4 Veterans the New England Patriots Must Part with Before 2015 Season

The offseason does not only present opportunities for NFL general managers and head coaches to add talent to their rosters, but also for them to purge bad contracts to free up cap space and shed unproductive players to free up playing time.

The New England Patriots are always making moves to improve their roster, whether it's by adding or subtracting players. This offseason should prove no different, and the Patriots have already made one key move by re-signing safety Devin McCourty, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN. 

But the work is far from done. In order to keep the chains moving, the Patriots have to be willing to cut ties with some players who have been productive for them in the past. 

Here is a short list of some veterans who should be looking over their shoulders in the coming weeks. 

Danny Amendola

David Goldman/Associated Press

Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola had a highly productive postseason, by far the most productive three-game stretch of his career with 11 receptions for 137 yards and three touchdowns. If he can keep up that pace, he'll be more than worth the $5.7 million cap hit he is scheduled to make in 2015. 

If the Patriots aren't sure whether Amendola can continue that level of production, they could save quite a bit of money by letting him go. A straight-up release would result in $2.1 million cap savings, according to OverTheCap.com. But they could save $4.5 million if they designate him a post-June 1 cut.

The Patriots may need to cut some corners if they want to find the cap space to make any major additions this offseason, and Amendola's salary would be a good place to start. That being said, they may not necessarily need to release him completely if they can reach an agreement on a restructured contract that would allow them to keep him at a more team-friendly number.

Michael Hoomanawanui

Elise Amendola/Associated Press

With tight end Rob Gronkowski in the fold, the Patriots will not have to worry about their starting tight end position anytime soon—that is, unless Gronk falls victim to another injury. That's why the backup tight end spot is nearly as important as the starting one.

In that respect, the Patriots may be looking at tight end Michael Hoomanawanui as a player they could potentially upgrade. Hooman has been virtually a non-factor in the passing game, regardless of whether Gronkowski is healthy or not. The highlight of his 2014 season was in the playoffs, with four catches for 43 yards against the Baltimore Ravens, mostly in the Patriots' ineligible receiver package.

Even in 2013, when Hoomanawanui started 10 games, the veteran tight end managed only 12 receptions for 136 yards and a touchdown.

The Patriots could save $1.4 million of Hoomanawanui's $1.58 million cap hit by releasing him, but they would need to find more depth at tight end to ensure that they have their insurance policy in the event of an injury to their All-Pro pass-catcher.

Alfonzo Dennard

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Sometimes, an offseason release can come from outta nowhere. But sometimes, the writing is on the wall. 

Cornerback Alfonzo Dennard looked like a lock for a starting spot in the Patriots secondary for years to come after a promising first three NFL seasons. His press coverage skills were a perfect complement to former Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib and to what seemed to be the Patriots' defensive style.

Reality hit him hard and fast, though, and he dropped down the depth chart in 2014 after the signings of Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner.

Couple those acquisitions with the emergence of undrafted rookie Malcolm Butler, and the Patriots were making Dennard a healthy scratch week after week, to the point where Dennard played only six games in 2014. 

He is set for a $1,556,462 cap hit in 2015, but the Patriots could save $1.542 million of that if they cut him. He lost most of his opportunities as a result of his lack of special teams value compared to Butler, so there is still a chance he could contribute elsewhere. 

Joe Vellano

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

The Patriots' defensive tackle position was in shambles in 2013, with injuries to veterans Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly, forcing Chris Jones and Joe Vellano into starting roles as primary interior defensive linemen.

Things were much different in 2014. Wilfork stayed healthy and hit every performance incentive in his contract; the Patriots used a first-round pick on Dominique Easley; they also signed defensive tackle Alan Branch midseason; Sealver Siliga also made strides and played significant snaps when he was healthy.

With all that, Vellano was relegated to a very limited number of snaps—79, to be exact, according to Pro Football Focus. 

Vellano is a tweener defensive tackle, in that he is not exactly quick off the line as a pass-rusher but doesn't have the strength or base to hold his ground in run defense. The Patriots won't save a lot of money by releasing him—$585,000, to be exact—but releasing him would remove some of the dead weight at the position unless he can step his game up in offseason workouts and prove that he has a place on the roster.

Unless otherwise noted, all salary cap and contract information provided by OverTheCap.com.