Source: OL Jason King files the third salary grievance this year against the Patriots

Jason King has filed a salary grievance against the Patriots, according to a league source.



The details of the grievance are unclear, but by the looks of things, it's likely King is arguing that he was injured on September 1, which is when he was released by the Patriots.

The offensive lineman has not been picked up since he was let go by New England. This would be the third such grievance filed against the Patriots by a former player in the past two months.

Malcolm Mitchell and Kenny Britt filed their grievances in September and October, respectively. I have been covering the Patriots salary cap during the entire Bill Belichick era. I have seen many years pass without seeing a former Patriot player file an injury grievance. To see three filed in one year is blowing this cap nerd's mind away.

Injured players are not supposed to be released but placed on injured reserve. Per the CBA, the initial grievance amount of $145,200 is 40 percent of his 2018 salary (slated to be $363,000). The amount of $145,200 now counts against New England's cap. If King wins his grievance, then remaining $217,800 will eventually hit the Patriots cap. If King loses his grievance, then the Patriots will receive a credit.

Quoting the CBA, an injury grievance is classified as a "claim or complaint that, at the time a player’s NFL Player Contract or Practice Squad Player Contract was terminated by a Club, the player was physically unable to perform the services required of him by that contract because of an injury incurred in the performance of his services under that contract."

After accounting for King's grievance amount, I now have the Patriots salary cap space number as $5,097,239.

The timeline for the hearing is unknown. For more on the injury grievance process, please review Article 44 of the CBA.

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