As soon as I heard Antonio Brown signed with the Patriots, I immediately thought of the time when Darrelle Revis signed with the Patriots in 2014. Revis' deal was originally reported as a one-year deal. Days later we learned it was actually a two-year deal that contained an option for the 2015 season.
Why did I think of the Revis signing? Over the years I have learned that the initial reports of a deal are often fluffed up. Plus, none of the players eligible for the termination pay benefit were released on Saturday decreasing any cap savings that would come from releasing the player. For example, releasing Phillip Dorsett before Saturday would have resulted in $1.605 million savings. Releasing him on Monday would only result in a $105,000 savings since his $1.5 million salary would remain on the books. Therefore, Brown's deal had to be for multiple years. Why? To allow the Patriots to prorate Brown's $9 million signing bonus over two years.
Albert Breer reported the Patriots had $6.21 million in cap space Sunday morning. If Brown's deal was indeed a one-year deal, his 2019 cap number would then be $10,500,000 consisting of:
-- $1,000,000 salary.
-- $9,000,000 signing bonus from 2019 $9 million signing bonus
-- $500,000 in 46-man active roster bonuses
Using 2020 as an option year make Brown's 2019 cap number $5,750,000. It will consist of:
-- $1,000,000 salary.
-- $4,500,000 signing bonus proration from 2019 $9 million signing bonus
-- $250,000 in 46-man active roster bonuses. Note any per-game roster bonuses that are part of a deal signed after the final preseason game are prorated over the life of the deal. This is a salary cap quirk intended to make it easier to reach extensions right before the start of the regular season.
Brown has three $1.5 million NLTBE incentives. They are for 105 receptions, 1,298 receiving yards, and 16 TDs. If he reaches any of them, then the Patriots 2020 salary cap will be debited.
Brown's 2020 cap number will be $25,250,000. It will consist of:
-- $20,000,000 allocated between his salary and the option bonus. This could be a $15 million roster bonus and a $5 million salary. Do not know as of this writing.
-- $4,500,000 signing bonus proration from 2019 $9 million signing bonus
-- $500,000 in 46-man active roster bonuses
-- $250,000 signing bonus proration in 46-man active roster bonuses
The Patriots created some cap space by releasing Lance Kendricks, and waiving Obi Melifonwu and Demaryius Thomas. Kendricks' cap hit was $697,059. It is now $50,000 — his signing bonus. Melifonwu's cap hit was $700,598. It is now $162,520. The Thomas' trade saves $2,818,014 in cap space. I have to add one week salary ($88,235) to his already accounted for $306,345 dead money amount.
According to my numbers, which do not yet account for the Jonathan Jones extension, the Patriots now currently have less than $4.7 million in cap space. The $4.7 million may be enough for these in-season operating expenses:
- A cushion for the $1.06 million in NLTBE 46-man active roster bonuses that could be earned by ten players.
- A cushion to extend players during the regular season — usually between $1 million and $4 million.
- A cushion to replace injured players during the preseason and regular season. This total is usually between $3 million and $5 million. Under the new CBA, the Patriots have ended their seasons with the following amounts of players on Injured Reserve, PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) or NFI (Non-Football Injury):
2011: 12
2012: 11
2013: 13
2014: 10
2015: 20
2016: 6
2017: 17
2018: 10
- Extend a player with a high cap number. The most likely candidates are Kyle Van Noy, Dont'a Hightower and Devin McCourty.
- Stay healthy. Right now, they are paying the salaries of 53 active players, Ben Watson, and N'Keal Harry. If they do not place a player on IR before Watson comes back from his suspension on Week 5, the Patriots will then be able to release a player who is not eligible for the termination pay benefit from the 53-man roster. Releasing that player will remove 13 weeks of his salary from the Patriots salary cap. If they do not place a player on IR before Harry comes back from IR on Week 9, the Patriots will then be able to release a player who is not eligible for the termination pay benefit from the 53-man roster. Releasing that player will remove nine weeks of his salary from the Patriots salary cap.
- Not have a 10-man practice squad.
- Pay all new practice squad members the minimum.
Answer: It would lower his 2020 cap number to $4.5 million.
Answer: Because Brown would have 10 accrued seasons at the end of the 2019 season the highest compensatory pick the Patriots could receive is a fifth-round pick - the highest for a player with ten or more accrued seasons.
Answer: Yes, he does because he has only two accrued seasons.
Answer: If Gronk 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. As Bedard illustrated in here, the deadline to unretire is Week 13.
Week 2 - $9,079,963
Week 3 - $8,550,551
Week 4 - $8,021,140
Week 5 – $7,444,853
Week 6 – $6,868,566
Week 7 – $6,292,279
Week 8 – $5,715,993
Week 9 – $5,139,706
Week 10 – $4,610,294
Week 11 – $4,034,007
Week 12 – $3,457,721
Week 13 – $2,881,434
Answer:
[table id=132 /]
The 65 players include 16 of 22 SB LIII starters, 31 of 53 SB LIII active players, and 3 of 13 players who were on IR/NFI.