All right, everyone. Let's dive into this week's questions:
Question from Twitter follower GymRat04: If Gronk chooses to retire, what impact would this have on the team’s cap?
Answer: A Rob Gronkowski's retirement would create $9,364,375 in cap space, as his $9 million salary, $250,000 offseason workout bonus, and $609,375 in 46-man active roster bonuses would come off the Patriots books while another player's $495,000 salary would replace Gronkowski on the Top 51 list. There would be $2 million in dead money remaining on the Patriots salary cap.
Question from Twitter follower GymRat04: Do we owe Gronk any dead money if he retires? Is it different vs being released?
Answer: Gronkowski's dead money will be $2 million if he is cut, traded or if he retires. There is no difference on the cap.
A followup question from Twitter follower Jonathan: Could they sign Gronkowski to 2-year deal to move the dead money and only use him for 2/3 of the games?
Answer: No, no matter what happens with him this year (cut/trade/retirement/paycut/restructure/extension/remains on roster) his $2 million signing bonus proration will be on the Patriots books this year.
Question from Twitter follower Hunter Pease: Do you think Bill is watching any of the AAF games to find players?
Answer: My guess is yes. Who knows where will the next Stephen Neal be found?
Question from Twitter follower James Cissel: How feasible is an OBJ trade to Pats?
Answer: Not very, for a couple of reasons.
- If the Giants are going to trade Odell Beckham, Jr., it will be for more than what trading Brandin Cooks got for the Patriots. New England dealt Cooks and a a fourth-round pick (the 136th overall pick) for a first-round pick (23rd overall) and a sixth-round pick (198th overall). For example, the Raiders could offer the Giants the 24th overall pick and something else. It will be extremely tough for the Patriots to beat that offer.
- Will OBJ be willing to still play under his current deal if other wideouts (Julio Jones, Michael Thomas, Amari Cooper, Tyreek Hill, A.J. Green) all surpass that contract in terms of the new money APY (Average Per Year) metric? I doubt it.