Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots: Salary Cap, Potential Trades. Free Agency and More on Finance Friday

Episode Date: March 10, 2023

With just days remaining until the start of the new League year on March 15, the New England Patriots are in good position to make some significant upgrades at positions of need. Host Mike D’Abate welcomes Miguel ‘PatsCap’ Benzan to discuss the Pats present financial situation and Miguel’s thoughts on potential moves to be made. Lastly, in a segment unique to Locked On Patriots, Miguel ‘sets the record straight’ on salary cap myths which continue to circulate throughout Patriots media and fandom.Find and follow Locked On Patriots on your favorite podcast platforms:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-on-patriots-daily-podcast-on-the-new-england/id1140512627Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1c5ZxFmwg3WbfxAU3tR5Ve?si=k196wH-yRqifUcQQz8SjIQStitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/locked-on-patriotsAnd follow host Mike D’Abate on Twitter, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the New England Patriots and talking with fans.On Twitter: @mdabateNFLSupport 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 “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.FanDuelMake Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG(CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat(CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Patriots fans, the New England Patriots are ready to start the 2023 NFL League year. How are they set for finances? We've got the man with all the answers here today. Stick around. You're about to be locked in to the Locked On Patriots podcast. You are Locked On Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your team, every day. Hello to all of you, Foxborough faithful. We'll be right back. platforms, including YouTube. So smash that subscribe button, download, subscribe to follow Locked On Patriots wherever

you get your podcasts. Today's episode, folks, brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook, official sportsbook of the NFL. Make every moment more. Visit FanDuel.com slash Locked On today to get started. Folks, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to help me close the week in style here on Locked On Patriots. It is Foxborough Finance Friday. And who else could we possibly bring here today to help us absorb all the wisdom and counsel that he has to provide on all things related to Foxborough Finance is our good friend.

And that's cap himself. Miguel Benzon joins us here today. Miguel, thank you so much for joining us, and welcome back to Locked On, Patriots. Oh, it's always an honor. I remember the last time I was on, on January, and it was such a fun time. I love coming on this show.

It's just an awesome time for me. I got to give a shout-out to Murph and Clazzy Claire. They've been killing it recently. Actually, I listen to the show via YouTube. I don't watch the show via YouTube, but I got to give a shout-out to Claire in the smile T-shirt, a shirt she was wearing on Wednesday. All right.

I loved it. Yeah, absolutely. There was a big smile on Claire's face on Wednesday's episode and that was due to the fact that we were breaking down tight endage. Some real big pearls of wisdom brought by Claire on Wednesday without any question. Tip of the cap, nod to the gods there.

And of course, Murph always brings it on Mondays. He's been helping us out on Fridays here on Locked On, but whenever we have the opportunity to bring a little Foxborough finance to our Friday, it's always a good thing. So let's dive right in. The New England Patriots right now, as currently constituted, Miguel, sit with $31,838,852 in available cap space. Those are your down-to-the-pen available cap space those are your down to the penny predictions those are your down to the penny calculations um folks whenever there's a salary cap

question you know i never go anywhere else he's the only source that i need and quite frankly the only source we all need here in patriots nation so miguel big question on everybody's mind when it comes to the new england patriots is what a number like approximately 32 million dollars in salary cap space means for the New England Patriots heading into the year at this point in time they do have free agents internally to re-sign they've got external free agents that they want to pursue they do have draft picks that they have to bring in but first before we get into all the speculation and individual players what does a number like this mean for the bats heading into this year big picture wise is is a great space good spot to be in all right i'm actually

mike more excited this year than i was in 2021 when the patriots had 60 plus million dollars in cap space but going into free agency. And the reason is, back then I knew the Patriots were going to spend money. I knew they were going to spend money, and since they were near the top, I thought they were pretty sure they would get anybody they wanted. Some of those things, some of the plays they acquired that I wanted haven't worked out. I'm talking about you, John Will Smith.

This year, I'm excited to see what happens in free agency because there's paths the Patriots could take. And they go in different ways. Like, for example, offensive line. What do they do with Trent Brown? All right? Do you just keep him on? Do you extend him?

Because I was looking at his recent – somebody had an Instagram of his recent workout. He looks good. He is. He's working out. He's giving it everything he's got. Offensive linemen, they could play for several years. I know he's 30 years old, but he could play at a high level for the next five years.

All right? Or do you just cut him, get the cap space and sign even a younger player on the offensive line? All right? You could do something like, and then you got the other thing, what are you going to do with the wideouts, all right? What are you going to do with Jacoby, who's been Mac Jones' binky, all right? But he's not someone, I think personally the defenses are worrying on Tuesday

and Wednesday nights thinking, how do I stop Jacoby? You know what I'm saying? So I know, what's the guy from Patriots? Eldred. I think it's Eldred who wants a big-time wide receiver for Patriots. All right. LJ's been patiently waiting for that number one wide out for years. I love him dearly.

He is a great, great man, a great supporter of the Bob. We're hoping this year he finally gets what he wants. But you're the guy that's going to tell us how we can get there, Mike. Okay, so big picture-wise, they can do it, all right? Because, folks, you'll say, well, like, for example, DeHop, DeAndre Hopkins. Well, he's going to cost so much money in the cap space. Patriots have enough cap space to take it on, and then they can reach a deal to lower that cap space number.

All right? There's no chance that he's – I don't think if they were going to acquire someone with a big cap number, like DeHop, he's playing on that cap number. All right? Right. They just need to have enough cap space to get the guy's original salary and then do the extension, which is what they did, folks.

If you've been a longtime Patriots fan, that's what they did with Randy Amos. You know, they took him on a 2007 draft, and then they lowered his salary. All right? Well, I'm not talking – I'm not thinking anything new. I'm just going past it. You've got history. That's why history is so important, folks. All right? i'm just going past you got history that's why history's so important folks all right um

so it's online wide receiver and it's following up on claire's thing all right and which she was talking about drafting someone in the second and third round all right that's still a possibility just because they have you could go crazy and you know extend Hannah Henry but I don't like you she had brought up talking about extending honey I don't think if they're gonna do that I think they're gonna wait close until the beginning of the season then an off season a big cap space but I think they want to see if it's gonna if he's gonna work with Bill O'Brien I think he is but I think I don't think they're going to put the $15 to $20 million signing bonus, give him that money, the guarantee, without knowing that about trading camp.

All right? Right. So there's different things that they have, balls, circles in the air that they could do, which I don't think if you can create an off-season plan i i started to do one and i actually realized i don't have to keep three different ones because i started doing one with keeping my trent brown for on his common contract trading trent brown or extending trent brown each three had different cap impacts and so i just decided well i'll just

i won't do one if i come out i don't have i don't think i get really started thinking i'm like man they could do all three things mike and i could see him doing all three things. I just don't know what they would do. Because once I saw, I'm like, man, if he plays well, his cap number of $12 million isn't that bad for a good to great left tackle. Right. You know what I'm saying? So that's why I'm excited because I think we're going to know within the first couple of hours of free agency, what they're going to do.

Is that like, we might even know before with the legal tampering, what, you know, cause you could, they're not supposed to announce deals, but you know, the rope,

you know, Ian and Ian Rappaport and Adam Schefter and Tom Pellicero will say these two sides agreed to a deal. Yeah, exactly. Because there's going to be no talking this weekend at all we know that they're going to wait for that moment to really pounce on that it's a good thing they have that legal tampering period now because in years past boy i'll tell

you it was really it was a real son of a b to get those to get those deals done in like four minutes you know from the time that uh the, yeah, it was tough. Those days were difficult. Yeah. So like talk about Lamar Jackson, right? How difficult it is for him to create a contract with the Ravens. Yet at 4.01 p.m. March 15th, we're going to hear deals. Absolutely.

It's amazing how quickly they come together it's you know that that decision making just really like kicks in right at 1201 a.m or 401 p.m you know whenever it was i remember back in the day it used to be you know midnight you get some of these deals you know yeah that was oh yeah those were rough at least they make it a prime time event now uh kudos to the nfl on that but miguel you definitely give us some optimism. And there are a lot of different scenarios, folks, that could happen. And Miguel is here to break all of those down today. We are going to get right into that in just a moment when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues.

Everything Foxborough Finance with the Patriots' Sal Cap Top Gun, folks. He is here today. Miguel Benzon will join me and continue to join me here in just a moment when we continue. But first, folks, today's episode is brought to you by our good friends over at FanDuel Sportsbook. The midway point of the NBA season is here, and now is the perfect time to download FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook, because new customers get a no-sweat first bet up to $1,000. That's bonus bets back if your first

bet doesn't win. Just download the FanDuel sportsbook app. It's safe, it's secure, and it's super easy to use. And then you can bet on everything from the money line to the point scorers to the three-pointers drained. Plus, FanDuel will even let you combine your bets for a bigger chance at a payout with the same game parlay. So don't miss the chance to get your no-sweat first bet up to $1,000 in bonus bets when you go to FanDuel.com. Locked on. That's FanDuel.com. Slash. Locked on. To learn more. Patriots fans, the one, the only Miguel Patscap Benzon joins me here today, closing the week

in style on Locked On Patriots. Of course, I am your host, Mike Bade, and I am always, always honored to be joined by Miguel every time he comes here on Locked On Patriots to lend his wisdom and counsel. But it really is the perfect time of year to host you here on Locked On Patriots to lend his wisdom and counsel. But it really is the perfect time of year to host you here on Locked On Patriots because, as you said in the previous segment, Patriots, 32 million right now in available cap space. There are a lot of ways in which this team could clear additional cap space prior to the league year beginning on March 15th,

and that process is going to continue even beyond that. So when you look into your Benzani and crystal ball, my friend, I've been waiting a long time to say that folks, I've got Bella Chucky and crystal ball. I got Claire with the clairvoyance and reading the tear leaves, but you know what? It's,

it's the Benzani and crystal ball right now that we're all looking into. I'm going to put you on the spot, but not quite put you on the spot. I'm going to ask you a general question, but hoping that you'll narrow it down a little bit more for me here on lockdown Patriots. When you look at the Patriots potential moves to be made, we know they've got internal free agents to resign. We know they've got external free agents that they've got their eye on.

Walk us through what the Patriots might do in your own assessment and really what the best moves are for this team moving forward. All right. He said best. That's a subjective thing. And that's where we need the opinion. That's the Benzani and crystal ball my friend all right okay ah i'm gonna go big picture wise see i'm this is my opinion all right my goal in free agency would to be to get would be to get a top flight tackle offensive tackle so i'm talking either Orlando Brown or Jawan Taylor or Mike McGlinchey. All right. I try to send it so far. OK, to a four year, 60 million dollar deal. All right.

Oh, my God. So you say, oh, my God, it's 15 million dollars off the cap. No, it's not. All right. It's going to probably be about six to to $7.5 million off the cap. All right? And then because the Patriots will give them a live signing bonus, will be prorated over four years.

If they sign the players for five years, it will be over five years. All right? Probably be a really low salary in 2023, probably be like $1 million or $1.5 million. All right? And then definitely whoever they sign will definitely get active roster bonuses probably be in the amount of $1 million. So let's say you got a $1.5 million minimum salary.

You got $1 million in active roster bonuses. You got $5 million in sole inspiration. You get about $7.5 million. All right? That's cap cap number but then but you should track doubt the salary of the player on the current on the roster who's gonna get dropped their salary's gonna drop right now that's 870 thousand dollars all right so that's just so that net cost it's just under seven under seven million dollars all right? There's my offensive line.

Okay? I want to get a top flight cornerback. All right? So I'm thinking about Jamal Dean. I'm going to go a little bit crazy, Mike. So if I get Jamal Dean, I'm cutting Jamal Mills.

All right? Yeah. That gives me If I get Jamal Dean, I'm cutting Jamal Mills. All right? Yeah. That gives me some basically replacing Jamal Mills' cap number on the Patriots roster books with Jamal Dean for a net loss of about $2 million. Okay? All right? On 2020. Obviously, it's going to be more In 2024

Alright Then I'm I'm going to try to Try to steal Poach Hurt The bills Alright

By getting Tremaine Edmonds Alright I'm going big picture wise folks I'm going big Alright So I get I'm signing him

And he's going to probably be You know Oh Four years i'm going big all right so i get i'm signing him and he's gonna probably be you know oh four years 72 76 million dollars so it's probably an eight million dollar cap hit in year one all right so ronald's 7.25 million dollars know, net cap loss. All right? If I do that, I got to cut someone. All right? Oh, boy. So, I'm good right there because I got Jamal Dean. I'm liking this so far.

Okay, so far. And I'm higher on Edmonds than a lot of people are. I think, actually, this could be a good fit for him. So, I like this so far. Okay, my man, Matt Jones, about there recruiting the people. All right. I'm going to go to Matt Jones, Matt Judon, and say, hey, I'm going to give you a signing bonus right now and lower your salary.

And not right now, not just sometimes we'll give you the money over the 18 weeks starting in the september because sometimes that's what the um some teams do when they convert salary and signing bonus they actually just give the signing bonus in in the south the same weekly installment says to play a salary all right and that's just 36 weeks ago i'm gonna say to matthew juna i'm gonna give you the salary right now planning bonus right now Alright, I create the cap space that way that's I'm paying for Trevor Turn in Edmonds with a salary sign both conversion with Matthew Juneau I paid for Jamal possibly paid from with for Jamal Dean which cutting Jamal Mills. I'm using some of that 32 million dollars

on offensive tackle. All right? Then if, and I have strong doubts that they could get a number one wideout via trade, we know they're not getting Keenan Allen, all right? Because they just reached out to the strategy um jerry judy i think the brian heard from you know matthew berry going to the uh who used to be on espn and now runs his own thing went to the combine and said he heard the broncos are trying to trade Cortland Sutton instead of Jerry Judy. And cap-wise, it makes a lot of great sales sense for the Broncos to keep Jerry Judy and to trade him away.

All right? All right. So I understand. So folks, I don't think the Bengals are not trading T. Higgins. I will go on saying that. I'll actually be willing to bet money on that. You lose, I'll take the bet. If you lose, you just give the money to the Habitat of Humanity.

And I'll give the money. If you win, I'll send you the money in Venmo. Yeah, it's hard to believe that the Bengals would be willing to move him. I asked, so I've asked two Bengals fans who cover the cap, Andre Parada and John Baines. I asked Mike Traggs,

who used to cover the Patriots. He now covers the Bengals. All three of them said there's no chance that the Bengals to go trade T. Higgins Traggs was my source on that as well great minds think alike absolutely

it was the first call I made when I heard it and Mike is as good as it comes when it comes to this business I'm so happy for him unfortunately his team didn't win but I'm so happy for him that at least his team didn't win, but so happy for him that at least the team he's covering has continued to have great success. Right, absolutely.

So those are the big items. Those are three guys. So I got my offensive tackle, I got a linebacker, young linebacker, and I got a cornerback, all right? I try to fill the holes on this roster via the draft. And if my kid gets a number one wide out, I still got the cap space to do it.

I would have to cut if you got DeHoff. Or if you got Eddie, whoever you want, you're probably cutting Devante Parker. So either him or Kendrick Bourne. And I'd rather have Bourneante Parker. So either him or Kendrick Bourne. And I'd rather have Bourne over Parker. But whichever one, it doesn't really matter.

One of those two is gone. So that helps partially pay for the number one wide receiver. That's what I would do. I think the Patriots are going to do something like that. But we'll see. We'll see. You know, I love it. I really do.

I like the ingenuity. I'm sorry, go ahead. The Patriots are in an interesting situation where you're an 89 team who could have with some luck, but a luck last year could have made it into the playoffs. All right. But they have holes on this team. All right.

And that need to be filled. I don't think it's possible for them to build a perfect team this year. I think they could build a team that can contend for the Super Bowl this year. And by that means, like I said, they get into the playoffs and maybe you get caught, get lucky, and then you can take yourselves all to the Super Bowl. We've seen it happen in the past. We've seen it with the Ravens with Flacco when he won his Super Bowl seemed to get hot um the Giants when they beat the Patriots I think both years both times I think they got lucky I

mean tough memories I know yeah they did they got hot at the right time yeah they got lucky. Tough memories, I know. Yeah, they did. They got hot at the right time. They got hot at the right time. I don't know. It does. It does. It still hurts all these years later, but it really does. There's no question about it. I don't want to talk about that.

Yeah, I mean, teams can get hot, right? And really, winning a Super Bowl is really dependent on a couple of things. You know, you got to be relatively healthy. For example, the football outsider just came out with a stat about AGL, adjusted

games loss. The Chiefs were fourth in terms of least number of games lost, all right? The year the Rams won it, they were relatively happy. The years the Buccaneers were on it with Tom Brady, they were one of the healthiest teams in the league. All right? You're going to catch a break with the –

excuse me, but the officiating. You better hope all the calls go your way. All right? It's true. It is. It's true. And then the weather. Oh, yeah, of course.

If the Patriots get to play in bad weather, maybe, against a team that might be more talented, that weather might shrink that talent difference out. You know what I'm saying?

So, I think they can get there, Mike. I don't know. Like I said, I'm more excited to see what they're going to do. I don't know which way they're going to go. We see the holes on the team, and they have been – like something Jordan Schultz said something about Hunter Henry. I'm like not getting caught. I'm like, not getting caught. I'm like, I didn't even see that coming.

Like, I didn't know why he would. I'm like, okay, whatever. All right. We talked about that on Wednesday a little bit here on Locked on Patriots. And, you know, there are different scenarios that you see that are laid out. And yeah, there is a $10 million cap savings if you release Hunter. But at the same time,

you're also looking at having to put that money directly back in to fill a position you already have an able-bodied guy that has a relationship with Mac Jones and also can thrive in a Bill O'Brien system I just didn't see that and I I know that the the aura was out there but it just made no sense to me from the start and it sounds like we're we're like-minded when it comes to that. We're sympathetic. I'll tell you this. I'm a cap space guy. I've always said, hopefully I've said this. Cap space don't make plays on the field. Right.

They don't tackle. They don't catch. They don't throw. They don't break up tackle. They don't do anything. Cap space on the field doesn't matter. It's all about value. The question is, is Hunter Henry worth $10.5 million in cash this's all about value the question is is hannah henry worth

10 and a half million dollars in cash this year that's the question right that's the question and do you make that decision in march before you get to see how he works out with right with bill o'brien excellent i don't think i i don't think they use that. Because that's what the question is. If they have made up their mind then, like, God bless them. Good. They made up their mind. I would probably say I don't understand it. But at least you made up your mind.

Like, for example, not to rehash 2022. Like, the left hand converted Jono Smith's salary into a sign and most of john is the signables the right hand didn't give him the ball throughout the season right you'll say and the right the left hand guy was matt patricia because he signs the contracts right the right hand guy was matt patricia calling the plays same person two hands they weren't talking to each other at least this year we got some hope for the two hands of talking to each other yeah exactly and those hands are definitely hands that are used to prolific tight ends on this roster or really any position when you look at what what bill o'brien does well guys that do well in his offense are guys that can run routes hunter

is one of the better route runners i've ever covered from his days when he when i covered him as a charger that right now he can definitely run the routes if you're looking at a 12-man personnel and someone who can compliment him you'd like maybe a guy that can get a little more yards after the catch i think jono can be that guy but if the patriots are not comfortable with that and they look to move on from him, there are ways to do it after June 1st, looking for a trade. Then maybe you're looking at the draft and bringing some guys in that could be able to do that. But all in all, I think the scenarios are abound. And Miguel, I think you've laid some amazing scenarios out in terms of what you would do here if you were GM of the Patriots. But we're not going gonna let you go that

easily my friend i am gonna put you on the hot seat in just a moment we're gonna ask for miguel's bold prediction about what the patriots will do we're also going to ask about a bold prediction as to what they won't do and of course in a segment unique to locked on patriots miguel does have one item to set the record straight on and and you're not going to want to miss it. Stay tuned, folks, as this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast wraps up. That's fans. The amazing Miguel Benzon joins me here today. The Pats cap himself, the celery cap top gun, the best of the best is with me to close the week in style

here on lockdown patriots and my friend it's been a blast so far we've had a few laps we've talked scenarios we've prognosticated you've got to love it we've even brought out the benzanian crystal ball folks but okay we are about absolutely now the seat's gonna get a little bit hot my friend it's early march here in the Northeast, but it doesn't mean that we can't heat things up in New England. When you look at this team, and you've already told us what you would do as GM of the New England Patriots, but you're Bill Belichick.

You're in that hot seat. You're thinking the way Bill Belichick thinks. What's a bold prediction for the way the Patriots will go? And what's a bold prediction for the way they won't go? Bold prediction. They sign an offensive tackle within the first

hour of free agency. They sign... Okay, they sign three big free agents within the first day of free agents. That's right. Folks, that yes that you just heard and the vibration you're feeling right now, that's Murph dancing as he's listening to this in Connecticut. He is loving that prediction.

The big green man is ready to go. You just made his whole weekend mcgill yeah i i in yeah because that's bold okay and what they won't do they won't okay see we already said it before they're not the favorite jerry um i'm trying to think what they won't do oh my gosh hold on a minute let me look at the roster pulling on all of your cap space knowledge pulling on all the financials that the patriots have and the advice that you could provide to someone like bill belichick sitting next to him all right in terms of finance what would be something where you'd say nah bill that's really not a great move like really something that would shock people or surprise people where you'd advise

them this is not the move to make that seat is hot folks i you we were going to heat things up here on Watch On Patriots. The move would be that they don't think they would do is Hunter Henry. I don't think they cut him. Okay, but they already announced. Some of you reported that. I hate that Jordan Chubb thing because I don't

think they would. I'm like thinking because he's on a list of because i don't think they would yeah right because i'm like thinking because he's on he's on a list of people who could you can create a lot of cap space with right um won't do oh oh okay pay Jacoby Myers more than $14 million a year? Oh, that's a good one. They won't do that. They won't do that.

That is a good one. It's a question we get a lot here on Locked On Patriots, especially because Jacoby's so beloved. People are saying, will the Patriots move that gamut? I don't think they go any higher than 12, 13. i think 14 is pushing it 15 is beyond the limit i don't think you get up to that level with a guy like jacoby and i love jacoby meyers and i'll say you know just big picture-wise folks jc i remember i was one of

the guys who got i was dead wrong at jc jackson all right i thought he got 18 million dollars i think we all were okay yeah he got 15 million15 million. And I said this, I think early last year, early during the season. If Jacoby Myers was a first-round pick, I would definitely have put him that he would get 18 to 20 this year. And the reason is because, folks, if you have a first-round grade, that carries with you through the rest of your NFL career. So that means if you had a first-round grade, that means you had a

characteristic that says that's outstanding. Jacoby does a couple of things very well, but he's not a player that if Mac Jones throws him a ball on the page of 20 there's no one who's thinking that jacoby's going 80 yards with it i'm saying no one's thinking that all right um so at best i think jacoby is a high-end number two wide receiver.

So, therefore, the pitch has been about value throughout the Bill Belichick era. I just think that over 14 is not good value for how they do it. All right? And I thought he had three agents, understood agents, something he said he was only on two. If you switch agents, that tells me you're going to get,

you're looking for the money. All right? Yeah. And I know that he, all right, if he was a restricted free agent last year, so teams were allowed to talk to him when he was a restricted free agent.

I am sure he knows he's talked to someone last year and said hey you have a year like the blah blah blah in 2023 we'll give you this he knows what he's worth uh we'll see um no I would love to be wrong on this one because it would make i'm a big mac jones fan so i should go back so if they do sign jacobi man it's they're really putting the same mac it's on you yeah and let's go let's go with it it's true it really is and it does make does make an interesting storyline for down the line, like you said, is that bringing him back, does that mean that they've gone all in on Mac Jones? I mean, obviously you have to think that it's looking in that direction because Mac and Jacoby have a very good relationship.

He said several times that that is his guy. So you have to wonder whether or not letting him walk does anything to that relationship. But also, Mack is a pragmatist, and he also realizes that you have to build a team around him. And dedicating that kind of money to a Jacoby Myers, who is, like you said, a dedicated number two on a roster, not a dedicated everyday wide receiver one, it does create some restraint as well. So Jacoby is going to be one of those that we're going to be watching very closely here on locked on and miguel tip of the cap nod of the gods i thank you very much for that insight but we're not quite done yet my friend

because i know that in a segment unique to locked on patriots you always want to dispel some of those cat myths floating around and especially this weekend there's an awful lot going around out there about incorrect ways to use the cap, incorrect assumptions that Patriots fans or fans of any NFL team make about the salary cap and what it means for what they can do, what they can't do. The floor is yours, my friend. Take us home. What do you need to set the straight on as the great and powerful Wizard of Benz on?

All right. So, Phil Gates this week says this is the Patriots adjusted cap number. All right? And you see in the list, the Patriots had the fourth lowest amount in the league. All right? And the primary reason they had the fourth lowest amount is

they had a lot of people they had a negative adjustment they had a negative adjustment so people saw that list so Bob Craft is cheap alright the Patriots are on that list that's the fourth on the list

because they had players like Trent Brown like Jichich Wise earn their incentives which means they had a negative adjustments. All right. That's why they were low. It has nothing to do with Bob Craft being cheap. He actually had to pay off these incentives on February 15th. All right. I think I said this on my last show that I was expecting them to have a negative adjustment. All right. And they actually came out true all right um so it's people want to say that the wild card is cheap which is

whatever but at least in this particular instance the evidence is not there all Let's say that the Chiefs who had the least amount of adjusted it's because they had players earn their incentives on their way to the Super Bowl like Juju Schuster or whoever the guy was on their team that had a lot of incentives.

I don't think anyone is saying that the Chiefs were cheap. But the Patriots were cheap. All right? But the Patriots were fourth. They're cheap. The consistency isn't there. The other thing that's going to happen now, we just heard about the comp picks, all right?

Right. Now they're going to say, well, how much cap space is going to take up for the draft picks? People, all right. The top 51 rule. People say it's going to take $12 million to save the draft picks. It's not. It's going to take about $3 to $5 million.

Less, probably $3 or $4 million. All right? Because of the top 51 rule. Right now, the guy who has the 51 highest cap number on the team has a salary of $870,000. All right? you sign a draft pick and he has a cap number of two million dollars right you're dropping off that guy of 870 000 so you get that difference of 1.13 million dollars that's the net cost all right and for the guys who like

in the seventh round pick, the only part of their cap number that's going to hit the cap immediately is the signing bonus operation, which is going to be like $50,000 to $100,000. All right? That $750,000 is not going to hit the cap until they make the team

in September. But if they make the team, there's most likely excuse me folks they're gonna bump off a player who's making much more of them a higher salary than the Creighton cast space all right you know um so those are the two biggest things I wanted to say about just setting the record straight um do um that's all I got. I mean, like, there is folks I'll tell you this right now, this next couple

of weeks, I'm going to be really busy with getting keeping up with the numbers. I hope the Patriots keep me busy. I want them to sign as many players. All right. I will just say this. This report of a player A signed a deal for four years,

$50 million, that's not – I need more information than that. All right, so I'll just ask you guys to be patient. When I have the numbers that I can work with to create the – give the player the correct account, I will put it out there. I do not benefit by waiting. Absolutely. Okay. Do we have time to go over

the internal free agents? Go see what happens? I'll tell you what. You know what? We have time for you, my friend. Absolutely. What we'll do is we'll take us home here. Your internal free agent must have. Let's leave it at that. And that'll be a good way.

Your internal free agent must have for the New England Patriots before we take it home and we give this show to the masses, my friend. Okay. Must have. I only had a couple. Jabril Peppers. I like it okay and jonathan jones that's it i can and okay and my wife would kill me if i didn't say devin mccordia but that's definitely okay yeah exactly like literally Yeah, exactly. Like, literally, you know, this list is of free agents, right? Because they already signed three guys.

This list of free agents they have, they're good players. Right. But there's none of them that says, I need to have. Except for Jabril Peppers and Jonathan Jones. Other than that, it was like, and sometimes like, you know,

like no disrespect to like Daniel Accolade or Damian Harris. None of those disrespect. I just don't think they need to have players. It was like, like I, I don't personally, if I was David Harris, I would have started dealing with the Patriots a long time ago,

because I really think as a guy who coming off an injury and with the Patriots a long time ago because I really think as a guy who's coming off an injury and with the supply even with the three tags and running backs he's not gonna get paid this year so you might you have to wonder if that works to the Patriots advantage because Damian is a very good compliment to Ramondre Stevenson I mean if they're not going to go that route in the draft Damian makes an awful lot of sense if they can get him on a team-friendly deal, you definitely do it. But I agree with you. I think the two guys that the Patriots really look at and say, you know what? The way we do things here in New England, obviously Jonathan Jones right up at the top of that list.

But I love Jabril Peppers' mention as well because of the physical way that he plays. That enforcer in the backfield is vital to the way this team's going to play this year. And I love having him here. I like it. Those are two guys. No offense to the other players, because I personally like the other guys, but the question was

need to have. Yeah, absolutely. All right. That's it. I'm done. Folks, what more can we ask for? The Pat Scapp Top gun has given us his list he is the top gun because quite frankly he is the best of us the man has no equal that plaque for the alternates i say this all the time not existent because he just has no equal and i always love

sharing the microphone with you uh but i'm always told that I'm overly effusive sometimes in my praise. I assure you, folks, I am not overly effusive. Maybe I am a little flowery with my words. I'll admit that. But the sentiment is always pure and the sentiment is always 100% genuine. I'm honored to share the microphone with you, my friend, not just because of the wealth of knowledge that you provide to all of us here in Patriots Nation when it comes to finance, but also the amazing things that you provide to all of us here in Patriots Nation when it comes to Foxborough Finance, but also the amazing things that you do in your personal life and especially the charity work that you do with Habitat for Humanity. I am honored and grateful to call you a friend, most importantly. So thank you for joining me here today on Locked on Patriots.

And folks, definitely check him out at Pat's Cap. He will be the busiest man in Foxborough over the course of the next couple of weeks. We're hoping. Definitely, we are hoping. But again, definitely take a moment to think about it. I love it. I love it.

But please be patient with his calculations and know that these calculations can't be done on a dime. He needs to see all the numbers before we can really absorb. Bud, when all the dust settles from the initial first wave of reagency, we would love to have you back for a Pat's Cap Report Card episode. How did the Patriots do from a finance standpoint? We're going to

grade the Patriots' moves financially and Miguel's going to give his opinion on that. So I always, always love that, and I thank you for all of your insight. My friend, before I let you go, any parting words for our adoring fan base

as we take our leave into the weekend, my friend? Patriots Nation, it's going to be exciting times. That's all I I got to say. I'm excited for the offseason. Hope you're excited. That's all I got to say. I'm just looking forward.

I'm a Mac Jones guy, so I'm just hoping they put some talent around him and let's just rock and roll. That's good. I'm good. I'm good, Mike. Absolutely, folks. Folks, I'll tell you this. I suffer from March Madness.

Hopefully, we're seeing some great basketball this year, this next couple of weeks. Let's go. Yeah, we're hoping so. Your Yukon Huskies took care of my Friars on Thursday afternoon. But the Friars made it interesting, Miguel. You got to give them credit for having some spunk to get back in the game.

I know Murph's doing his dance right now. We'll talk about that next week when he gets up here, folks. But all kidding aside, I want to thank you, each and every one of you, for taking time out of your busy schedule to make Locked On Patriots a daily part of your Patriots coverage and also one of your first listens every

day. Hopefully we are your first listen. And if we were, please make a second listen. Our good friends over at Locked On NFL Draft. My colleagues, Damian Parson and Keith Sanchez, are absolutely crushing it with the knowledge they bring from the draft network each and every day. Download, subscribe to, follow Locked On Patriots, or excuse me, follow Locked On NFL Draft and Locked On Patriots where, excuse me, NFL draft and locked on Patriots,

wherever you guys get your podcasts. And again, thank you so much for taking the time out to make me a part of your day as well. On behalf of the great Miguel, that's got Ben's on. I am Mike debate. Stay safe,

stay well, be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everybody. And a great weekend. We'll be back here on Monday with mock draft Monday, right here on locked on Patriots. Be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everybody, and a great weekend. We'll be back here on Monday with Mock Draft Monday right here on Locked On Patriots.