Good questions this week on a number of topics. Let's get started:
From Twitter follower Derek Havens: Hey my friend, hope you’re doing well. Out of curiosity, what is Hoyer’s contract situation? If the team cuts him after camp, what kind of cap hit do they take?
Answer: When it comes to Hoyer, he has $1.71 million in dead money, consisting of his $200,000 March roster bonus and his fully guaranteed $1.51 million salary. If he signs with another team, the Pats will receive a credit up to $1.51 million. Hoyer's minimum salary is $1.03 million. Releasing Hoyer would create $795,000 in cap space ... if we presume a player with a $495,000 takes his roster spot. Since Hoyer is in the last year of his deal, the timing of the release/trade has no significance. His dead money scenarios are:
--$1.71 million if he's cut and does not sign elsewhere.
--$680,000 if he's cut and signs with another team.
--$200,000 if traded.
Answer: Very little to none. Under the new CBA, draft pick deals are pretty much slotted money-wise, with the deals for third-round picks being the notable exception.
Answer: No. It was more about not having the roster space for the seventh-round pick. Since the draft, the Patriots had to release Ryker Matthews, Xavier Ubosi, and Calvin Anderson in order to create room for recent acquisitions.
Answer: No. While I doubt Shelton will be re-signed by the Patriots, I now consider him part of New England's shadow roster -- a player familiar with the Patriots system who could be signed during the season as an injury replacement.
Answer: No to Suh, as I suspect his $10 million-plus APY price is too rich for the Patriots. No to Crabtree, especially after the Inman signing. Maybe to Bailey.
Answer: I think he will.
Answer: Brady's 2019 cap number is currently $27 million. It consists of:
Answer: Gordon does not count against the 90-man active roster limit. His $2,025,000 salary is not currently against the Patriots cap.
Answer: If Gronkowski decides to un-retire during the regular season, his cap number would be $9 million divided by 17 times the number of weeks remaining in the season plus $46,875 times the remaining number of games. If Gronk coming out of retirement would cause the Patriots to go over their adjusted cap number they would have to first create cap space. Trading a veteran player or converting a player's salary into a signing bonus are the most likely ways to do so during the season.
Answer: It is a combination of experience and having excellent sources.
Answer: That would be the most logical reason -- during the Belichick era, the Patriots have never entered the regular season with so much salary cap space.
Answer: No, they do not. Watson was listed as a compensatory free agent in the NFL's free agency press release. His name was also listed on the NFL transaction wire naming the then unsigned free agents who did not receive the May 7 tender. Therefore, Watson was officially considered a free agent and not a retired player.
Answer: Yes, he does. The fifth-year option is so standard for first-round picks, it's often not mentioned when they are signed.
Answer: In order for Stidman to be signed to the Patriots practice squad, he would have to first clear waivers. I don't see Stidham clearing waivers. If another team tries to sign Stidham off the Patriots practice squad, he could offer New England the opportunity to add him to their 53-man roster but he is not required to do so.
Answer: Yes. Chase Winovich's 2019 cap number of $744,328 and Damien Harris' 2019 cap number of $716,534 will make them members of the Top 51 list.
Answer: I do expect a current Patriot to be extended. My top three candidates are Brady, Edelman, and Kyle Van Noy. I also expect a current Patriot to be traded during the preseason. My top candidates are Jonathan Jones, Rex Burkhead, and Elandon Roberts.
Answer: After the Watson and Dontrelle Inman signings are accounted for, the Patriots should have around $6.5 million in cap space. It will take about $7 million to acquire Rudolph, so the Patriots would have to create cap space before the trade as they did in 2007 before acquiring Randy Moss.
Answer:[table id=132 /]
The 92 players include 17 of 22 SB LIII starters, 41 of 53 SB LIII active players, and 6 of 13 players who were on IR/NFI.