The Patriots' trade of Jamie Collins to Cleveland this week came as a surprise to many in the league, and spoke to the fact the linebacker -- in line for a significant pay day after the season -- was not in Bill Belichick's long-term plans. The Patriots weren't going to pay what the market likely will bear for the playmaker, but that's not because they couldn't afford to.
According to NFL Management Council numbers, the Patriots are actually better set up than any team in the NFL for the 2017 offseason. New England now has only $65.8 million in salary and cash committed to the 2017 payroll, by far the least in the NFL (Cleveland is second-lowest at $80 million).
The Patriots have significantly more projected 2017 cap room than virtually everyone else in the league. New England currently has more than $52 million in projected cap space; only the rebuilding Browns and Buccaneers have more room. After trading Chandler Jones and Collins over the past eight months, the Patriots have fewer of their own players that they need to address this offseason.
In terms of young core players, linebacker Dont'a Hightower will get paid and corner Malcolm Butler is in line for a salary hike as well. The team almost certainly will rework Rob Gronkowski's deal. Otherwise, they have decisions to make on how much they are willing to pay to pending free agents Marcus Cannon, Martellus Bennett and Jabaal Sheard.
Belichick holds a hard line in terms of the market, in general. But if the Patriots wanted to splurge, they absolutely could to a degree few teams could match.
"If they wanted to pay Jamie Collins -- even if they wanted to overpay Jamie Collins -- they absolutely could have," said an executive from another team who studied the Patriots' payroll and cap situation. "One hundred percent. They are either trying to really save money, or they are saving up with those two trades [Jones and Collins] for something big in free agency. You have to wonder if they are going to do something big in March."
