Measuring the moves the Patriots made Saturday -- roster-cutdown day -- and their impact on the salary cap.
Officially, the NFL stops using the Top 51 rule at midnight on Thursday, September 6. I stopped using it Friday because it's easier for me to do so. What does that mean? I'm going to include everyone in my salary cap space number going forward. Who is everyone?
- The 52 players on the current roster
- The four players on IR -- Isaiah Wynn, Braxton Berrios, Christian Sam and Ulrick John.
- A suspended Julian Edelman.
- The two NFI (Non-Football Illness) players -- Darren Andrews and Cody Hollister.
- The 10 practice squad players. For now, I'm presuming they'll get the minimum weekly salary of $7,600. The Patriots do often pay their practice squad players more than the minimum.
In summary, instead of having 51 salaries in my salary cap space number, I now have 69. As a result, my new Patriots salary cap space number is $6,878,931. It doesn't include the impact of the Dwayne Allen's restructure. The injury settlements for David Jones, Luke Bowanko and Shane Wimann will lower the Patriots salary cap number once we learn their details. The cap space number will also decrease when the current open spot on the 53-man roster is filled.
Here's a look at some of the moves and their impact:
1. Reached an injury settlement with Luke Bowanko: For now, Bowanko's dead money total is $52,095 ($45,000 in signing bonus proration plus $7,095 in offseason workout bonus money). It will increase once we learn the details of his injury settlement. Please note Bowanko's injury settlement will be based off his split salary amount of $458,000 and not his base salary amount of $790,000.
2. Waived running back Ralph Webb: There will be $6,666 in dead money this year resulting from Webb's cut and $13,334 in 2019. If Webb goes unclaimed on waivers, his 2018 dead money will increase by $50,000 -- the amount of his fully guaranteed salary. Webb is eligible to be signed to the practice squad.
3. Waived safety Damarius Travis: There will be $7,095 (offseason workout bonus money) in dead money resulting from Travis' cut. Travis is eligible to be signed to the Patriots practice squad for the second straight year.
4. Waived wide receiver K.J. Maye: There will not be any dead money resulting from Maye's cut. Maye is eligible to be signed to the practice squad.
5. Released running back Mike Gillislee: There will be $7,095 (offseason workout bonus money) in dead money resulting from Gillislee's cut.
6. Placed offensive tackle Ulrick John on injured reserve (IR): John's salary will decrease from $705,000 to $433,000 from being placed on IR. His cap number is now $479,235 and his season is now over.
7. Waived defensive tackle Vincent Valentine: There will be $183,450 in dead money this year resulting from Valentine's cut and $161,355 in 2019. Valentine is eligible to be signed to the practice squad.
8. Waived cornerback Cyrus Jones: There will be $285,586 in dead money this year resulting from Jones' cut and $278,491 in 2019. Jones is eligible to be signed to the practice squad.
9. Released defensive tackle John Atkins: There will be $4,166 in dead money this year resulting from his cut and $8,334 in 2019. If Atkins goes unclaimed on waivers, his 2018 dead money will increase by $50,000 - the amount of his fully guaranteed salary. Atkins is eligible to be signed to the practice squad.
10. Released defensive end Eric Lee. There was $22,095 in dead money resulting from Lee's release.
11. Placed linebacker Christian Sam on IR. Sam's salary will decrease from $480,000 to $363,000 as a result of the move. His cap number is now $380,268. Berrios's 2019 salary will decrease from $570,000 to $495,000 because 2018 will not count as a credited season for him. A credited season is at least three games on the active roster. Sam's season is now over.
12. Placed wide receiver Braxton Berrios on IR. Berrios's salary will decrease from $480,000 to $363,000 from being placed on IR. His cap number is now $392,602. Berrios's 2019 salary will decrease from $570,000 to $495,000 because 2018 will not count as a credited season for him. A credited season is at least three games on the active roster. Berrios' season is now over.
13. Waived cornerback Jomal Wiltz. There will be $7,095 (offseason workout bonus money) in dead money resulting from Wiltz's cut. Wiltz is eligible to be signed to the practice squad for the second straight year.
14. Waived punter Corey Bojorquez. There will not be any dead money resulting from Bojorquez's cut. Bojorquez is eligible to be signed to the practice squad.
15. Waived quarterback Danny Etling. There will be $26,007 in dead money this year resulting from Etling's cut and $78,021 in 2019. Etling is eligible to be signed to the practice squad.
16. Waived safety A.J. Moore. There will be $1,000 in dead money this year resulting from Moore's cut and $2,000 in 2019. Moore is eligible to be signed to the practice squad.
17. Placed offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn on IR. Wynn's 2018 cap number will remain $2,080,347.
18. Released linebacker Marquis Flowers. There will be $257,095 in dead money this year resulting from Flowers' cut.
19. Released running back Brandon Bolden. There will be $207,095 in dead money resulting from Bolden's cut. I fully expect Bolden to be re-signed before the Texans' game.
20. Waived offensive tackle Cole Croston. There will be $2,000 in dead money this year resulting from Croston's cut, and $2,000 in 2019. Croston is eligible to be signed to the practice squad.
21. Waived running back Kenneth Farrow. There will not be any dead money resulting from Farrow's cut. Farrow is eligible for the Patriots practice squad.
22. Waived offensive linemen James Ferentz. There will be $7,095 (offseason workout bonus money) in dead money resulting from Ferentz's cut. Ferentz is eligible to be signed to the Patriots practice squad for the second straight year.
23. Waived defensive tackle Trent Harris. There will be $3,333 in dead money this year resulting from Webb's cut and $6,667 in 2019. If Harris goes unclaimed on waivers, his 2018 dead money will increase by $25,000 -- the amount of his fully guaranteed salary. Harris has practice squad eligibility.
24. Waived offensive linemen Jason King. There will be $7,020 ($1,000 signing bonus proration and $6,020 in offseason workout bonus money) in dead money resulting from King's cut. King is eligible to be signed to the Patriots practice squad for the second straight year.
25. Waived linebacker Harvey Langi. This year there will be $12,095 ($5,000 signing bonus proration and $7,095 in offseason workout bonus money) in dead money resulting from Langi's cut. In 2019 the dead money amount is $5,000. Langi is eligible to be signed to the practice squad.
26. Waived wide receiver Riley McCarron. There will be $7,095 (offseason workout bonus money) in dead money resulting from McCarron's cut. McCarron is eligible to be signed to the Patriots practice squad for the second straight year.
27. Waived fullback Henry Poggi. There will not be any dead money resulting from Poggi's cut. Poggi is eligible to be signed to the Patriots practice squad.
28. The Patriots released offensive lineman Brian Schwenke. There will not be any dead money resulting from Schwenke's cut.
29. Released offensive lineman Matt Tobin. There will be $32,095 ($7,095 offseason workout bonus money and $25,000 in signing bonus proration) in dead money resulting from Tobin's release.
30 Waived/injured tight end Will Tye. There will be $7,095 (offseason workout bonus money) in dead money resulting from Tye's release. If Tye goes unclaimed, he will go on IR. His salary will be $433,000 on IR.
Answering some logical follow-up questions:
Question: Where can I learn more about the Top 51 rule?
Answer: My Texans counterpart, Troy Chapman aka @texanscap wrote this Top 51 primer.
Question: After this week's transactions, how much dead money do the Patriots now have?
Answer: Over six million -- $6,464,448
Question: How many players are now on the Patriots active roster?
Answer: By my count, 52.
Question: How many wide receivers are signed for the 2019 season?
Answer: Three. Edelman, Andrews and Braxton Berrios.
Question: What is the positional breakdown of the Patriots active roster?
Answer:
I consider Matthew Slater, Nate Ebner, Nicholas Grigsby, and Brandon King special teamers.
Question: What is your current Patriots 2018 salary cap space number?
Answer -- League cap: $177,200,000
Prior year carryover: $3,012,602
Adjustment: $17,187
Patriots adjusted cap: $180,229,789
2018 cap commitment: $173,350,858 with 69 signed players. The Patriots have placed Darren Andrews and Cody Hollister on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list. The Patriots have placed Isaiah Wynn, Braxton Berrios, Christian Sam and Ulrick John on IR. Julian Edelman has been suspended.
2018 CAP SPACE: $6,878,931
Question: How many Patriots players are now signed for the 2019 season?
Answer: Forty-two, with a total cap commitment of $169,912,443.
Question: How many Patriots players are signed for the 2020 season?
Answer: Twenty-five, with a total cap commitment of $86,749,238.
Question: How many Patriots players are signed for the 2021 season?
Answer: Twelve, with a total cap commitment of $44,525,210
Question: How many Patriots players are signed for the 2022 season?
Answer: Two, with a total cap commitment of $11,110,000
Question: How many Patriots players are signed for the 2023 season?
Answer: One (Shaq Mason) with a total cap commitment of $8,500,000
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