Where Patriots rank in salary cap space after major offseason spending
They left no stone unturned in their efforts to put the broken franchise back together in the offseason. The team wasn't able to do it in the final years of the Bill Belichick era, and they failed miserably in the one-and-done Mayo trial run. Then Mike Vrabel walked into the building and the team was making it rain cash like a Lil Wayne music video.
The Patriots entered the offseason with more money to spend than any other team in the league. They used it to make defensive tackle Milton Williams the highest-paid player in franchise history, along with doling out hefty deals to cornerback Carlton Davis and edge rusher Harold Landry.
The team also signed Stefon Diggs, Morgan Moses, Robert Spillane and Jack Gibbens. It was a massive haul aimed at raising the floor on the roster talent.
But where do the Patriots stand currently after all of that spending?
Surprisingly, the Patriots are still the No. 1-ranked team in the NFL in salary cap space. According to Over The Cap, they currently have $60.6 million in available salary cap space, with the San Francisco 49ers coming in second with $45.6 million.
Even with all of the additions made to the roster, the Patriots didn't break the bank. They have created wiggle room for themselves to extend All-Pro cornerback Christian Gonzalez at some point, while also adding other pieces in the future.
Who knows? The Patriots could make another move for a pass rusher or receiver before the start of the season, if the right player and opportunity comes available. They clearly aren't done making moves, and they have the money and motivation to add more talent.
Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
31 minutes ago
- USA Today
Former Texas A&M safety is headed to Auburn after a year in the transfer portal
Texas A&M's historic 2022 recruiting class has all but dissipated, and while nearly all of the 20-plus players in the cycle have found new homes or have moved on to the NFL or another line of work, former starting safety and four-star Louisiana prospect Jacoby Matthews has been in the transfer portal for over a year, but has reportedly finally found his next playing destination. According to Auburn On3 recruiting insider Jeffrey Lee, Mathews is headed to join the Auburn Tigers for the 2025 season, bringing the length, speed, and defensive instincts that earned him the starting free safety job during the 2023 season, when he finished with 42 tackles, an interception, and four pass deflections. After former head coach Jimbo Fisher was dismissed from the program at the end of the 2023 season, Mathews, who had a chance to retain his starting role under Mike Elko, chose to go in a different direction due to the defensive schematic changes. Standing at 6'2" and over 200 pounds, Mathews has a chance to make an impact next season with the Tigers in the secondary, given the youth, as a redshirt sophomore, Sylvester Smith is slated to start at free safety, but that could now change with Mathews in the fold. After not playing last season, Mathews will need to get back up to speed and will likely work his way into the safety rotation. Either way, the potential is there, and Auburn should have one of the more stout SEC defences this fall. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.
USA Today
36 minutes ago
- USA Today
Detroit responds to Sophie Cunningham questioning WNBA expansion's return to city
The City of Detroit is responding to Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham after she questioned the WNBA's decision to expand the league to Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia by 2030. "I don't know how excited people are to be going to Detroit," Cunningham said on Tuesday, ahead of the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup final, in response to the WNBA's expansion news on Monday. "There's more opportunities, so I get that aspect, but I also think you want to listen to your players too. Where do they want to play? Where are they going to get excited to play and draw fans?" Cunningham said. "I'm not so sure what the though process is there." Cunningham offered up a number of other cities, saying, "Miami would've been a great one, Nashville is an amazing city, Kansas City— amazing opportunity with a huge arena downtown that no one's using." REQUIRED READING: WNBA announces expansion teams in 3 cities by 2030 Cunningham's comments reached the city of Detroit, which is home to many professional sports teams, including the NFL's Detroit Lions, NBA's Detroit Pistons, MLB's Detroit Tigers and NHL's Detroit Red Wings. Detroit was formerly home to the three-time WNBA champion Detroit Shock from 1998 to 2009, but the franchise relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma from 2010 to 2015 and eventually rebranded into the Dallas Wings in 2016. "The last time we were home to a WNBA team (Detroit Shock) we ranked top five in attendance for five straight seasons, No. 1 in attendance for three straight seasons and set a single-game attendance record of 22,076 fans at Game 3 of the 2003 WNBA Finals," the official X account for the City of Detroit tweeted in response to Cunningham. The city's social media account reminded that "Detroit is a sports town," noting that "more than 775,000 people were excited to come to Detroit for the 2024 NFL draft," an attendance that broke the previous 2019 record. "We're sure we'll see the same excitement for the WNBA returning," the City of Detroit added. On Monday, the WNBA announced it will establish new franchises in Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029) and Philadelphia (2030), joining previously announced cities Portland and Toronto, which will begin play next season. 'The demand for women's basketball has never been higher, and we are thrilled to welcome Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia to the WNBA family,' WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. 'This historic expansion is a powerful reflection of our league's extraordinary momentum, the depth of talent across the game, and the surging demand for investment in women's professional basketball." The expansion plan now goes to the WNBA and NBA Boards of Governors for final approval. Contributing: Stever Gardner The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
USA Today
41 minutes ago
- USA Today
Social media reacts to Dolphins' Darren Waller trade with Giants
The Miami Dolphins made another splash Tuesday morning with the acquisition of formerly retired New York Giants tight end Darren Waller. The move follows a busy Monday for Miami when general manager Chris Grier traded tight end Jonnu Smith and cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 pick swap. Rumors began circulating Monday afternoon that Miami was in the market for a new tight end, but Waller's name wasn't on anyone's radar. A former sixth-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2015 NFL draft, Waller earned Pro Bowl honors in 2020 with the Las Vegas Raiders. At 6-foot-6, Waller is a dangerous red zone threat, with 13 of his 20 career touchdowns coming from inside the 10-yard line. Over eight NFL seasons, he has totaled 350 receptions for 4,124 receiving yards. He appeared in 12 games for the Giants in 2023 before hamstring issues derailed his season. Waller announced his retirement last June, and now re-enters the league with Miami. As part of the deal, Miami also receives the Giants' 2027 seventh-round pick, while New York will acquire a conditional sixth-round pick in 2026. Here's how Dolphins fans took in the big news:
