Measuring some of the moves the Patriots made in the last day or so and their impact on the salary cap:
1. They signed Eric Decker, a veteran wide receiver. The minimum salary for a player with Decker's eight years of experience is $915,000. It's likely Decker signed a Minimum Salary Benefit (MSB) deal which would lower the cap hit of his salary to $630,000. A player can receive a maximum of $90,000 in additional compensation while still qualifying for the MSB treatment. For the time being, let's presume Decker signed an MSB deal -- as such, his cap number will be $630,000. Since the 51st highest cap number on the Patriots is $745,000, Decker will not be in the Top 51, so his $630,000 salary will not currently count against the cap. We should learn the details of Decker's deal in the next several days.
2. The Patriots placed wide receiver Jordan Matthews on injured reserve Wednesday. This move will not change his current cap number of $1,000,000 until he and the team reach an injury settlement. By being placed on IR so early, Matthews will not be eligible for the Designated for Return designation. The Patriots and Matthews can reach an injury settlement. If they do, Matthews would be eligible to sign with any other team immediately. After an injury settlement, Matthews could only re-sign with the Patriots after the length of the injury settlement ... and another three weeks. (For example, if the injury settlement is for three weeks, the Patriots could re-sign Matthews after the completion of Week 6.)
3. New England signed offensive lineman Brian Schwenke. While the minimum salary for a player with Schwenke's five years of experience is $790,000, Schwenke signed a Minimum Salary Benefit (MSB) deal that lowered the cap impact of his salary to $630,000, the minimum salary for a player with two years of experience. Schwenke's deal is for one year, and will lower his salary from $790,000 to $458,000 if Schwenke is placed on injured reserve any team during the 2018 season. Schwenke's cap number of $630,000 is too small to now count against the Patriots salary cap.
4. Since tight end Shane Wimann -- who was waived on Tuesday with an injured designation -- went unclaimed on waivers Wednesday, he is now on injured reserve. I fully expect Wimann and the Patriots will reach an injury settlement in the next several days. (The deadline to reach one was increased from five days to seven days this year.) Just in case my prediction of a Wimann injury settlement ends up being wrong please note the following.
- By being placed on IR so early, Wimann will not be eligible for the Designated to Return designation.
- Wimann's salary will be lowered from $480,000 to $363,000.
- Please note his salary will not count against the salary cap until the end of the Top 51 rule on September 6.
