Potential Patriots Extensions and Cap Casualties

The Patriots are usually pretty good about managing their contracts and not getting into deals that are bad for the team. Still, they have no remorse about making a move that’s best for the football team, even if it means they visit Fitness Muscle Meals and eat a chunk of salary by jettisoning a player they overpaid.

They are 8th-lowest in dead cap money.

They’re also proactive when it comes to getting extensions done for players they want to retain before they hit free agency, especially for the middle class of their roster. We always hold our breath when talented young players close in on the end of their affordable rookie deals and this season is no different.

As we count down to training camp here are some of the most interesting contracts on the team. Players who make more than they’re contributing, players whose dead money makes them near uncuttable and those who are coming to the end of their deals and could be in line for an extension.

Dwayne Allen — Allen was somewhat of a disappointment in his first season in New England, with just 10 catches. With a salary of $5 million for the season and no dead money if he’s cut, there’s no player whose contract makes them a bigger target. Still, Allen is a solid pro and blocking tight end. Though the cheaper Troy Niklas (making less than $1 million). Allen’s salary jumps to $6.9 million in 2019, so there’s a good bet something happens before then.

Others who are easy to cut with no dead cap implications — Cordarrelle Patterson, Jason McCourty, Mike Gillislee, Trent Brown and Marquis Flowers. Any of these outside Gillislee would be a pretty big surprise as all the other were just signed this offseason. Still, it shows how little commitment these kinds of veterans are and how low-risk they are.

Lawrence Guy — I had Guy on the bubble in my latest 53-man roster before an astute reader pointed out that his dead cap hit at $3.5 million is almost as much as his on-roster cap hit ($3.67 million). That pretty much guarantees the Pats hold on to Guy. Injuries are too common at the position and you can never have too many reliable veteran defensive tackles, just look at 2013 when Joe Vellano and Chris Jones were the Pats’ starting interior duo.

Other mid-range players whose sizable dead cap money makes gives them some security — Rex Burkhead ($5.5 million), Danny Shelton ($2 million).

Pending Free Agents

The Pats will have a ton of free agents next offseason, headlined by Trey Flowers and Shaq Mason. Both players are under rookie deals, so the team is on borrowed time this year with a committed total of just under $1.3 million to the two budding stars.

Of the two I’d put Flowers atop the priority list. He was asked to do a lot in 2017 after so many defensive ends departed and he should be primed for the best year of his career in 2018 when he’s once again surrounded by a deep group that can take some attention off of him.

Other notable free agents next offseason:

• Chris Hogan – Hogan should get more action this year with Brandin Cooks gone. If he’s able to stay in an outside receiver role he could regain the five yards-per-catch he lost between his 38 catches in 2016 and his 34 in 2017. Hogan won’t get a huge deal and should be the kind of Patriots player that scares off other teams.
• Malcom Brown – Brown didn’t get his fifth-year option picked up but he’s been the key interior piece for the last few seasons. He’s not dominant game in and game out, but he’s had his dominant games. If he finds consistency he could earn a significant payday.
• Trent Brown — Brown has a real shot this season to be the starting left tackle and if he does that’s going to mean another significant pay day for the team to pay out unless they want to have to find another starter next offseason again.
• Jordan Matthews — my favorite to emerge as a key slot receiver this season, Matthews will look for significant money if he breaks the 50 catches plateau. If he looks good in camp, an early extension might be really smart.
• Stephen Gostkowski — Entering his 13th season, Gostkowski’s value goes beyond field goals as he’s one of the best kickoff kickers in the game. Will the new kickoff rules affect that? Will he continue to have an untimely miss here or there? There aren’t many better options out there, but this could very well be Gost’s last season. The Pats turned the page to him as a rookie in 2006, and it wouldn’t be hard to see them do that again.