Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Foxboro Finance: Talking J.C. Jackson, Patriots Free Agency and More with Pats Cap — 2/26/22

Episode Date: February 27, 2022

The New England Patriots have several difficult financial decisions to be made during the offseason, as they prepare for the 2022 season. Joining host Mike D’Abate is Miguel ‘PatsCap’ Benzan, who provides expert analysis on the potential fate of cornerback J.C. Jackson, Patriots free agents, and in a segment unique to Locked On Patriots, Miguel ‘sets the record straight’ on the various cap myths floating around Patriots media.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts!Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Patriots fans, it is time to talk Foxborough Finance. The great and powerful wizard of Benzahn himself, the Pats cap, Miguel Benzahn, joins me here on the pod as we discuss J.C. Jackson, Patriots free agency, and Miguel sets the record straight. I'm Mike DeBate of Sports Illustrated's Patriot Maven, and you are about to be locked in to the Locked On Patriots Podcast. Your daily New England Patriots podcast, part to the Locked On Patriots Podcast. Your daily New England Patriots Podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your team, every day. Hello to all of you, Foxborough faithful.

You are now locked into the Lockdown Patriots podcast. It's the weekend, folks, February 26th and 27th, and I thank you for making Lockdown Patriots your first listen every day, a prominent listen over your weekend, and this weekend we have a very special treat for you. It is Foxborough Finance 101 with the GOAT of all GOATs, my good friend, the Pats Cat, Miguel Benzon. Folks, Miguel is second to none when it comes to matters of finance,

especially when it comes to matters of finance for your New England Patriots. And in this weekend episode of the pod, we will be discussing what the Patriots need to do financially to make a deal between star cornerback J.C. Jackson and themselves' work. What if the Patriots franchise tag J.C.? What will happen if they decide to sign him to a deal? And what potential moves could the Patriots be making when it comes to their own internal free agents? Miguel will answer all of these questions with the wisdom and counsel that only he can provide. And of course, in a segment unique to Locked On Patriots, Miguel takes a moment to set the record straight and dispel all those various cat myths floating

around out there. Folks, this is an action-packed episode. Miguel once again is the goat of all goats, and it is my honor to welcome him for this weekend episode of the pod. So without much further ado, I welcome in my good friend, the Pat's Cat, the salary top gun, the great and powerful Wizard of Benz on as Miguel joins me for Foxborough Finance when this weekend episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Locked On listeners, football may be over for this season, but basketball is in full steam, both pro and college hoops. From all the latest odds, totals, player performance props,

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So when you're craving a snack or a treat, you can reach for something that's healthy and tastes incredible. And there's so many flavors to choose from. Coconut Almond, Peanut Butter Brownie, Raspberry, Cookies and Cream, Mint Brownie, so many more. In fact, Bilt Bar is always coming out with new limited-time flavors. So check out Bilt.com often to see what's new. Go to built.com, use the promo code, and get 15% off your order. Use the promo code LOCKED15 for 15% off at built.com. Patriots fans, if you've listened to Locked On Patriots before, you know I like to use the phrase, closing the week in style.

Well, folks, that phrase was invented for my guest today. It's time to talk Foxborough Finance. And who else would I be welcoming today to discuss this topic? He is the best of the best. He is the GOAT of all GOATs. I kid you not, folks. I mean this sincerely. When I share the microphone with this man i truly feel that i'm

sharing the microphone with the mozart of foxborough finance he is the great and powerful wizard of benzon most importantly he is my great friend one of the best people you will ever meet on this planet the pats cap himself miguel benzon joins me here today welcome back to the pod my good man oh my gosh that's gosh, that's a great introduction. I love coming on the show just to get you introduced. Well, as always, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart, it is always well-deserved, but it's been far too long since you've graced the airwaves here on Lockdown Patriots, and so glad to have you back, buddy. I feel like i'm welcoming an old friend back home uh and uh as always there's lots to talk about anytime we talk foxborough finance buddy it's

always always a fun time and there's a lot going on in the world of patriots but uh but the topic of the week is what you're here to discuss today and i appreciate that um jc jack, my friend, great season for the Patriots star cornerback in 2021, Pro Bowl selection, second team all pro, second in the league in interceptions, a lot of well deserved accolades. And now Mr. INT, as he's dubbed himself, is ready to get paid. He's headed for unrestricted free agency. And, you know, Jackson said last week that he and the Patriots have not had any contact that did get some of the fan base in an uproar. But you and I both know that things can change in an instant. The Patriots are typically a do business at the 11th hour type franchise. Many have speculated that Jackson may be retained via the franchise tag button. I think we'll start there first off because it comes with

a hefty price. The franchise tag for JC Jackson projects at $17.28 million on a one-year deal. Yes. It should also be noted that the Patriots are not always eager to use that franchise tag. They've used it. They've used the tag 10 times under Bill Belichick, just twice in the last nine off seasons, however. So that being said, Miguel, according to your calculations, the Patriots have just a hair under 4.9 million in cap space available. If New England uses the franchise tag on J.C. Jackson, what does that mean for the Patriots? Okay, so remember the deadline to tag J.C. Jackson is March 8th. The deadline to get under the Patriots' adjusted cap number is March 16th.

So the Patriots could tag J.C. Jackson as a way just to extend the negotiation period. Because the deadline to sign him to an extension is July 15th. So they can, even though right now they're tagging him, putting him over the adjusted cap number.

They still have, that would still give them eight days to get underneath to make the moves to get underneath the cap. We could talk about those moves later, but you know, it gives them eight days to do so. It just buys them time. And then by, and then tagging them gives them flexibility in a couple of ways. You could tag, tag them and hopefully you could trade them, tag them and hope that you reach the extension by July 15th and tag them and keep them on the roster for the entire 2021, excuse me, 2022 season. I'm sorry. And then and then you can. And then hopefully in next this year, you get a eventual replacement for him, either trade or trade agency or draft.

Now, excellent, excellent information. And again, the timeline is, I think, as important as the financials here when it comes to the New England Patriots decision because it really does factor in. And you've made it very clear about the deadline to get under the cap, the deadline to sign. These are all factors that the New England Patriots will put forth when it comes to negotiating with J.C. And, you know, I know I've watched your timeline. I know a lot of our listeners, most of our listeners are glued to your timeline, especially at this time of year. They're looking at it and saying, maybe we shouldn't panic too much about J.C. Jackson coming out and saying, well, the Patriots haven't heard. You know, we haven't heard from them. Typically, it's kind of the way they do business. They're an 11th hour type team. Yeah, I don't I Mike, I didn't get what the was the whole point of him coming and saying that. Because you cover the Patriots. I cover the Patriots.

We knew that. They do business at the last minute deal. I don't know why his – and I'll say it has to be his agent. His agent talking to Phil Perry, his agent, or J.C. Jackson directly, talking to Phil Perry and Mike Giotti. Why would you do this? I have no idea. It makes literally go ahead. Do you want to, no one has been, no one has been tagged yet.

That's right. We're on the fourth day of possible. We're doing this at four 40. So maybe somebody got tagged while we're recording, we're recording this podcast, but not we're on the fourth day of players being able to get tagged and not one player has gotten tagged yet so why are you in a rush you still have time i don't know i didn't get it mike i i didn't get it at all i I mean, he's going to get paid. I mean, he's got – let's just say the Patriots don't tag him. All right? I mean, he – and I think easily he's the best free agent cornerback. Right now the top of the market is Jalen Ramsey at 20. If JC – all JC – JC Jackson should probably get more than Jalen.

He doesn't deserve – maybe you could say he doesn't deserve it, but he's hitting free agency at the right time. I could see him getting more than Jalen Ramsey in a free agency deal. All right? I don't get what his

agent's complaining. I wasn't expecting. I had tweeted out early in, I think, either the day before or in the morning that I did not expect him to get tagged that day, you know, today. But if I had to bet, I would have bet if he was going to get tagged, it would have been on the last possible day. Like at 3..m jim mcbride's telling tweeting us out hey jc jackson got tweet got tagged and if jim's all over it then you know you can take it to the bank one of the business that when it comes from jim and guys like mike and those guys you know it's coming from a place of authority and uh yeah, I agree with you.

I think it probably is posturing coming from his agent, you know, bottom line. I mean, these guys know there's a game to be played and they're going to play that chess game back and forth by putting out the information. It's, you know, filling up Twitter. People are going, Oh my God, does this mean he's leaving? Does this mean he's gone? It's going to stir the, you know, what my friend, you know, it's a family show and I'll keep it that way, but it's going to stir the pot a little my friend you know it's a family show and i'll keep it that way but it's going to stir the pot a little bit and i think that's probably uh you know maybe the uh

the thrust behind that but ultimately there's no reason to panic at this point patriots nation a deal between these two sides is still possible yeah it's they got plenty of time like mike it's february 25th the deadline to get underneath the cap is March 16th. Right. You know, it's so – they can make so many – it's not like the NFL restricts teams to make one move a day. They can make several moves in one day. Boom.

They're done. They're underneath the cap. Way underneath the cap. Absolutely. I mean, you know, anybody have any idea how long that is in Belichickian years? I mean, that's a long time. You know, from February 25th to March 16th, that's a long time. It's patience, folks.

Patience. Shy. Shy Sullivan, please be patient. Oh, we love Sol. Sol is great. He's always all over the timelines. But absolutely, by all means. And I know he's listening. He's a faithful listener of Lockdown Patriots, and I appreciate him a lot.

Yeah, the patience is a virtue, folks, and be patient because there is still definitely a chance. Okay, let's put our hypothetical hat on, Miguel. I know you've been very vocal. You have an amazing outline of a potential deal between these two sides, between J.C. Jackson, something that, you know, would really make an awful lot of sense for both sides. Folks, if you haven't, I encourage you, please go check out Miguel's Twitter feed. It's the best Twitter feed, in my opinion, on the whole app. Again, if you want information, this is exactly where to go to get it um but for a highlight circumstance if the patriots let's say either with a deal or without a deal the patriots decide they want jc jackson back in the fold and i say without a deal i mean essentially without the franchise tag and apply they decide they want him back in the fold um highlights that our fans should know about about what it's going to take to get jc jackson back in a patriots uniform to start 2022 it's going to cost them at least

two years of fully guaranteed money gonna probably be a four-year deal definitely gonna put them definitely gonna put him in the top five of cornerbacks. I would expect that he would get an incredibly large signing bonus this year. His salary this year would be fully guaranteed. Next year's salary would be fully guaranteed. They would have active roster bonuses that he can earn about a million dollars a year

i created a structure of a deal where i don't pay him as the top top guy in the market so i'm not going near jalen ramsey i'm not going near 20 million dollars but i got him more guaranteed money okay so i i then jalen ramsey got all right And I got his cap number, Mike, down to $8 million. Okay. All right. So, okay. So because I had a $3 million salary, $1 million in active roster bonus, and $4 million in signing bonus foration.

All right. I went back way back in the day. I did something with an option bonus, which is something the Patriots used to do when I first started coming to cap in the early two thousands. All right. Right. So he would get a $9 million option bonus in 2023 and $3 million of that would be pro reach each year. So his cap number, Nick, in 2000, cap number goes way up folks.

It goes from 8 million to 20 million to 21.2, two 5 million to 22.7,25 million to $22.775 million. All right? But I'm saying I'm doing that in 2022 with that $8 million cap hit. So then I can get another top elite free agent, sign that player, whoever it may be. It could be a wide receiver, could be an edge defender, whoever you want, or could be a tackle, whatever you want. I would be able to sign that guy to another deal for about $9 million cap hit. So I signed two players for less than a tag number.

That's okay. And then I still, and then if we make some tough cuts, Mike, I still have enough to build around the team, build a playoff contender, maybe even a Super Bowl contender. I don't think I can get to a perfect team, okay? Right. But I can get a team I think could, with a little injury luck and then some improvement from Mac Jones and some improvement from guys

or in the second year jump we get so you can jump I can definitely get to build a team that's a Super Bowl I think can get grow into a Super Bowl contender I don't think they'll play like that in September but I think I can get them to be like that in November and December absolutely and that is great news I mean and I think a lot of patriots fans are definitely happy hearing that that keeping jc in the fold is not going to handcuff them to the point where they can't feel the contending game because obviously the patriots you know they want to be in contention they tasted the playoffs again this year after missing a year ago in 2020 they want to remain in that area and it's good to know that this is something that is still not only possible, but feasible as well. It's like if I can do it, I do this as a hobby.

If I could do it, the pages who pay people to figure it out can definitely do it. It's my opinion. You should be at the top of that list of people that they're paying. I'm just being honest, very, very honest. I mean, they really should. You know, league offices. I don't care. Really go all the way up to Park Avenue. Call Roger and get him on the phone. I would never work for Roger. I could not do that. Well, you know what? You just endeared yourself to even more Patriots fans by saying that, my friend. Bottom line, always, always great stuff.

In good conscience, my friend, in good conscience. I could never work for the NFL front office or I never could work for the Jets. Forget those. Well, we're going from one perspective to the other. The NFL front office and then the Jets. All due respect to my boy, John Buchko, who is a good friend of mine, host of the Locked On Jets podcast. We have a lot of fun together, but everyone knows my feelings on the New York Jets. And

you know, anybody that's listened to me and Murph together know that they're not our favorite team. So yeah, it's pretty much a foregone conclusion at that point. So we've talked about what it's going to take to keep, or you know, theoretically, what it's going to take to keep J.C. Jackson in the fold here in New England. And that's good news that you've provided. We've got plenty of time to speculate on players that the Patriots might be interested in. We're definitely going to have you back here on Locked on Patriots very soon to discuss some of that. But right now, there's a lot of question about internal free agents, guys that are ready to hit unrestricted free agency. We've heard the names and a lot of legendary names on this list in terms of Patriots folklore, Miguel, Devin McCourty, Dante Hightower, Matthew Slater, James White coming up, Brandon

Bolden, you know, that these are all unrestricted free agents, guys that the Patriots may look to, you know, either sign or re-sign. When you look at some of the free agents on this roster right now, what would probably be best cap-wise for the Patriots to consider maybe, you know, making a move to keep them in-house? Or is there anybody right now that you think really is going to be priced out or that probably would be better for them to move on in terms of, you know, having maybe a little bit more cap room to go after some externals or put it back into the guys that you want to keep in the fold for a good long while. I think I wouldn't go crazy with John Juan Bentley.

I've said this on, I'm on the record. I think he's going to get the, you're a patriot and you're going to get overpaid in free agency. He screams to me to get a guy who's going to be overpaid in free agency. I'll probably... Cap-wise. I'll say this, Mike. I was somebody

that had asked about the rings. The guys who are free agents, they have more Super Bowl rings than the guys on the roster that's and that's a smaller perspective there that's perspective and i just want to that's those like i'm talking like hoya bolden white caris trent brown jc jack Jackson, Dante Hightower, Bentley, Collins, McCourty, Slater, King, all have rings, all free agents. Amazing.

And so there's not that many guys on the team who actually have Super Bowl rings still. There's way fewer guys. That's just, I keep on talking about roster turnover, and that's the biggest like guys that's just i keep on talking about roster turnover and that's the biggest example of that it truly is and it's really remarkable when you think about it in terms of the success that these teams have had the patriots teams of the past and how a lot of the guys that are up for free agency right now have been a part of that second wave core of the Patriots dynasty in the latter years where they were beating teams like the Seahawks and the Rams and the Super Bowl and you know they were winning those uh those years McCourty such a big part of that Hightower such

a big part of that make the argument that without Dante Hightower 28 to 3 never becomes 28 to 3 you know I mean it really is so you know there's all of those elements that are in play and i think it's such an important part of patriots folklore to remember what these guys have given to the franchise uh obviously are all of those guys going to be back uh i would probably say no i think it's almost the definite can't say for 100 sure i'll go out there and say 100%. Mike, I am 100% sure all these guys aren't coming back. But you can't – and the reason I say that is, Mike, because you need the room for the draft picks. You need the room for the guys who are coming off of II.

The guys who – so you need the room, the roster room for those guys. Very good point and when you have matt jones on a rookie deal is in youth and i happen to think that he's going to be on the patriots for the next 10 to 15 years it's this is a good time to start building around him right so if you want to build a core around him you got to get roster spots and some of these guys got to be to get some of those roster spots you gotta let somebody you gotta cut some of those guys i'm like i'm sorry like jamie collins it was nice knowing you you know it's you can't keep them all you can't keep them all um and no team i mean besides i mean

i think the buccaneers got way too much credit for bringing back all those players from the Super Bowl team. It was only they were able to do that because of COVID. But teams don't, you want to turn over your roster. And I just think this is, right now is a great time for them to do it. Because Mac Jones is in his second year of his rookie deal.

Might as well take advantage of that value because we know that he's going to play way at a much higher level than his cap number. He is, compared to what his cap number is and what he's going to play at, he's going to be a tremendous bargain. He's going to be a tremendous bargain. So you might as well build around him. Absolutely. It is. It's a perfect time to do it.

And that is great value when these guys are on their rookie deals. And yes, eventually, you know, the Patriots will need to make some tough decisions roster wise. And in just a moment here on Lockdown Patriots, folks, we will discuss some of those difficult roster moves. And then, of course, the moment you've all been waiting for in a segment unique to Locked On Patriots, Miguel gets the command.

He gets the com and the mic is his, and he's able to set the record straight on all of those cat myths floating around out there. This and more with my man, Miguel Benzón, the Pats cap himself, when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Patriots podcast continues. Patriots fans.

Once again, the wizard of Ben Zahn, the all powerful Miguel Ben Zahn joins me today. The Pats cap himself. I hope I haven't nearly killed him with that comment, but he's a, there he is. There's a laugh we know and love. He is doing well. That's it. That's all we want to make sure.

See, that's it. You know, I may have over complimented, you know, like what was it in Vinnie Antonelli in My Blue Heaven? It's not tipping. I believe it. It's over tipping. Well, I over compliment people. See, and I almost I caused Miguel to drop his water bottle. But all kidding aside, folks, he's worthy of it. I'm going to continue to do it because it's just in my nature. But in the previous segment, you really gave us a lot of information on Jason Jackson, some of the Patriots internal free agents. And I know our guests are where I should say I know our listeners are really, really aching to hear you set the record straight. But selfishly, I do have one more question before I give you the microphone. Obviously, a lot is being made out of the Patriots cutting guys loose or jettisoning players that might be on the roster under contract that aren't just an easy, you know, see you later as a free agent. They may have to make some difficult decisions in terms of

roster cuts is there anybody right now or any player or players that you're looking at right now where you can say you know what moving on from this player is going to give them more cap space and the maybe the cap space that it's going to generate might be more beneficial for the team moving forward okay so henry innocent all right you kind of trade him all right you create about 1.85 million dollars in cap space all right you convert most of matthew judon's salary into a signing bonus all right and you create 6.643 million dollars in cap space all right of course i'm you creating you increasing his cap number for the future years, but I think even then, he's still a bargain. If you can then – Claire, this is for you.

This is Claire. This is for you. You extend Hunter Henry. You create $5 million in cap space. You convert most of Jalen Mills' salary into a signing bonus. You create $2.31 million in cap space. I've been saying three, but those are the four moves I think the Patriots – oh, excuse me, and then Jalen Mills – not Jalen Mills, Jake Bailey.

Jake Bailey's salary went up to $3.986 million because he earned – he was selected to Pro Bowl in 2020. And a new CBA, if you're a low, you drafted after the second round, you get a Pro Bowl selection. You get your last year of your rookie deal, your salary goes up to the second round tender. Right. If the Patriots think that Jake Bailey is going to play like he did in 2020,

they can extend them and create about $2.4 million. All right? Oh, wow. Okay. But if they think that he's going to play like he did in 2021, you can cut and trade them and create $3.3 million in cap space. All right? I don't know.

We don't know how they feel. All right? No, it's true. Right, right? We'll know what they feel by what they they do with jake bailey all right okay but we right now they're not telling us okay right we'll know we'll learn by act that by the actions because they're not saying it but they're not saying okay yeah bill's not holding a press conference anytime soon to tell people his most inner thoughts that's just not the way he's not

he's not doing that so So those are the five. I mentioned those five players. And I have different ways. I got the spreadsheet in front of me. I could create about $67, $66 million in cap space, depending on how many tough cups you want to make and how lucky we get in trades. All right?

Right. Because I don't think, for example, you could trade Nelson Aguilar and create about $92 million in cash base, but that probably means you have to give away something, like a fourth-round pick, include something. I don't think you ought to get something a lot back. All right? I'm of the opinion that I don't want to give away

a fourth-round pick. Right. When I have Mac Jones on a rookie rookie deal i want to acquire draft picks i want to get i want to acquire more draft picks and rather give it away all right but if i was like you know if i could trade something to kill harry if i could trade um isaiah win i could create cap space or you could cut trade shack m Mason. You make some tough cuts. Absolutely. Bill's going to have to make some tough decisions to get – because I know he has to make some moves to create cap space.

So there are several guys on this roster who will not be on this roster a week one at the current cap number. Yeah. We will learn during this offseason who they are. All right? I happen to think one of those guys is going to be Henry Anderson. I happen to think it's most likely that it's going to be Matthew Judon. I happen to think it's going to be Hunter Henry.

I think they like the relationship they have and they can extend it one more year. Right. It wouldn't surprise me as well as he played last year, then Kendrick Bourne and created about 1.8 million dollars in cap space all right that wouldn't surprise me at all depending on how you feel with like the vaughn godshaw right you've got three different ways to create cap space on them you can extend them you can cut them or trade them all right depending on what you feel like what it's the thing ditto with jonathan jones ditto

with shaq mason all right i think with nikhil harry he's a he's a product he's not you're not extending them he's a trade or cut all right isaiah when i struggle mike i know you wrote that piece today great piece i have been struggling about how about what his value is. Because left tackles, when they hit free agency, they usually get paid near the top. $20 million. He's a guy who's in the middle with a horrendous injury history. But he's getting $10 million. Usually a guy like that and his boat was probably getting five to eight five to eight so he's getting 10.4 so it's hard to figure

out what is what what kind of deal could you sign him to right um so the Patriots got several ways to create calf space I'm not worried about it I I just don't I am confident that somebody's that I've you know i tweeted this out some of the moves they're going to make a list of those guys i don't know exactly i'm going to get the numbers right in extensions i hardly ever get them perfectly right but i'm sure that i'm gonna get some of these names right um there are they're gonna make some moves people and they're going to make some moves people and they're going to happen sooner than later. Right. And we'll see what happens and

when it's going to happen. It's going to be interesting to see because they'll tell us how they feel about, for example, the interior line. You got Shaq Mason. You got Ted Karras. What are you going to do? There's an interplay with that. Then you got Isaiah Wynn and Trent Brown. There's an interplay with that and then you got isaiah win and trent brown there's an interplay with that we'll find out soon yeah absolutely and

that's the thing about the roster building and all the elements that go into it and you articulate it so well because really i don't think so many people myself included at times and i cover the team as a you know as a beat writer for sports illustrated fan nation it's difficult sometimes to really encapsulate everything that goes on behind the scenes all the decisions that need to be made in terms of whether or not you want to keep these guys trade them cut them what the value is um and how uh you know these you know deals come together it's easy to try to look on the field and say right this guy had a bad year you can cut him loose this guy had a good year you can cut him loose it's all about the try to look on the field and say, right, this guy had a bad year. You can cut him loose. This guy had a good year. You can cut him loose. It's all about the value they have on the open market.

And it's all about how other teams are going to value them, too. Really, I think that that plays such a vital role in that. And you do such an amazing job of articulating that. Thank you. Thank you. Anytime. Well, we've arrived at that moment, folks. We have given you all that you can handle when it comes to Miguel's wisdom and counsel, but there are still those cat myths out there that seem to be circulating throughout Patriots media, some of which are spewed during the hours of 2 and 6 p.m., but we're not going

to go there. We're going to keep this, you know, we're going to keep it a family show. We're going to keep it clean, but I always love giving you the microphone to do what you do, my friend, and that is set the record straight. Have at it, bud. What are some of those cat myths that are floating around out there that kind of stick under your fingernails, my friend? Oh, my gosh.

Let's get the easy ones out of the way. Okay. Therese Hall. He's a linebacker on the Patriots. He spent the entire season last year on PUP. He was last linebacker on the Patriots. He spent the entire season last year on PUP. He was last year in his deal. Therefore, his deal told.

He's not going to become an exclusive rights free agent. Seeing it this week, I forget from where, the true Fumagalli is going to be a restricted free agent. No, he's not. He's going to be an unrestricted free agent.

He has four accrued seasons. Accrued seasons is six games on either the active roster or on IR. He's had two seasons of at least six games. He's been active for at least six games, and then he's had two seasons of being on the IR for the entire season.

That's four. Four makes you an unrestricted free agent i don't i don't know why these people keep on saying that he's gonna be a restricted free agent all right he's not gonna be all right mike i don't know how else to say this so i'm i see this on my timeline. I don't watch the show anymore, but I see it on the timeline. I guess they had Felga, they had Michael Hurley, and they had Lou Maloney doing a shot saying the Patriots don't have

the cap space to build get weapons for Mac Jones. It was this week. And I listened to the video and I'm thinking, well, they don't really say that they don't need the cap space now because Fiji doesn't start until March 16th.

And they don't say... I'm only listening from the video that's on Twitter. So I didn't watch the piece because I don't watch Velger at all because he's just whatever. All right. Good. Keep it clean. All right. Um, so you talk about how the peaches don't have any cap space,

but you don't, you don't, you see you from, but you don't talk about how the King can create cap space and you know, we know they have to create cap space because they don't have enough right now to last the entire year. All right. So the moves are going to make they have to make are going to happen. I just don't know when. And then to say that they don't, you know, and then the corollary is. So to jump off is that if you tag JC Jackson, you can't do anything else for your agency. Right. That's if you're not willing to make some tough decisions elsewhere, which doesn't feed into the cap is crap thing.

Because the Patriots could definitely tag J.C. Jackson as long as we're willing to make some other tough cuts someplace else or get lucky with some trades. Maybe somebody does want to trade for Nelson Aguilar or an Isaiah Wynn. You can do what... You can build a Super Bowl contender still

in my opinion if you tag J.C. Jackson. Those are the four things I thought about, Mike. I was trying to get the five. And the other thing was, you pointed it out,

that someone said that the Patriots really don't tag players. They haven't tagged players recently, but when you tag players 10 times and you've been to 2,000, that's a 10 times and yeah it's a 2000. that's a high up that's a lot of beat that's a lot of plays you tagged absolutely and the other thing we have to say it's not a myth hopefully it's still not a myth because i i've been fighting with the beat writers since then you tag a player counts against the cap as soon as the tag is made

he doesn't play doesn't have to sign it all right so i i just want to beat writers if you listen to this you don't don't put out there and retweet it please don't say that don't say that because you just end up deleting that tweet absolutely and yeah you can take that one right to the bank miguel taught me that lesson one of my first days back as a beat writer, back in the cover 32 days before Miguel and I had even met face to face. We had already educated me on that. And I, for one, could not have appreciated that more. And that was something that I had gotten wrong on occasion. But my friend, what can I say? You set the record straight like no one else. And anyone who thinks that you know there's anything that this man cannot provide for you when it comes to the Patriots salary cap knowledge

well then you just haven't been paying attention I told you he is the best of the best but black for the alternates does not exist because he is the salary cap top gun there's nobody better and from the bottom of my heart there really is nobody better that I've met in any walk of life. And maybe those that were just as good, but nobody's better than this man right here. I thank you so much for taking the time out this evening to join me here on this weekend episode of Locked On Patriots. But before I let you go, please enlighten all of our listeners where they can find you if they already don't know. And if you don't, folks, I can't understand how you can be a Patriots already don't know and if you don't folks i can't understand how you can be a patriots fan and not know who this man is but by all uh you know uh

stretches of the imagination we do have a lot of uh outsiders uh listen to this that aren't patriots fans that uh you know keeping your friends close and your enemies closer uh uh miguel please enlighten where they can follow you and what we have coming. I'm on Twitter. I'm on Pat's Cap. I'll be rocking, providing the best salary cap coverage of the Patriots from now until whatever. All right. It's going to be – I think it's going to – it's not going to be as crazy as last year, folks. It's not going to be as crazy. But it's going to be – I think it's going to be,

for people who are able to see training camp, I think you'll be more excited to go to training camp this year because this roster is going to look so much different. I think that. And we get to see what a Mac Jones is going to look like after an NFL off season. And I think that, I think, I think he's, I think he's going to take, I've said this before, Mike, and I was like,

I don't think there's not a free agent out there that's going to improve the team as much as Mac Jones getting better. And I think Mac Jones is going to get better. I'm just, I'm just a, I'm just a fan boy of him. So, and I just want to give him shout out to him to send in a signed jersey to Cara

I want to give a shout out to him I want to thank everyone who retweeted my tweet for that I appreciate that forever in the so proud to be a member of Patriots Nation because of that it was so proud to be a member of Patriots Nation because of that it was so nice to see

Julian I was like what Mac reaching out Mr. Craft and of course Mac and for those that don't know what Miguel is referring to Cara Doolittle who has been a supporter of mine throughout the years a supporter of the

Patriots and just one of the better people that you'll meet in any walk of life, is currently battling breast cancer. And the New England Patriots hosted her this week for a day of Patriots fandom. Several of the New England Patriots roster have reached out to her or had the chance to meet her in person during her visit earlier this week to Foxborough. We wish Kara the absolute best in her recovery. She's fighting this so bravely and really is fighting this so strongly. She's doing extremely well and we're so happy for that. We hope that continues in the right direction. But you know, folks, that's what it really is all about. All of the fandom and all of the behind the scenes stuff that goes on with teams and rivalries and whatnot. You know, health is always the great equalizer.

And, you know, it always reminds us of what's really important in life. And the one thing that I admire the most about my good friend Miguel here is that he never loses sight of that. He always remembers what's truly important in life. The great work, the charity work that you have done for Habitat for Humanity, my friend, is something that should be revered for morals that you do, with the exception of being a great husband, father, and family man. It really is just an amazing, amazing thing. And I'm in awe of the work that you do each and every

day for that charity and for everything that you do for Patriots Nation. So we wish Kara the best, but I appreciate you, my friend, because you helped to make all that possible as well thank you thank you you said it well so I got nothing else to say thank you well what can I say my friend thank you so much for joining me here on this weekend episode of

the pod we look forward to having you back here on Locked On Patriots again very soon of course free agency approaching so we're looking forward to talking some free agency. Maybe we'll talk a little external free agency next time you're here. Until that day, my friend, stay safe, stay well,

continue to be the best of the best, as you always are, the goat of all goats, and most of all, thank you for being a great friend at Locked On Patriots and to me. Thank you. Take care. Just like that, Patriots fans, we are through your work week, but Monday will begin a brand new

day and a brand new era here on Locked On Patriots. It's been teased quite a bit, and my deepest apologies on that. Some technological snafus have prevented us from launching YouTube a bit earlier than we wanted to. But Monday, the wait is finally over. My good friend, the legendary Thomas Murphy, becomes the first visual guest here on Locked On Patriots

as we christen the maiden voyage of our new YouTube channel. So, in the meantime, smash that subscribe button and look for that first YouTube podcast sometime on Monday evening. In the meantime, to make sure that you do not miss a single second of the great action we have coming to you this week as the NFL holds its scouting combine, please download, subscribe to, and follow the Locked On Patriots podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Remember that Locked On Patriots is free and available on all platforms. Once again, my name is Mike DeBate, and I sincerely thank my

good friend, the Pats cap himself, Miguel Benzon, for his time, his insight, and his appearance on this weekend's pod, but most importantly, I thank you all so much for listening and for continuing to make Locked on Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage.

Until Monday, Foxborough faithful, stay safe, stay well, be the change that you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone.