Good questions this week on a number of topics. Let's get started:
A question from BSJ subscriber Qaphsiel If Rob Gronkowski does come back, are they able to have him do so under a new, team friendlier contract, or does he automatically resume the contract he had before he retired because he’s with the same team? Curious, because I remember Calvin Johnson had retired and there was talk of him wanting to come to NE for a year but the Lions refused to release the rights to his contract.
Answer: If Gronkowski comes back, he can re-do the deal he retired under to make it more team-friendly.
Answer: No. From the recent pictures I have seen, it appears he's lost between 20 and 25 pounds since the Super Bowl. He is not currently in NFL playing shape. I'll only believe he is coming back when I start to see a bigger Gronkowski.
Answer: Yes. The Patriots made 36 selections in the four drafts between 2013 and 2016. They have signed four (James White, Shaq Mason, Joe Cardona, and Duron Harmon) to extensions.
Answer: Since the suspension will officially take effect Aug. 31, Watson’s cap number will change between now and then. His current cap number is $3,000,000. It consists of:
Answer: This is a hypothetical question since the Jaguars have already picked up their option for Ramsey's 2020 season. I project an untagged Ramsey would receive a deal in the $19 million to $21 million APY range.
Answer: Edelman did not extend his 2014 deal in 2016. As an unrestricted free agent, Edelman signed a four-year deal with the Patriots in 2014. That 2014 deal covered the 2017 season. In June 2017, Edelman and the Patriots agreed to a two-year extension. Last month, Edelman and the team agreed to another two-year extension. Therefore, this year's extension is not a change, but a repeat of what happened in 2017.
Answer: Chung does indeed have a lengthy contract history with the Patriots.
- As a street free agent, Chung signed a one-year deal with the Patriots in April 2014.
- In January 2015, Chung and the team agreed to a three-year extension making 2017 the last year of his deal.
- In April 2016, Chung agreed to a one-year extension, making 2018 the last year of his deal.
- In June 2017, the Patriots increased how much Chung could earn in 2017 via incentives from $900,000 to $1,700,000. Chung ended up earning the $1.7 million.
- In March 2018, Chung agreed to a two-year extension, making 2020 the last year of his deal.
- In April, Chung agreed to a one-year extension making 2021 the last year of his deal.
Answer: He failed his physical.
Answer: There are only two ways for the Patriots to create $12 million in cap space with a single transaction -- releasing or trading Tom Brady.
A combination of these four moves would free up $12 million in cap space.
- Extending Brady will create cap space. I showed the numbers in this post from February. I detailed one possible extension in my May 15 mailbag.
- Releasing or trading Devin McCourty during roster cutdown weekend would create $9,005,000 in cap space.
- Trading Hightower during roster cutdown weekend would create $7,950,313 in cap space.
- Releasing Hightower during roster cutdown weekend would create $5,950,313 in cap space, since the Patriots would be responsible for paying the fully guaranteed amount of $2 million.
Answer: None at all. I believe Brady when he says he intends to play until he is 45. Since his tag number would be $32.4 million, Brady would have to reach an extension with the Patriots before the start of the 2020 league year in order for the Patriots to be able to build a Super Bowl contender around him.
Answer: Brooks beating out Ebner will create $1,692,500 in cap space for the Patriots, since another rookies' $495,000 salary will be replacing Ebner's $2,000,000 salary while also removing Ebner's 46-man active roster bonus total of $187,500. Why a rookie salary and not Brooks'? Brooks is already on the Top 51 list, so his salary is already being counted.
Answer: Bentley beating out Roberts will create $1,530,000 in cap space for the Patriots, since a rookie $495,000 salary will be replacing Roberts' $2,025,000 salary for the same reason -- Bentley is already on the Top 51 list, so his salary is already being counted.
Answer: Myers beating out Inman will create $473,750 in cap space for the Patriots -- his $495,000 salary would replace Inman's $900,000 salary while also removing Inman's 46-man active roster bonus total of $168,750. Since they guaranteed $100,000 of Inman's salary, the Patriots will receive a credit on their 2020 cap of up to $100,000 if Inman is paid any cash by another NFL team this year.
Answer: Sam beating out Inman will create $225,000 in cap space for the Patriots since his $495,000 salary will be replacing Calhoun's $720,000 salary.
Answer: Harris received an $886,136 signing bonus that will be prorated $221,534 annually over the four years of his deal. His cap numbers will be:
Answer: Every healthy fourth-round pick (twenty-four in total) has made the Week 1 53-man roster. Jabari Holloway was placed on IR. This bit of history is good news for Hjalte Froholdt and Jarrett Stidham.
Answer: From 2000 to 2018, the Patriots have made fifteen selections in the fifth round. Nine made the 53-man roster. Five were waived while Marcus Cannon was placed on NFI (Non-Football Injury).
Answer: From 2000 to 2018, the Patriots have made thirty selections in the sixth round. Ten made the 53-man roster. Eleven were waived. Seven were placed on IR. Arther Love was placed on PUP while Matthew Wells was traded.
Answer: From 2000 to 2018, the Patriots have made thirty-three selections in the seventh round. Eleven made the 53-man roster. Seventeen were waived. Five were placed on IR.
Answer: Worse. After signing Isaiah Wynn and Sony Michel to their rookies deal in late June of last year the Patriots had about $8.9 million in cap space. It is very likely the Patriots will end this month with $4 million less in cap space when compared to last year.
Answer: The Seahawks' seventh-round pick in the 2020 draft. There were no reported conditions to the trade.
Answer: Every NFL trade involving a trade includes the condition of the player passing the new team's physical. When the Patriots trade with a team whose front office contains a former Patriot executive as do the Lions and Falcons, I don't expect to learn the other trade conditions until a month before the draft. (By other trade conditions I mean the number of games player has to be on the 53-man roster, the number of games player has to be on the 46-man roster, or statistics such as rushing yards, receptions, or sacks.)
Answer: As part of his extension Kyle Rudolph received more cash in 2019 than originally scheduled. In all three of his paycuts, Danny Amendola received less cash than originally scheduled.
Answer: [table id=288 /]
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.