Pats’ 6th sense
Fiscal smarts key to quest for next title
HOUSTON — The 2016 Patriots are already a memory.
They’ll be bonded together forever by their immortal march toward an historic Super Bowl LI victory against the Falcons, and they’ll enjoy the aftereffects in the near future with another duck boat parade through the Boston streets, a trip to the White House and an exclusive jewelry ceremony at the Kraft residence.
But as Bill Belichick pointed out yesterday morning, the Patriots are five weeks behind with their offseason preparation. Days before that, though, the players bonded as they prepped for their final game together, knowing it’d never again be the same.
“This team is unbelievable,” Devin McCourty said Sunday night, still wearing his full uniform and picking off loose pieces of confetti. “I wish we could take this team and come back next year and compete. That’s something we talked about all week. No team would be the same. We wanted this season to end the right way. We wanted the special moment on that field, and we got it done.”
Crazy enough, the Patriots do have the means to keep this group intact, even though it’s an unrealistic endeavor. They’ve got a projected $65 million in cap space geared toward the 2017 salary cap, which is the fourth most in the NFL and $19 million more than any playoff team.
Linebacker Dont’a Hightower, cornerback Logan Ryan and tight end Martellus Bennett headline a list of 14 unrestricted free agents who also include safety Duron Harmon, defensive tackle Alan Branch, defensive ends Chris Long and Jabaal Sheard, running backs LeGarrette Blount and Brandon Bolden, fullback James Develin, linebacker Barkevious Mingo, wide receiver Michael Floyd, tight end Greg Scruggs and tackle Sebastian Vollmer, who may retire.
The Patriots must also deal with restricted free agent cornerback Malcolm Butler, whose first-round tender will be at an estimated $4 million. If the Patriots place that tender on Butler, they’ll have the right to match any competing offer, or they’ll be compensated with that team’s first-round pick in April.
Also, because slot receiver Danny Amendola has a $7.9 million cap hit in the final year of his deal, the Patriots are expected to ask him to take a pay cut for the third consecutive offseason. This could come through a simple slash in money, a short extension or an outright release if the two sides can’t agree to terms, so this may be a pivotal offseason for the clutch playoff performer.
There’s also the matter of backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who will be targeted through trade offers as he enters the final season of his rookie contract. Rather than just shipping him to the highest bidder, the Patriots must determine his price and be disciplined to ensure they don’t undersell. There’s nothing wrong with keeping him as insurance for Tom Brady for one more season, which would allow them to place the franchise tag on him next season before unloading him.
The most pressing matter involves Hightower, who has become a star and an integral locker room leader. The Patriots will make Hightower their priority, and Hightower also wants to return. But mutual admiration doesn’t pay the bills, and the Patriots need to bring a strong offer to the table. Otherwise, they’ll strongly consider the franchise tag, which could approach $16 million for 2017. At least, it’s a way to spur negotiations.
Ryan’s value skyrocketed throughout the second half of the season, and he might draw a payday that exceeds the Patriots’ value of their second corner. The Patriots might overextend for Ryan, who does everything the right way in terms of his conditioning and preparation, but the Pats will be cognizant of how those negotiations play out from Butler’s perspective.
Bennett loved his season with the Pats but may very well head to the highest bidder. He exclaimed his excitement Sunday to head into free agency as a Super Bowl champion, and the Pats can’t pay him more than tight end Rob Gronkowski, who is owed $24 million over the final three seasons of a deal that is very team friendly.
Harmon may be tricky to re-sign because he’ll likely get paid as a starting safety, while the Patriots would continue to use him as the third guy on the depth chart. The remainder of the free agents should be easier to keep if they’d like, specifically Branch, Blount and Long because they’re on the wrong side of 30.
There’s room for everyone, but the Patriots know that won’t happen. The crucial aspect here is to ensure they don’t lose too many of their core pieces in the coming months because they’re in a great position to win their third Super Bowl in a four-year span for the second time of the Bill Belichick era.