The Pats have some terrible free agent contracts

[Inigo Montoya]

I was looking at the Pat's cap situation next year and was shocked to see the contracts they handed out last year during their free agent spending spree.  They're on the hook for huge salaries to Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry, Nelson Agholor, and Kendrick Bourne.  I don't see their offense getting much better even if Mac Jones takes a step forward next year with these guys catching balls for him.  The numbers for those four players are crazy and the dead cap hit is going to make it tough to move on.  Bourne is the only easy out in the group.

 

        2022            Salary  /  Dead Cap Hit

 

Hunter Henry       $15m   /   $19m

Nelson Agholor    $14m   /    $14.8m

Jonnu Smith        $13m    /   $26m

Kendrick Bourne  $6.4m  /   $2.8m

 

Pats top 4 pass catchers salary in '22;   $48.4m

Pats top 4 pass catchers dead cap hit in '22;   $62.6m

 

Those 4 pass catchers are 24% of the Pats total cap next year. 

 

I don't think any of those players would even start on our team.  Hunter Henry might push Knox, but that's the only possibility and Knox is going to make $1.2m next year.  The structure of these contracts are an albatross around the Pat's neck.   The '23 contract hits aren't much better.   BB has made some very questionable GM moves. It couldn't have happened to a nicer franchise.

 

2022 Cap stats;    https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/new-england-patriots/cap/

 

2023. Cap stats;   https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/new-england-patriots/cap/2023/

 

 

Edited January 18, 2022 by Inigo Montoya

[BillsFanForever19]

I think Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith are very good TE's. Was kind of shocked they didn't do more this season, especially having a Rookie QB under center.

 

Paying out the ass for Nelson Agholar and Kendrick Bourne... I didn't get it then and I don't get it now. How Belichick looked at the market of Free Agent WR's and decided those were the two to get and pay what they paid is mind boggling.

[NewEra]

3 minutes ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

I think Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith are very good TE's. Was kind of shocked they didn't do more this season, especially having a Rookie QB under center.

 

Paying out the ass for Nelson Agholar and Kendrick Bourne... I didn't get it then and I don't get it now. How Belichick looked at the market of Free Agent WR's and decided those were the two to get and pay what they paid is mind boggling.

Just wondering what makes you think Jonnu is a very good TE?  I think he’s a better RB than he is TE

[Big Turk]

5 minutes ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

I think Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith are very good TE's. Was kind of shocked they didn't do more this season, especially having a Rookie QB under center.

 

Paying out the ass for Nelson Agholar and Kendrick Bourne... I didn't get it then and I don't get it now. How Belichick looked at the market of Free Agent WR's and decided those were the two to get and pay what they paid is mind boggling.

 

Smith is one of those players who has all the athletic ability in the world and you watch him make spectacular plays and wonder why isn't he better?

 

I just think he has very poor football instincts, and he isn't going to ever become a true threat at TE.

[Allen2D̶i̶g̶g̶s̶TBD]

You'd think a team with such a bare-bones roster would have a ton of cap room, but that's not the case. Without Brady to lure in free agents, they've had to pay superstar money for guys who are average starters.

[Buddo]

Bourne actually came to play on Sunday. I think that contract is solid.

 

Henry and Smith have been way overpaid, as is Agholor.

 

Some of it is how they have, or rather haven't, been utilised, but all three have been disappointing, to say the least.

 

Given the supposed problems good TEs have given us in the past, Henry and Smith should have been a difficult out for us, but they didn't trouble us at all, in any of the games.

[FilthyBeast]

1 minute ago, Allen2Diggs said:

You'd think a team with such a bare-bones roster would have a ton of cap room, but that's not the case. Without Brady to lure in free agents, they've had to pay superstar money for guys who are average starters.

 

Welcome to the Buffalo Bills circa 2001 - 2017

 

But in the Pats case not sure it's so much about overpaying guys as much as it is desperation to win again. Which is why I won't be surprised when they go all in again this offseason for some big names to keep pace with the Bills and rest of AFC.

[clearwater cadet]

What happen to players taking less in New England to compete for a championship year in and year out?

[ngbills]

They will be fine. They can restrux guys and can do this because they have a qb on a rookie deal. They still have ~$20M in cap space before any restrux or cuts etc. 

[Mikie2times]

Unless I think I have a legit shot at a title, I don't think I'm playing for BB. 

[Warcodered]

23 minutes ago, clearwater cadet said:

What happen to players taking less in New England to compete for a championship year in and year out?

They moved to Tampa.

[Saxum]

44 minutes ago, Inigo Montoya said:

Those 4 pass catchers are 24% of the Pats total cap next year. 

 

I don't think any of those players would even start on our team.  Hunter Henry might push Knox, but that's the only possibility and Knox is going to make $1.2m next year.  The structure of these contracts are an albatross around the Pat's neck.   The '23 contract hits aren't much better.   BB has made some very questionable GM moves. It couldn't have happened to a nicer franchise.

 

Regarding "nice".

 

 

And I think Knox will be making more next year.  Knox clearly wants to stay and he and his agent will talk to Bills about a new contract giving him more money now letting Bills sign him to extension earlier saving them money.

28 minutes ago, clearwater cadet said:

What happen to players taking less in New England to compete for a championship year in and year out?

 

4 minutes ago, Warcodered said:

They moved to Tampa.

 

They came to New England to get the indictable TB12 HGM and it was part of the deal.  It is gone now.

Some day Billicheat will drop a dime on him anonymously getting a bunch of players suspended but he will wait until it makes a difference to HIS team. 

[GunnerBill]

Henry might be a bit overpaid but he is a legit receiving tight end and he led them in touchdowns with 9 (which was joint most in the NFL among tight ends). 

 

Bourne is a good player and a good pickup. 

 

Agholor sucks, has always sucked and always will suck. 

 

Not sure what the craic is with Smith. At times you can watch him look like an all pro and two snaps later he looks like camp fodder. His blocking this year has been awful and that matters for a tight end in the New England system. 

[Scott7975]

1 hour ago, FilthyBeast said:

 

Welcome to the Buffalo Bills circa 2001 - 2017

 

But in the Pats case not sure it's so much about overpaying guys as much as it is desperation to win again. Which is why I won't be surprised when they go all in again this offseason for some big names to keep pace with the Bills and rest of AFC.

 

All in with what?  They have 17 mil in cap space and a bunch of pending FA's where like half of those were key players.  They went on the spending spree this season.  They would have to do some major work to do it again.

[billybrew1]

1 hour ago, Inigo Montoya said:

I was looking at the Pat's cap situation next year and was shocked to see the contracts they handed out last year during their free agent spending spree.  They're on the hook for huge salaries to Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry, Nelson Agholor, and Kendrick Bourne.  I don't see their offense getting much better even if Mac Jones takes a step forward next year with these guys catching balls for him.  The numbers for those four players are crazy and the dead cap hit is going to make it tough to move on.  Bourne is the only easy out in the group.

 

        2022            Salary  /  Dead Cap Hit

 

Hunter Henry       $15m   /   $19m

Nelson Agholor    $14m   /    $14.8m

Jonnu Smith        $13m    /   $26m

Kendrick Bourne  $6.4m  /   $2.8m

 

Pats top 4 pass catchers salary in '22;   $48.4m

Pats top 4 pass catchers dead cap hit in '22;   $62.6m

 

Those 4 pass catchers are 24% of the Pats total cap next year. 

 

I don't think any of those players would even start on our team.  Hunter Henry might push Knox, but that's the only possibility and Knox is going to make $1.2m next year.  The structure of these contracts are an albatross around the Pat's neck.   The '23 contract hits aren't much better.   BB has made some very questionable GM moves. It couldn't have happened to a nicer franchise.

 

2022 Cap stats;    https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/new-england-patriots/cap/

 

2023. Cap stats;   https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/new-england-patriots/cap/2023/

 

 

What about Mathew Judon's contract? Isn't that massive as well?

[GunnerBill]

1 hour ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

I think Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith are very good TE's. Was kind of shocked they didn't do more this season, especially having a Rookie QB under center.

 

Paying out the ass for Nelson Agholar and Kendrick Bourne... I didn't get it then and I don't get it now. How Belichick looked at the market of Free Agent WR's and decided those were the two to get and pay what they paid is mind boggling.

 

Kendrick Bourne is like a robot built to play in the Patriots scheme and for basically the same money the Bills paid Emmanuel Sanders he has out produced him. Bourne is a good #2 receiver. The problem is so is Jakobi Meyers they just don't have a #1. 

 

Just on the OP I make it $10m dead cap on Agholor with a $4m saving. I think that is a no brainer. Cut him. He is terrible.

[Scott7975]

1 minute ago, billybrew1 said:

What about Mathew Judon's contract? Isn't that massive as well?

 

Yes

[CaptnCoke11]

I think that’s a very reasonable contract for Bourne.  He’s a nice player 

[GunnerBill]

1 minute ago, CaptnCoke11 said:

I think that’s a very reasonable contract for Bourne.  He’s a nice player 

 

And schematically perfect for them. 

[TheBrownBear]

Henry is a good player, but the rest are just meh for sure.  I didn't understand the signing of Jonnu Smith.  Guy is overrated and was completely unnecessary with the signing of Hunter Henry.