Salary cap recap 03.10.18: Patriots end day with $21,195,108 in cap space

Here's a quick recap of the Patriots' transaction from Saturday and the impact on their salary cap.



1) They traded a 2019 third-round pick to Cleveland for Danny Shelton and a 2018 fifth rounder. Christopher Price talked about its implications on the Patriots roster here. Shelton's 2018 cap number of $2,030,955 consists only of his fully guaranteed salary -- however, since he was a 2015 first-round pick, the Patriots now have an option for his 2019 season. The official option amount has not yet been announced, but it's likely it will be an increase from the 2017 amount of $6,892,000. The move took $1,475,955 in cap space, as Shelton's $2,030,955 cap number displaced Adam Butler's $555,000 salary from the Top 51 list.

2) Ricky Jean Francois a few days ago he will not be re-signing with the Patriots. This announcement has no impact on the Patriots 2018 salary because he counted $0 on it.

Answering some logical follow-up questions:

Question: Can Jean Francois now sign with another team?
Answer: No, he has to wait until the start of free agency -- 4 p.m. on March 14.

Question: Will he be part of the 2019 compensatory pick calculations if he signs with another team?
Answer: Yes, and as long he remains on his new team through at least Week 10 of the 2018 regular season.

Question: Why trade a 2019 third-round pick?
Answer: Because it's likely that if Malcolm Butler and/or Nate Solder sign with other teams in free agency, their deals would bring a 2019 third-round compensatory pick in return.

Question: When will the trade become official?
Answer: The new league year -- March 14 at 4 p.m.

Question: How much cap space will it take to sign the Patriots 2018 draft class?
Answer: Between $2.5 million and $3 million.

Question: If the Patriots released Shelton, what would be the dead money amount?
Answer: $2,030,955. They would receive a credit in 2019 for any cash he may receive in 2018 from another team.

Question: If the Patriots traded Shelton, what would be the dead money amount?
Answer: Zero.

Question: When is the deadline to pick up Shelton's option?
Answer: May 3

Question: Are there other patriots with first-round options for the 2019 season?
Answer: Yes. Malcom Brown and Phillip Dorsett. Brown and Shelton will be for the same amount since they play the same position -- defensive tackle. Dorsett's option amount should be around $9 million.

Question: Are there any guarantees with the 2019 option?
Answer: The option is guaranteed for injury only from the time it is picked until the start of the 2019 league year. The option becomes fully guaranteed at the start of the 2019 League Year which will be sometime in the middle of March.

Question: What happens if the Patriots do not pick their first-round option?
Answer: The player would then become an UFA (Unrestricted Free Agent) after the 2018 season.

Question: Have the Patriots acquired any future draft picks?
Answer: As of 8 p.m. Saturday, they have not.

Question: Have the Patriots traded away any other future draft picks?
Answer: Yes, they have. They traded their 2019 sixth-round pick to the Detroit Lions for Johnson Bademosi.

Question: What are the Patriots 2018 draft picks?
Answer:

1. 1st round (#31): their original assigned pick


2. 2nd round (#43): From the 49ers as part of the Jimmy Garoppolo trade.


3. 2nd round (#63): their original assigned pick


4. 3rd round (#95): their original assigned pick


5. 4th round (#136): Compensatory pick for Jabaal Sheard


6. 5th round (#150 or #159): From the Browns as part of the Danny Shelton trade


7. 6th round (#205): their original assigned pick

1. 1st round: their original assigned pick


2. 2nd round: their original assigned pick


3. 4th round: their original assigned pick


4. 5th round: their original assigned pick


5. 7th round: their original assigned pick

• Matthew Slater re-signing.


• Nate Ebner re-signing.


• Nate Solder re-signing.


• Either a restructure of Dwayne Allen's deal or his outright release.