying over so much cap space.

[embed]https://twitter.com/mrags316/status/951585864001445888[/embed]

Answer: Drafted him in the first round in 2014 so that they could have had an option for the '18 season. That is the beauty of 20-20 hindsight.

[embed]https://twitter.com/Bostonstreetdoc/status/946821162910257152[/embed]

Answer: The 2017 cap year ended on 4 p.m. on Dec.30. Postseason pay with one exception is considered a benefit and does not count against the cap. Playoff teams still make transactions during the postseason -- usually promoting a player from a practice squad and placing another on Injured Reserve.

[embed]https://twitter.com/Show_1/status/920321929931821059[/embed]

Answer: I project both the 2018 Patriots' adjusted cap number and their 2018 cap space number every week in my weekly incentives tracking report. You can find my Week 14 report here. Here's my current estimate for the Patriots 2018 cap space number. Please note that since this estimate will change frequently between today and March 14, 2018 — the first day of the new league year -- so I'll answer this question on a regular basis:

League cap: $178,100,000
Prior year carryover: $3,000,000
Adjustment: -$600,000
Patriots adjusted cap: $180,500,000
2018 cap commitment: $167,500,000 (After tendering Ted Karras as an ERFA and signing 10 practice squad players to future contracts, the Patriots should have 62 players signed or tendered for the 2018 season.).
2018 CAP SPACE: $13,000,000

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