Three of the most frequently asked questions I receive are:
1) What will the Patriots do with their current cap space?
2) Is their current cap space number is enough for the rest of the 2018 league year?
3) Do the Pats have enough cap space to sign a recently released player like Dez Bryant?
The current $14 million in cap space may be just enough to do all three. Let me explain why:
--Sign the 2018 draft class and UDFAs. As of April 14, it should take around $3.5 million.
--Pay for players 52 and 53, which should amount to $960,000. Right now, all 32 teams are operating under the Top 51 rule, where only the salaries of the players with the 51 highest cap numbers count against the cap.
--Pay for the 10-man practice squad -- $7,600 a week for 17 weeks to 10 players equals $1,292,000. We'll round up to $2,000,000 since Patriots typically pay some practice squad players more than the minimum and the Patriots have in the past cut practice squad players after 4 p.m. on Tuesday when the player has earned that week's salary.
--Have a cushion for the NLTBE 46-man active roster bonuses that could be earned by eighteen players: [table id=49 /]
If all eighteen players are active for all sixteen games in 2018, the Patriots will then lose $3,426,563 in cap space. Earned NLTBE 46-man active roster bonuses are the only NLTBE incentives that if earned hits that year's cap. (Quoting the CBA: "Any roster bonus which is deemed not 'likely to be earned' based upon the player’s performance during the prior year shall immediately be included in Team Salary when earned.")
--Have a cushion to replace injured players during preseason and regular season. This total is usually between $4 million and $6 million. Under the new CBA, the Patriots have placed the following amounts of players on Injured Reserve, PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) or NFI (Non Football Injury):
- 2011: 12
- 2012: 11
- 2013: 13
- 2014: 10
- 2015: 20
- 2016: 6
- 2017: 17