Update: Patriots reportedly won't pick up fifth-year options on Brown, Shelton or Dorsett

Wednesday is a big day for the Patriots’ team-building process, at least as it relates to the 2019 season.


The deadline for teams to pick up the fifth-year option on the first-round picks of the 2015 draft is Wednesday at 4 p.m. At least publicly, New England has yet to announce what they’re going to do with the three first-round picks from that year who are currently on their roster. That group includes: defensive tackle Danny Shelton (a first-round pick of the Browns), wide receiver Phillip Dorsett (a pick of the Colts) and defensive tackle Malcom Brown (New England’s first-round pick that year).

If a player has his option exercised by the team, his rookie contract will be extended by one year and he’ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2020. (To be clear, we’re talking about the option for 2019 here, the fifth year in the league for each of those players.)

The option amounts are $7.154 million for the defensive tackles and $9.387 million for wide receiver. The option amounts are guaranteed for injury only, and will become fully guaranteed when the 2019 league year begins in mid-March. If the Pats do not pick up the option, the player will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2018 season and will become part of the 2020 compensatory calculations.

UPDATED, 4:35 p.m.: Per multiple reports, the Patriots did not pick up the options on all three players. Again, none of this precludes them from signing free-agent deals with New England following the 2018 season. And it doesn't impact their status as it relates to the 2018 season. But because of this, all three are now eligible to become unrestricted free agents at the start of the 2019 league year.