The Patriots have found themselves with a windfall of cap space. After the eight opt-outs, New England now has the third-most cap space in the NFL with $35.28 million.
That’s quite an adjustment from the $260,000 in cap space they had just a month ago.
With all of this room to work, the Patriots have many options for spending. Many fans would like them to go out and sign some quality free agents that are still available on the market. Big names like Jadeveon Clowney and Everson Griffen are still available so the sentiment is understandable.
However, with so many players entering the final year of their contract, it makes sense that the Patriots look to extend a few of their own with the extra cap room.
These five players would be great candidates to receive an extension in the coming weeks.
David Andrews
Andrews may have missed all of last season with blood clots in his lungs, but he isn’t letting that stop him. Despite the risk of playing through the pandemic, Andrews is in the facility getting ready for the season.
There will be a lot of change happening in New England over the next few seasons including this year being the first year without veteran offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia. Having a consistent anchor in the middle of the line for years to come would not hurt.
James White
At 28 years old, White is in the prime of his career. Coming off of his two most successful seasons in the NFL, the Wisconsin product is set to enter the final year of his deal.
In a new era in New England, no matter who the quarterback is they’ll need as many weapons as possible. No one has been a more reliable weapon in the last five seasons in Fox than White. The Patriots could give him another three-year extension to make sure they lock down the best receiving back in team history.
J.C. Jackson
The meteoric rise of Jackson has been well-documented. While he hasn’t earned any league honors in the form of All-Pro nominations or Pro Bowl selections, the corner has been one of the best in the league over the past few seasons. According to Pro Football Focus, Jackson has allowed the lowest completion percentage since 2017 (49.6%).
This is the type of player you want to keep in New England. Technically, Jackson is a restricted free agent next year, so he’s not on the open market. However, the team could get him an offer early and potentially save some money in the long-term by paying him well both this year and next year.
Adam Butler
Butler hasn’t received the recognition he deserves in his career. He’s been able to fill in as the pass-rushing defensive tackle that the Patriots were looking for in a guy like Dominique Easley. In three seasons, Butler only has 11 sacks, but he’s been able to disrupt and penetrate the backfield with some consistency. He’s not too shabby against the run either, as Pro Football Focus had him rated as the top interior run stopper last season.
This offseason, Butler was given a second-round tender as a restricted free agent. The Patriots went from paying the Vanderbilt product just over $550,000 a year to roughly $3.26 million this season. New England could use some of this new money to give him an even bigger bump and keep him around for a few years on a three or four-year deal.
Lawrence Guy
When the Patriots signed Guy in 2017 to a four-year deal, fans didn’t expect to get one of the most consistent players on the defense. New England has utilized Guy well in the rotation for interior defensive linemen, and he’s succeeded in those opportunities.
In the final year of his deal, the 30-year-old has yet to miss a game in his Patriots’ career. His numbers aren’t all that impressive, but his impact on the run game is crucial to the defense. If New England wants to keep one of their most consistent players around for another two or three years, they now have the means to do so.
