New England Patriots Salary-Cap Breakdown by Position

With the start of NFL free agency roughly one month away, the 2015 New England Patriots are already under construction.  Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman may not stop partying in that time (nor should they), but the front office must gets its house in order with some important internal decisions.

Given that the Patriots' offseason will center largely around retaining their own free agents, salary-cap management will be at the forefront of their priorities.  Within the next two years, the likes of Nate Solder, Chandler Jones, Jamie Collins and Dont'a Hightower will finish their cost-controlled rookie deals and demand relatively hefty extensions. 

Even if the Pats wanted to, it wouldn't make much sense to make much of a splash when factoring in the upcoming crunch over the next few offseasons.  No team keeps its entire core together in this salary-cap era (just ask the team New England defeated in the Super Bowl), but in order to keep the vital components together, the Patriots will need to trim some fat from the books.

According to Over the Cap, the Patriots are currently projected to be $4.5 million over the cap, the third-worst mark in the league (though much of that stems from Darrelle Revis' astronomical $25 million placeholder).  Taking a position-by-position look at New England's salary-cap spending, let's break down some of the best values, worst albatrosses and biggest dilemmas on the roster.

Quarterback

Jim Rogash/Getty Images

Cap Spending: $14.9 million (16th, 9.96% of cap)

Good News

This position represents arguably the biggest bargain on the entire roster, given that the Patriots are employing a player who is probably one of the five best quarterbacks of all time at a roughly league-average cost.  With Tom Brady's team-friendly contract buttressed by Jimmy Garoppolo's rookie deal, New England is as secure at quarterback as any team in the league.

Brady's contract, which currently ranks 17th in average dollar value ($9 million per year), will likely sink even lower among the quarterback ranks as he reaches the end of that deal.  Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson are due for astronomical extensions that reset the top end of the quarterback market.

Garoppolo is also under team control through 2017, when Brady's current deal is set to expire. 

That sets up a potential either-or situation for the Pats to choose between the former second-rounder and a 40-year-old Brady. But unless Garoppolo receives extended snaps at some point between now and then, it'll probably be impossible for the Patriots to choose him over Brady, barring significant skill erosion from the future Hall of Famer.

Bad News

Not much, really.  As Grantland's Bill Barnwell detailed, Brady's contract restructuring at the end of the regular season freed up $24 million in cash flow for the Patriots this offseason by converting skill guarantees to injury guarantees.

Essentially, unless Brady suffers a career-altering injury, the Patriots can cut him any time now without incurring any hit to their cap, since Brady has no guaranteed-signing bonus money.  Whereas they would have been married to him from 2015-17 under the previous terms, the Patriots could now move on from Brady if a sudden decline occurs, since the "guaranteed for skill" provisions are gone.

From a personnel standpoint, this is actually good news for both sides.  The Pats will never need to cling to a fading icon, while Brady could dictate where his career ends in free agency rather than getting traded to a cellar dweller a la Logan Mankins and Richard Seymour. 

But seeing Brady finish his career outside of Foxborough would be a nightmare for most Patriot fans, making this the one worrisome factor of an otherwise stellar-cap situation at quarterback.

Running Back

USA TODAY Sports

Cap Spending: $3.2 million (22nd, 2.2% of cap)

Good News

In an era where big running back contracts have become anathema to every team, the Patriots are in an enviable position.  New England is among the 11 cheapest spenders at the position; ever since Corey Dillon's retirement, the Pats have placed an emphasis on building up the offensive line to buttress the ground game rather than having a single back carry the unit on his back.

The Pats face a pair of big decisions this spring with pending free agents Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley, neither of whom currently factors into the cap calculations.  Ridley, who missed the final three-and-a-half months of the season with a torn ACL and MCL, is probably expendable given the presence of power backs LeGarrette Blount, Jonas Gray and Tyler Gaffney, who the Pats stashed on injured reserve this year.

Indeed, Gray and Gaffney don't even count against the 2015 cap at the moment, since offseason rules account for only the top 51 contracts on the roster.  Those two youngsters plus 2014 fourth-rounder James White combine for roughly $1.5 million in cap hits combined.  There's obviously a ton of uncertainty but also the potential for massive value as well.

Bad News

Well, that uncertainty I just referenced is very much unsettling.  Vereen has missed 11 games the past three years with injuries (2014 was his first 16-game season), but injuries aside, he's also been one of the best receiving backs in the league over that span. 

Since 2012, Vereen ranks 10th in yards per game and seventh in receiving touchdowns among running backs.  With a franchise-record 11 receptions in the Super Bowl, he was absolutely integral to New England's game plan against the Seattle Seahawks' speedy defense.

Unfortunately, that's likely to price Vereen out of the Patriots' range.  The past two offseasons, New England has failed to match relatively modest offers for Danny Woodhead (two years, $3.5 million) and Blount (two years, $3.9 million).  Vereen figures to exceed Woodhead's contract—a good comp might be the four-year, $10 million pact that Rashad Jennings received last offseason.

Most likely, some team will also offer Vereen a steadier dose of snaps than the Pats' notoriously fickle week-to-week backfield usage.  Vereen was once an unproven second-year player who replaced Woodhead's production, and it appears the Patriots are ready to put White in that same position in 2015.

Wide Receiver

Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Cap Spending: $17.8 million (10th, 12.0% of cap)

Good News

This position looks relatively expensive in comparison to most of the others on New England's roster, especially when considering that its top receiving option is actually a tight end.  Nevertheless, with two nice values leading the way, the Pats don't have much to worry about here over the next few seasons.

Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell are two unspectacular but consistently tough and reliable options, evoking memories of the Deion Branch-David Givens era receiving corps.  The two will combine for $8.2 million in cap hits next season, slightly more than what Brian Hartline will account for on his own.

Note that Spotrac actually counts Tim Wright as a receiver (likely because he almost never lines up on the line of scrimmage), so subtract $585,000 from this total if you wish.  Even still, with a seventh-rounder and Carolina Panthers castoff leading the way, New England found some excellent values for Brady to work with.

Bad News

The problem is that neither Edelman nor LaFell is actually New England's top receiver-salary commitment.  Despite earning some redemption at the end of the season, Danny Amendola's team-high $5.7 million cap hit is a disproportionate cost for someone who seems fairly entrenched as the No. 3 receiver.

Unfortunately, the Pats would only save $2.1 million by cutting Amendola this offseason, much of which might dissipate through a replacement signing.  His chemistry with Brady is undeniable, and despite a spotty injury history, Amendola probably has more value to the Patriots by staying on the roster.  Look for New England to approach him about a restructuring this offseason.

Of course, New England never would have needed to ink Amendola two years ago if it had any success developing wide receivers. 

The Patriots' putrid receiver-drafting record under Bill Belichick is well-documented, and while Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce are cheap values, neither figures to bring any real value anytime soon.  In a league where finding financial value is paramount, receiver is one area the Pats have failed miserably.

Tight End

USA TODAY Sports

Cap Spending: $10.2 million (6th, 6.9% of cap)

Good News

The Patriots have the league's best tight end and a historic game-breaker, yet they are somehow not paying the highest salary.  Rob Gronkowski is probably as valuable as any wide receiver in the game, but his $8.7 million cap hit would only rank 16th at the position.  Needless to say, this is a tremendous bargain for New England.

New England may never run two-tight end personnel as the fulcrum of its offense again, but its recovered to provide a pair of cheap values next to Gronk.  The aforementioned Wright is a worthy development project with two years left on his rookie deal.  Remember, Wright arrived via trade on Aug. 26, depriving him of any meaningful time to learn the system.  It's remarkable that he produced anything at all, so a full offseason should aid his comfort in the system immensely.

Michael Hoomanawanui also continues to provide unheralded production as a blocking tight end for the price tag of $1.6 million.  The "Hooman" could never be the focal point at the position, but he's the type of situational glue player every offense needs to keep humming.

Bad News

That Gronkowski bargain won't be around for long.  As part of Gronk's extension, the Pats will have a five-year, $10 million option bonus they'll need to pick up before the final day of the 2015 league year.  New England will obviously have no problem doing so if Gronkowski continues to stay healthy and productive, but it will make it very difficult to part with the tight end before 2019, the final year of his deal.

Given Gronk's injury history, it's certainly no lock that he makes it to 2019 while retaining his current game-changing form.  Astoundingly, 2014 was the first year since his rookie 2010 campaign that Gronkowski made it healthy to the end of New England's season.  The payoff of a healthy Gronk is blatantly evident by the fourth Lombardi Trophy at 1 Patriot Place, but the odds aren't exactly in his favor.

One wonders if Gronk would be open to a Brady-esque restructuring of the guaranteed money.  Gronk isn't going to give up guarantees with his injury track record, but perhaps the Patriots convert some of his base salaries ($8 million in 2018, $9 million in 2019) to signing-bonus cash if he remains effective over the next two or three seasons.

Offensive Line

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

Cap Spending: $21.3 million (18th, 14.4% of cap)

Good News

The Patriots are set at the tackle bookends for years to come.  Nate Solder and Sebastian Vollmer hold the sixth- and seventh-highest 2015 cap hits on the team respectively, but both have proved worthy of those deals.  Solder, whose pass protection improved significantly after a nightmarish September, is on the last year of his rookie deal, so he'll likely be the top extension candidate after this free-agency period passes.

The Pats also found their center of the future in Bryan Stork, whose cap hit will not exceed $810,000 over the final three years of his rookie deal.  Ryan Wendell also rebounded as a run-blocker after a subpar 2013, and the Pats will have him for 2015 at an affordable $2.5 million price tag.

New England's backups are also mostly on rookie deals.  Cameron Fleming looks particularly promising after developing a niche role as the tackle eligible in New England's six-linemen "Jumbo" sets.  Fleming also filled in at guard, and while Josh Kline and Jordan Devey struggled in that role in 2014, both have skill sets worth developing in camp.

Bad News

The left guard spot looks like the one starting spot that could be up for grabs.  Dan Connolly is a free agent, and while the 32-year-old was named a team captain as the elder statesman on the line, he comes with a lengthy concussion history and severely declining performance over the past four seasons.

As alluded to earlier, neither Kline nor Devey appeared ready for that role, and it's unclear if the Pats will want to move Fleming inside after the success he had as an end-of-the-line blocker.  Marcus Cannon failed miserably when the Pats started him at right guard in Week 1, and his four-year, $2.3 million deal will likely have him primarily as the third swing tackle.

Thus, guard might be New England's biggest need headed into the offseason.  But both crops are relatively thin at the top, so don't be surprised if we see a rotating door at the position to start the 2015 season.

Defensive Line

Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

Cap Spending: $16.1 million (22nd, 10.8% of the cap)

Good News

The Patriots aren't particularly deep at this position, but in Chandler Jones, Rob Ninkovich and Vince Wilfork, they do possess a rare trio of three-down linemen.  With Jones still on his rookie deal, this is an extremely affordable unit that improved significantly down the stretch.

Next season, it'll be interesting to see if any of its cost-controlled assets breaks through. 

First-rounder Dominique Easley essentially lost his rookie season to lingering right knee soreness, a considerable red flag after two ACL tears derailed his collegiate career.  The Patriots pass rush dried up down the stretch for the third straight year, once again in part due to the lack of an interior rushing presence.  If Easley can stay on the field, he's someone who could change the complexion of this unit.

On the other hand, Akeem Ayers and Sealver Siliga emerged as intriguing niche players this season.  

Ayers' playing time dissipated down the stretch, but he had four sacks in his first four games after arriving from the Tennessee Titans in Week 8.  Siliga missed 10 games on short-term injured reserve but was an elite run-stuffer when active for the second straight year.  The fourth-year defensive tackle is an exclusive rights free agent, so he'll almost certainly be back in Foxborough next year.

Bad News

Besides the looming extension for Jones two offseasons from now, both Wilfork and Ninkovich are over 30.  As durable and dependable as both have been, it's not particularly realistic to expect them to sustain such heavy workloads moving forward.

The draft is probably the most logical avenue for the Patriots to supplement their D-line depth, though Ayers and Siliga are potential solutions as well.  Unfortunately, it's not easy to find the kind of skill sets Ninkovich and Wilfork provide, as both are often asked to alternate between one-gap and two-gap assignments.

There's also not much playable depth at defensive tackle if either Wilfork or Siliga gets hurt.  Alan Branch was a nice part-time reclamation project, but he's been a career rotational tackle.  Chris Jones and Joe Vellano are both a bit undersized to play the position and have been replacement-level players for two years. 

The Pats have skated by with veterans for years, but this hasn't been a true difference-making unit for a while.

Linebacker

Uncredited/Associated Press

Cap Spending: $19.1 million (11th, 12.9% of cap)

Good News

As a side note, Spotrac counts Ninkovich as an outside linebacker (but not Chandler Jones, curiously enough).  Removing his roughly $4 million cap hit, the Pats would be down to $16.1 million in linebacker cap commitments for 2015, which would rank 15th in the league.

Considering that both Jamie Collins and Dont'a Hightower emerged as three-down game-changers this season, that's obviously a massive bargain.  Both are under contract through 2016, since Hightower has a fifth-year option as a former first-rounder, meaning that the Pats have two All-Pro-worthy players at a highly affordable cost in the middle of their defense.

The revamped secondary has received most of the attention and credit for New England's defensive turnaround from the woeful unit of the late 2000s and early 2010s.  But seeing both develop into uber-versatile linebackers was the unexpected surprise that truly put the defense over the top and gave the unit the ability to match up against even the most unique offenses.

Bad News

The unit's longtime captain, Jerod Mayo, could be on the outs soon.  Mayo has not made it past Week 6 either of the past two seasons, and coming off a torn patellar, it's no sure bet that the soon-to-be 29-year-old will recapture his Pro Bowl form.

Mayo's $10.6 million cap hit, the seventh-highest among linebackers in 2015, is untenable when factoring in the budget that will go toward Hightower and Collins extensions.  It would be a surprise to see the Pats outright cut him given his value to the locker room, but expect New England to hand him a pay-cut offer that serves as more of an ultimatum, much like it did with Wilfork last offseason.

If Mayo is diminished or gone, there's almost no depth behind Hightower and Collins.  No one would really replace either player's skill set, but the Patriots need more than two-down veterans like Jonathan Casillas or special-teamers like Chris White and Darius Fleming.  Expect the Pats to add depth in this area one way or another.

Safety

Cap Spending: $4.8 million (22nd in NFL, 3.2% of cap)

Good News

There's a big Devin McCourty-sized hole in that figure above, but we'll get to that in a second.  Apart from whatever McCourty receives, the Pats are well-stocked with good values at this position, even if no one else is a real difference-maker.  

Duron Harmon and Tavon Wilson, both former surprise Day 2 picks, have carved out niche roles in nickel and dime packages.  According to Football Outsiders' snap counts, Harmon and Wilson played 25.6 and 16.8 percent of the snaps this season respectively, including the postseason. 

That's not ideal given their respective draft investments, but both have shown enough flashes that they could conceivably earn larger 2015 roles with impressive camps.

Additionally, the Pats unearthed a surprising gem last offseason in Patrick Chung, whom they have at a highly affordable $2 million cap hit for next season.  Chung wasn't always consistent in coverage, but it was certainly an improvement from his first five seasons in the league.  Coupled with his reliable run support as a box safety, New England got a nice return on an investment many overlooked last summer.

Bad News

Bad is a relative term here, as the Patriots will happily pony up for McCourty.  The franchise tag seems like a foregone conclusion, as the $8.4 million number is the cheapest of any defensive position.  Indeed, multiple analysts have already penciled in McCourty as one of the likeliest franchise tag recipients in the league.

The tag number would make McCourty the fourth-highest paid safety in the league next year (though he could move up if the Oakland Raiders cuts injury-prone Tyvon Branch).  In reality, though, the 27-year-old will probably receive a long-term extension similar to the six-year, $54 million deal Jairus Byrd inked last spring.

If neither Harmon nor Wilson develops into a reliable niche safety, as Chung did last season, then the Pats could face some depth issues in upcoming seasons.  But it's almost certain that they'll retain their All-Pro and team captain at this position, so safety should remain a clear strength for the Patriots, allowing them to sustain the more aggressive single-high man-free schemes they've installed the past two seasons.

Cornerback

Cap Spending: $36.5 million (1st, 24.6% of cap)

Good News

Um, I suppose this number isn't as bad as it seems.  In reality, Darrelle Revis' phantom $25 million hit is taking up most of this number.  But if the Patriots retain Revis, it's still a distinct possibility that they'll have the most expensive cornerback corps in the league.  The second-place Dallas Cowboys only have $23.2 in current cap commitments, a far cry from the Pats' projected spending with Revis in tow.

Besides Revis, Brandon Browner's $5.5 million hit is ninth-highest on the team next season.  The Pats will swallow that number given Browner's fit in their system, but his flag-happy playing style and injury history make his salary a bit of an overpay.  Kyle Arrington was more effective as a pure slot corner in 2014 (which made his presence outside in the Super Bowl so puzzling), but at $4.6 million, he's one of the more expensive third corners in the league.

The real issue is that none of New England's cheap contracts, particularly Alfonzo Dennard and Logan Ryan, took steps forward in 2014.  Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler displayed nice ball skills in limited snaps but also a tendency to get beat by quicker receivers and double moves on routes (see Week 15 vs. the Miami Dolphins). 

New England's ability to retain some of the difference-makers on its front seven could come down to whether one of those young corners can develop into playable talent, thereby allowing the Pats to reallocate some important dollars.

Bad News

Much like New England's issues with receivers, Bill Belichick's inability to effectively draft corners has forced the team to turn to the more expensive free-agent market for solutions.  Obviously no one is complaining after the season this unit just had, but it's certainly not a cost-efficient unit. 

No one really knows what the structure of Revis' deal will look like, since he's traditionally eschewed guaranteed money in favor of high annual base salaries.  It's a risky strategy that forces him to play well every year to justify his high cap number, but it's one that has worked beautifully for him thus far. 

The Pats would certainly be amenable to such year-to-year flexibility, though it's unclear if Revis would want a similar arrangement as he approaches his 30th birthday.

The Pats don't have much value at this position, and it's likely Browner and Arrington could become cap casualties by the end of their respective deals.  Fortunate circumstances helped the Pats forge one of the league's elite secondaries, but they'll need a much better draft-and-develop process to sustain this long term.

Specialists

Elsa/Getty Images

Cap Spending: $2.4 million (N/A ranking, 1.6% of cap)

Good News

This figure includes Matthew Slater, whose $1.7 million cap hit is a bargain for arguably the league's preeminent special teamer and a strong locker room presence.  Slater is a large part of the reason for New England's year-to-year consistency on special teams, and he'll be the cornerstone as the Pats transition from coordinator Scott O'Brien, who retired after the Super Bowl.

Ryan Allen makes up the other half of this deal, as the punter enters his final year before restricted free agency in 2016.  Allen significantly improved his directional punting in 2014, so the Patriots figure to keep him around after a few years of instability at the position.

Bad News

You'll notice that Stephen Gostkowski and Danny Aiken are conspicuously absent from the above figures.  Both are free agents, and it appears more likely than not that the kicking game could receive a personnel shakeup this offseason.

Gostkowski remains one of the game's best kickers, as the Patriots have been extraordinarily fortunate to experience virtually no drop-off from the Adam Vinatieri era.  Gostkowski's last pact was a five-year deal that presented an average annual salary of about $3.1 million. 

This time, it wouldn't be a surprise if he approaches the four-year, $16 million range where Sebastian Janikowski, Robbie Gould and Mason Crosby all reside.

Aiken could be a goner after some shaky performances (i.e., Week 6 vs. the Buffalo Bills).  The Pats have had unusual instability at the long snapper spot since Lonie Paxton's departure.  Charley Hughlett was on the practice squad for part of last season, but he's currently on the Cleveland Browns. 

There's not a whole lot of indication on where the Patriots might go here, and we won't know if they chose right until the games begin.

*All salary info via Spotrac.com.