A common question in the BSJ comments: Why do the Patriots have so little cap space right now, even though the league salary cap has increased from $123 million in 2013 to $188.2 million in 2019?
Basically, the players with the 10 highest cap hits are taking up a greater percentage of the salary cap than ever before. The 2019 Patriots have more players (five - Tom Brady, Devin McCourty, Rob Gronkowski, Dont'a Hightower and Stephon Gilmore) with cap hits of $10 million or more than they have in recent years. Take a look at the history.
- 2019: 5
- 2018: 3
- 2017: 3
- 2016: 2
- 2015: 1
- 2014: 1
- 2013: 3
- 2019: 5
- 2018: 5
- 2017: 4
- 2016: 3
- 2015: 2
- 2014: 2
- 2013: 3
- 2019: 10
- 2018: 7
- 2017: 9
- 2016: 10
- 2015: 7
- 2014: 5
- 2013: 4
- Tom Brady: $22,000,215 to $27,000,000
- Stephon Gilmore: $8,894,380 to $14,837,500
- Devin McCourty: $11,942,095 to $13,435,000
- Dont'a Hightower: $9,076,763 to $10,945,313
- Marcus Cannon: $5,963,345 to $8,459,000.
- Shaq Mason: $3,424,976 to $7,275,000
- Kyle Van Noy: $3,673,761 to $6,291,668
- Jonathan Jones: $640,429 to $3,095,000
- Brian Hoyer: $922,095 to $3,000,000
- Joe Thuney: $865,452 to $2,218,357
- Elandon Roberts: $662,184 to $2,050,089
John Simon, Mike Pennel, Phillip Dorsett, Brandon Bolden, Maurice Harris,
Bruce Ellington
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