All right, everyone -- received a lot of good questions this week on a variety of topics, including some of the Patriots' most notable compensatory picks, the cap consequences for some potential moves, the 2020 compensatory pick values for the 2019 Patriots free agents, the cap consequences of cutting a draft pick, and much more.
Question from Twitter follower Sam Zorfas:Who are notable patriots players they’ve gotten from comp picks?
Question from BSJ subscriber Rayjay76: Understanding that we would need to see who the sign as UFA overall, but could you add an estimated 2020 comp draft round estimate to the 19 players? For example, T. Brown and Flowers would get 3rd round comp picks in 2020. How about these other guys like Shelton, etc., the other 17 names…any estimates to get another 4 picks in 2020 from guys we don’t end up retaining.
- Trey Flowers - third round
- Trent Brown - third round
- Stephen Gostkowski - sixth round
- Jason McCourty - sixth round
- Cordarrelle Patterson - seventh round
- Danny Shelton - seventh round
- Eric Rowe - seventh round
- Malcom Brown - seventh round
- LaAdrian Waddle - seventh round
- Chris Hogan - seventh round
- Phillip Dorsett - at best seventh round but APY may fall short of the Top 32
- John Simon - at best seventh round but APY may fall short of the Top 32
- Ryan Allen - APY will fall short of the Top 32
- Jeremy Hill - APY will fall short of the Top 32
- Albert McClellan - APY will be so small that his deal will not qualify
- Ramon Humber - APY will be so small that his deal will not qualify
- Ulrick John - APY will be so small that his deal will not qualify
Question from Twitter follower Morgan Foster: If the patriots cut Dwayne Allen how much cap will that free up? Or if they restructure his deal, what might that look like?
Question from BSJ subscriber gcoop1968: Did the Pats ever get that $3.2 million of cap space back related to the TE drafted out of Florida?
Question from BSJ subscriber packersboys: curious if the 73rd pick, for example, does not make the team how does or doesn’t count on the cap.? just the next salary.
Question from BSJ subscriber keithnh72: Hi Miguel,
re: Bedards’ recent Edelman article. I did ask him but he said to reach out to you. In his article, Bedard recommended giving JE a raise because of his performance. Is there any precedent of BB actually doing this without it being a ‘team-friendly’ re-negotiation?
Question from BSJ subscriber erictheJ: What exactly was Bentley's injury? How many years left on his contract?
Question from BSJ subscriber Bob: Miguel, you’ve answered this before, but is the Performance-Based Pay program considered a benefit, or does it count against the salary cap?
Question from Twitter follower Brycen Papp: What amount of cap do you expect the patriots to free up entering into the new season?
- A Brady extension can create millions. See this recent post of mine for more details.
- A Rob Gronkowski retirement, release or trade would create $9.4 million in cap space.
- A Devin McCourty release or trade would create $9 million in cap space.
- Converting $3 million of Devin McCourty's $9 million salary into a signing bonus would create $1.5 million in cap space.
- Devin McCourty agreeing to a pay cut would create cap space.
- A Dont'a Hightower release or trade would create $5.45 million in cap space.
- Converting $4 million of Hightower's $7 million salary into a signing bonus would create $2 million in cap space.
- Hightower agreeing to a pay cut would create cap space.
- A Marcus Cannon release or trade would create $4.16 million in cap space.
- Converting $3 million of Cannon' $5.5 million salary into a signing bonus would create $2 million in cap space.
- Cannon agreeing to a pay cut.
- An Allen release or trade would create $6.8 million in cap space.
- Allen agreeing to a pay cut would most likely create over $3 million in cap space
- An Adrian Clayborn trade or release would create $3.4 million in cap space
- An Elandon Roberts trade or release would create around $1.5 million in cap space
- A Matthew Slater retirement would create around $2 million in cap space
Question from BSJ subscriber gcoop1968: Miguel, have you given your opinion on what tender to place on RFA Jon Jones? The 2nd round tender equates to $3.1 million. I don’t think any team will give up a 2nd rounder for Jones so then the question is: Is Jones worth $3.1 million? If he can play safety then I think he certainly is worth it. What is your opinion on what tender the Pats should place on J. Jones?
Question from Twitter follower Glenn Trost: Many Pats fans are obsessed with OBJ. He has a $16.75M fully guaranteed salary for 2019 (plus $250K workout bonus). So, the $17M cap hit in 2019 for a team trading for him. Put aside the draft capital required for a trade — does this make any sense for the Pats?
Question from Twitter follower Dan Noonan: Which scenario do you see playing out on the O line:
- Resign Trent Brown, use Wynn as backup T/G then let Thuney walk after 2019
- Resign Waddle for depth, use Wynn at LT this year, sign Thuney to an extension
- sign Thuney, let Waddle/Brown walk, Croston becomes the backup T
- Resign Waddle for depth, use Wynn at LT this year, sign Thuney to an extension
- Sign Thuney, let Waddle/Brown walk, Croston becomes the backup tackle.
- Resign Brown, use Wynn as backup T/G then let Thuney walk after 2019.
Question from Twitter follower Morgan Foster: are three-way deals a thing in the NFL? If the Pats conspired with say SF, and said we'll give you this package of assets if you can get Antonio Brown from Pitt what would be the cap ramifications to SF/NE? Is it remotely feasible, since Pitt won't deal him here?
Question from Twitter follower Nathaniel: Do you see a re-structure for Devin McCourty, now that he decided to return for '19? What type of deal (Years/$) would it take for Jason McCourty to re-sign with the Pats? It sounded like he was not going to give the Pats any type of discount with his recent comments. @Patriots
Question from Twitter follower John "I pet a dolphin on vacation" Riley : Have you ever thought about making YouTube videos educating people about the cap? What cap issues are going to be big with the next CBA, other than the franchise tag?
- Cash spending requirement is too weak -- 89 percent over four years of the league cap is too weak. Because teams can carry over cap space believe that it should be closer to 105 percent over three years.
- Minimum salaries are too low. The minimum salary for a ten-year veteran has increased by $105,000, or 11.5 percent since 2011, while the cap has grown by 47.7 percent over the same period.
- Not enough practice time.
- Declining a player's option retains the player's compensatory pick eligibility. I favor eliminating that.
- Teams should not be allowed to trade tagged players. Teams should only be allowed to tag players they intend to keep on their roster.
- Postseason pay is far too low.
- Fines should be a percentage of a player's salary and not a fixed amount.
- Current system favors not signing older players
- Article 46, which makes the NFL commissioner the judge, jury, and executioner when it comes to the personal conduct policy.
Question from Twitter follower Matthew Bilz: Will the salary cap ever decrease or plateau or will it perpetually be on the rise?
Question from Twitter follower JohnFNG:Yo @patscap! A lot of talk about OBJ and AB trades... but what about AJ Green? Last year of his contract... would it be possible for @Patriots to trade and then restructure to a two year, heavily loaded second-year contract? Similar to Derrell Revis? With a low cap hit?
Answer: It is possible. The problems of having it happen are:
- Do you pay another wide receiver more money than Julian Edelman?
- Do you want $5 million in dead money on the Patriots 2020 cap?
- What are you willing to trade for Green?