2015 Free Agency: The Waiver Wire Watch

[amarshal2]

So, with the Cadet and Fletcher signings, we seem to be coming to the end of the road. Chandler puts them around $9 million in cap space. The other two are probably at least $3 million combined. The only question left seems whether they take a run at Connolly, who would eat up most of what's left except for rookie signings.

 
I think Bill is likely to go into the season with some cap space so that he can improve the team mid-season the way he has in recent years.  Perhaps there's more to come on the cap front with Mayo or an extension (Ghost, Solder).

 

[dcmissle]

We're pretty much done, I think. There may be adds through the end of camp as people are cut and perhaps an in-season addition if there is money left.

Huge opportunity for lower profile and younger guys to step up at CB, WR and RB especially.

I'm fine with this. It's exciting. Better than overspending for JAGs just to fill a spot.

This assumes that they will address both lines very significantly in the draft, esp to keep Brady upright. I'll be very surprised if that does not happen.

 

[LondonSox]

When fletcher is fine/ good for the Patriots I will light myself on fire.

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

Connolly seems the big question mark.  Who on the team currently constructed will take over his spot and do we have anyone who can play backup center if he's not back?

 

[Super Nomario]

Connolly seems the big question mark.  Who on the team currently constructed will take over his spot and do we have anyone who can play backup center if he's not back?

Wendell can be backup center. Internal options at G are Wendell, Kline, Cannon, and Devey, but I think ideally they'd add another G either in FA or in the draft (or both).

 

[E5 Yaz]

When fletcher is fine/ good for the Patriots I will light myself on fire.

 
Pics or it didn't happen

 

[soxhop411]

@InsideNFLMedia: Spikes on if he would return to New England: "I’ll play anywhere. Given the opportunity, I’ll play anywhere."

@InsideNFLMedia: Spikes on why Patriots have been able to sustain a high level of success: "It’s the Hoodie. It’s Bill Belichick. He’s a genius."

@InsideNFLMedia: Spikes on New England: "My time there, I just learned how to be a true professional. It’s a first-class organization."


@InsideNFLMedia: Spikes on New England: "They drafted me & a lot of teams passed on me. They gave me the opportunity & I’ll always be forever grateful."

 

[soxhop411]

https://twitter.com/insidenflmedia/

 

[Corsi]

ProFootballTalk ‏@ProFootballTalk  2m2 minutes ago
Per source, Bucs have lost interest in DE Greg Hardy. So unless someone else gets involved, he'll apparently be a Cowboy.

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

@InsideNFLMedia: Spikes on if he would return to New England: "I’ll play anywhere. Given the opportunity, I’ll play anywhere."

@InsideNFLMedia: Spikes on why Patriots have been able to sustain a high level of success: "It’s the Hoodie. It’s Bill Belichick. He’s a genius."

@InsideNFLMedia: Spikes on New England: "My time there, I just learned how to be a true professional. It’s a first-class organization."

@InsideNFLMedia: Spikes on New England: "They drafted me & a lot of teams passed on me. They gave me the opportunity & I’ll always be forever grateful."

 
BB's a "master" at what he does, eh Spikes?

 

[E5 Yaz]

BB and Rex are two of the best defensive coaches out there, and Spikes can't stick with either

 

[theapportioner]

There's a reason why they make those "Property of New England Patriots" sweaters.

 

[Ed Hillel]

@InsideNFLMedia: Spikes on if he would return to New England: "I’ll play anywhere. Given the opportunity, I’ll play anywhere."

@InsideNFLMedia: Spikes on why Patriots have been able to sustain a high level of success: "It’s the Hoodie. It’s Bill Belichick. He’s a genius."

@InsideNFLMedia: Spikes on New England: "My time there, I just learned how to be a true professional. It’s a first-class organization."


@InsideNFLMedia: Spikes on New England: "They drafted me & a lot of teams passed on me. They gave me the opportunity & I’ll always be forever grateful."

 
https://twitter.com/BrandonSpikes51/status/453943466868092928
 
https://twitter.com/BrandonSpikes51/status/453940204303552512
 
https://twitter.com/BrandonSpikes51/status/453944438260113409
 
 
That notwithstanding, I'd take him on a minimum deal, if he can be had at it.

 

[Corsi]

Adam Caplan ‏@caplannfl  38s38 seconds ago
The #Patriots and DE Rob Ninkovich have agreed to a contract adjustment increase, per league source.

 

[RIrooter09]

 
Adam Caplan ‏@caplannfl  38s38 seconds ago
The #Patriots and DE Rob Ninkovich have agreed to a contract adjustment increase, per league source.
 

 
Guaranteed money later for cap relief today?

 

[bakahump]

 
Huge opportunity for lower profile and younger guys to step up at CB, WR and RB especially.

Jonas Gray come on down.

 

[bakahump]

I hope not an "de facto extension" of some kind.  Nink is a seems like a good guy and has been a better player then i ever thought possible.  That said in Feb he turned 31.  He is signed through 2016. He also never seemed like a player that was a good enough athlete to lose a step and still be effective.  I suppose it could cut the other way and his game is based on intelligence and he will be fine further into his 30s......but I would rather not risk it.
 
Vrabel had "lost it" to the point that he was sent packing at 33.
 
Nink seems like one of the easiest Defensive positions to upgrade in the front 7.

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

 
Guaranteed money later for cap relief today?

 
Seems unlikely.  It's not being reported as an extension.  He has some pretty large playing time incentives in 2016 that are all likely to be LTBE and thus give him a cap number near $5 million next year.  I think they may actually be doing the opposite -- maybe rewarding him now by moving some of those 2016 playing incentives into guaranteed money now or LTBE money now, which would add to the 2015 cap and give them some cap relief in 2015.  That's just a wild ass guess -- but if it turns out that they are actually adding to the 2015 cap, that would be a pretty good indication they are largely done with spending at this point.

 

[Corsi]

shalise manza young ‏@shalisemyoung  2m2 minutes ago
per Espn's @caplannfl, #patriots & Rob Ninkovich have agreed to restructure that increases his salary 2015 from $2.45M to total of $5M

 

[Ed Hillel]

What!?
 
Please tell me there's some other adjustment done that makes up for that?

 

[Corsi]

The contract for New England Patriots defensive end Rob Ninkovich has been adjusted to give him a pay boost for 2015, a league source tells ESPN's Adam Caplan.
 
The Patriots increased Ninkovich’s compensation for the 2015 season to a total of $5 million, with $4.5 million fully guaranteed (base salary and signing bonus combined) and the remaining $500,000 in workout and roster bonuses.
 
In his previous deal, Ninkovich was scheduled to earn $2.45 million, with a base salary of $2.1 million ($1 million became fully guaranteed last Saturday) and the remaining $350,000 in workout and roster bonuses.
 
We'll break down the salary-cap implications of this adjustment (the Patriots could have picked up some space) when more details become available. Ninkovich is signed through the 2016 season.
 

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4779485/rob-ninkovichs-contract-adjusted?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

If it's not an extension into 2017, I can't see how it possibly saves them any cap space this year.  I think they accelerated his bonuses from 2016 into cash this year.  I guess it could be structured lots of different ways, but an increase on this year's cap and savings next year seems possible.  I think he's being reward for not missing a game in five years or whatever, and so the Patriots are simply going to pay him the money he was supposed to get next year in playing time bonus this year.  I hope he doesn't go and blow out a knee now!  This seems a straight move to reward a player, like they did with Vollmer when they loosened up his playing time incentives.

 

[Ed Hillel]

The guaranteeing of nearly half of his base salary also gave Nink some leverage to threaten a holdout, since cutting him wouldn't save much. Still...seems strange, and I'm not seeing how it could have saved much space this year either, barring an extension.

 

[PedroKsBambino]

I'm puzzled at this based on description above---seems like potential goals would be to reduce 2015 cap hit (unclear how that could be if reported facts correct), reduce 2016 hit, or make it easier to cut him post-2015.  Unclear how that is done through this, but need more info. 
 
I also continue to be amused at the wide disconnect between SoSH view of Nink and Patriots view of him---I don't think there's a BB-era player where the team and the consensus here have been further apart.
 
Changing his role (likely because of Sheard) a potential reason for this as well, I suppose, though unclear if they'd need to do quite this much to meet any concerns.

 

[theapportioner]

Maybe there was some behind-the-scenes grumbling of a holdout, and the Patriots relented. 

 

[RedOctober3829]

Maybe there was some behind-the-scenes grumbling of a holdout, and the Patriots relented. 

Or it is rewarding a very good locker room guy for his performance and durability.

 

[theapportioner]

Or it is rewarding a very good locker room guy for his performance and durability.

 
If that's the case, actually I think that's a good precedent to set. So often we see contract adjustments that cut down a player's earnings. But if players see that the Patriots are willing to reward performance that far exceeds their salary, then it might give additional motivation for players to give it their all, and then some.

 

[Green Monster]

Jonas Gray come on down.

 
Just make sure your on time!

 

[ShaneTrot]

 
If that's the case, actually I think that's a good precedent to set. So often we see contract adjustments that cut down a player's earnings. But if players see that the Patriots are willing to reward performance that far exceeds their salary, then it might give additional motivation for players to give it their all, and then some.

Jason Fitzgerald from Over the Cap talked about the Pats in this week's MMQB and how they operate in free agency and how they set a price and sometimes reward a player:

 
The Patriots can also be very quietly generous with their players to build that trust with a player who performs. Last season the team reworked the contract of Sebastian Vollmer to give him a better chance of earning incentives in his contract that he missed the year before because of injury. Often they give even their practice squad players a boost in salary at the end of the year. When the time comes to ask players for a pay cut later on, I am sure that these things are remembered. They play a different game than anyone else in the NFL.

 

[theapportioner]

That's really cool. Hadn't known about the Vollmer thing either.

I don't pay a ton of attention to other teams' contracts, but I can't think of any other instance in American professional sports where this is done.

 

[Harry Hooper]

I believe Nink and Arrington are the senior men on the defense at this point. Reward for performance and leadership going forward?

 

[theapportioner]

Have we moved on from Mayo already?

 

[Harry Hooper]

Have we moved on from Mayo already?

 
Ha! I hedged with "I believe" for a reason.

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

Vollmer and Ninkovich -- uh oh, nobody tell Stephen A. Smith.
 
I wonder if this is in part an attempt to move cash spending from 2016 to 2015? 

 

[bakahump]

Would giving money this year free up money (for cap purposes) next year?
 
If so then i stand by my theory that Ninks replacement is getting Drafted, and he is a (strong) candidate to get cut next year for Cap purposes.
 
See http://sonsofsamhorn.net/topic/88027-2015-draft-thoughts-and-predictions/
 
I think a "bigger" LDE will be part of the DL Rebuild with Lighter (and better Pass Rushing) DTs.  Basically Bigger on the ends and lighter (290-300 instead of 330+) at DT.
 
We simply cant have light DEs in Jones and Nink without a monster (like Wilfork) in the middle.

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

Would giving money this year free up money 

 
It should, although we don't know the structure yet.  Assuming what's going on here is that he'll give up the incentives and bonuses he's due to receive next year in exchange for getting the cash this year, it should add new dollars to the 2014 cap but take them off the 2015 cap.  Just as an example, say they wipe his $2 million in bonuses away for next year and end up giving it to him this year as a bonus that can be amortized over the next two years.  (Just a hypothetical.)  That should increase his cap number this year by $1,000,000 assuming no other changes, increasing it to $4,950,000, and it would decrease his cap number for next year by $1,000,000, making it $3,800,000.  It would also increase his dead money next year, and reduce the savings if they cut him (although remember, they already are saving $1,000,000).
 
But saving $1,000,000 on next year's cap by spending an extra $1,000,000 on the cap this year, shouldn't really make any difference at all.  Cap savings, as I understand it, are carried over from one year to the next, so if the Patriots weren't doing this, they would just carry that $1,000,000 over to next year's cap anyway.  
 
In short, if no new cash is going to Ninkovich -- and all that's really happening is he's trading contingent amounts he can earn next year by taking it as cash this year -- it's hard to see how it helps the Patriots in any sense at all this year, except raising 2015 cash spending just a bit.  Unless we find out that Nink is ultimately giving up some cash next year for this deal, in the end it's hard to see this move as anything but rewarding a player they don't need to reward.

 

[JohnnyK]

I wonder if this is in part an attempt to move cash spending from 2016 to 2015? 

What for though? The "spend 89% of the cap  in cash" period is 2013-2016, so that shouldn't be the reason.

 

[Kenny F'ing Powers]

Vollmer and Ninkovich -- uh oh, nobody tell Stephen A. Smith.
 
I wonder if this is in part an attempt to move cash spending from 2016 to 2015? 

 
I hope this is the case. It appears that the team isn't going to spend much this offseason, so might as well reallocate some assets for next offseason if they don't plan on spending the money.

 

[Stitch01]

Some Nink details out
 
http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4779511/more-on-rob-ninkovich-contract-tweak
 
Miguel had previously had Nink's cap numbers as 3.95 for '15 and 4.8 for '16 with 2.7 and 3.55 of cash received respectively with 1.25 of dead money if cut next year
 
With this tweak (assuming he gets the roster bonus) and the details in the ESPN article are correct are correct, his cap number goes to 4.75 for each of the next two seasons (1.25 amortization of old bonus+1.5 amortization of new bonus+2MM of salaries+incentives).  So $800,000 of additional cap space used this year, $50,000 saved next year if he plays out the contract,
 
Dead money for next season goes up from 1.25 to 2.75 ($1.5MM more from amortizing the new $3MM signing bonus) and playing him this year and then cutting him in the offseason goes from a cumulative $5.2MM of cap space used under the old deal to $7.5MM under the new structure ($2.5MM remaining amort bonus+$3MM new bonus+$2MM paid this year)  
 
Doing this seems to indicate they believe Nink is almost certain to be on the '16 roster, not a prelude to a cut as speculated in an above post.
 
Cash is now $5MM '15, $2MM '16
 
So it looks like, if Im doing the cap hits/cash hits correctly, this move is being done to move cash spending forward at the cost of spending slightly more more cash.  
 
As with the Brady restructure, they are using some cap space to do so.  
 
In this case, they are also reducing their flexibility in being able to move on from Ninkovich after this season, as they will effectively be using $7.5MM of cap space for Nink's services this season if they cut him next offseason (or $5MM of incremental cap space versus cutting him today under the old structure might be a better way to look at it) vs $5.2MM under the old structure (and $2.7MM of incremental cap space) and have increased the dead money from $1.25MM to $2.75MM
 
Minor move, but a bit of a head scratcher to me that the team feels like smoothing out cash spending is worth burning even a modest amount of salary cap space (seems like we're close to $4MM of total cap space burnt spread over three seasons between this deal and the Brady restructure
 
If anyone else gets to a different cap/cash number or is interested and doesnt see where I came up with a particular number, please say so.

 

[Corsi]

Ian Rapoport ‏@RapSheet  3m3 minutes ago
The #Browns are signing WR Dwayne Bowe, source said.

 

[Klostrophobic]

That's too bad. I would have been interested to see him with a real offense and a real QB to see if he actually sucks like it appears or he was just in an offense that doesn't utilize his ability.

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

The Nink deal makes absolutely no sense.  It includes $750,000 in new cash, which all but eliminates any cap savings next year that they might have gotten by moving up cash to this year.  He's getting more money, and getting it quicker, and it's costing $700,000 on this year's cap for very little cap relief next year.  Sure, they move up a little bit of cash spending to this year, but that shouldn't make any difference, since the 89 percent cash spending requirement is for a four year period and so cash spending next year is fine too, unless they think they will have very little cash going out for the next two years and so are desperate to increase cash spending while they have room this year.  Either way, I have trouble believing that the modest additional cash spending this year is such an urgent need that can't be accounted for in the next two years that they would be compelled to give Nink more money for no cap relief, and in fact a significant cap increase.
 
Unless there's something else we don't know, I'm having trouble understanding this as anything but a gift.

 

[Ed Hillel]

I wonder how Amendola feels about Nink's new deal.

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

I wonder how Amendola feels about Nink's new deal.

 
I'd like to think he knows he was ssignificantly overpaid in the last two years.  He's banked about $11 million over the last two years for 81 catches, fewer than 1,000 yards, and 3 TDs.  I hope he'd view his new deal in that prism, but I guess a lot of the time they don't really think this way.  

 

[Ed Hillel]

 
I'd like to think he knows he was ssignificantly overpaid in the last two years.  He's banked about $11 million over the last two years for 81 catches, fewer than 1,000 yards, and 3 TDs.  I hope he'd view his new deal in that prism, but I guess a lot of the time they don't really think this way.  

 
Yeah, but the past is the past and he's taking less now than he would have gotten on the open market. Maybe he's thinking to use the Revis strategy and bank it next season with Brady, but I think he probably could have found a home for more money elsewhere, even with another top tier QB.

 

[Super Nomario]

 
Yeah, but the past is the past and he's taking less now than he would have gotten on the open market. Maybe he's thinking to use the Revis strategy and bank it next season with Brady, but I think he probably could have found a home for more money elsewhere, even with another top tier QB.

Do you think so? Amendola (27 catches for 200 yards, 1 TD) had a worse 2014 statistically than Brandon Gibson (29 for 295 and 1) and is two years older, and Gibson signed for basically the veteran minimum. I think Amendola would be swimming in similar waters as a free agent.

 

[bakahump]

That stinks IMVHO.
 
Like I said Nink is one of the primary places I would look to "get better/younger/cheaper".  At least for 2016.
I also think that upgrading to a bigger DE would help the defense.
 
Dont get me wrong I respect and appreciate all that Nink has done.....I just see the end of the road coming soon. Handshake and a thanks.
 
If giving him more money this year doesnt help the cap next year....I just dont get it.  But I am no capologist.

 

[TheoShmeo]

I'm comfortable that BB knows when a move that makes no apparent sense from the outside actually makes sense.  My guess is that, as was alluded to above, he knows that doing something like this will play well with the entire team. Maybe, with the losses of so many veterans who were big contributors to the success of last year's team, the timing is just right to send a message that not EVERYTHING is down to numbers and a roto world approach to team building. 
 
Bottom line, when a move makes almost no sense from the outside, there's often something we don't know or beneath the surface that is driving it.  I bet that with more complete knowledge that fewer of us would be criticizing this move.

 

[Kenny F'ing Powers]

That stinks IMVHO.
 
Like I said Nink is one of the primary places I would look to "get better/younger/cheaper".  At least for 2016.
I also think that upgrading to a bigger DE would help the defense.
 
Dont get me wrong I respect and appreciate all that Nink has done.....I just see the end of the road coming soon. Handshake and a thanks.
 
If giving him more money this year doesnt help the cap next year....I just dont get it.  But I am no capologist.

 
With Wilfork gone, having players that can protect against the run becomes that much more important. Nink has been very good at setting the edge against the run.

 

[Ed Hillel]

Do you think so? Amendola (27 catches for 200 yards, 1 TD) had a worse 2014 statistically than Brandon Gibson (29 for 295 and 1) and is two years older, and Gibson signed for basically the veteran minimum. I think Amendola would be swimming in similar waters as a free agent.

 
Man, Amendola's solid playofs really covered up that regular season. You could be right, although I think his playoff performance, past history, kick returning abilities, and the fact he was behind Edelman probably would have increased his market beyond Gibson's. Maybe not by all that much, though.