Patriots running back Rex Burkhead has agreed to a pay cut. Instead of $2.5MM in base pay for 2020, Burkhead is now slated for $1.05MM with a $550K signing bonus, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Burkhead will also see his available roster bonuses dip from $500K to $400K. The move opens up $981K in cap space for the Pats and, ostensibly, solidifies Burkhead’s spot on the roster.
Burkhead joined the Pats on a one-year, $3.15MM free agent contract in 2017. In Year One, Burkhead racked up more than 500 all-purpose yards with eight touchdowns in just ten games. Then, the Pats re-upped him on a three-year deal. All in all, he’s averaged a solid 4.0 yards per carry in New England, though he’s played in just 31 games across three years.
The Patriots are hoping to see a healthy Burkhead in 2020, but they’re not necessarily banking on him either. With James White, Sony Michel, Damien Harris, and Brandon Bolden also on the RB depth chart, they’ll be well-protected.
Heading into Tuesday, the Patriots had less than $500K in available cap room. After tweaking Burkhead’s deal, they’re in slightly better shape.
Isn’t it amazing that the Pats were cap free for 20 years w/ Brady under the helm. Then once he leaves, they’re tight as can be. Only to have roughly $80m+ available next year. Somehow it just doesn’t add up. 1 bad year of fiscal management out of 21 (including next year).
I think there were some questionable acquisitions trying to keep Brady around
Yes amx it’s a BiG CoNsPiRaCy
A lot of dead money including Brady. I think the figure was 13 million but not sure. Add that up with other money coming off books and why they are tight to the cap. Pats were fortunate Brady didn’t take up 25-30% of cap like Mahomes is going to do.
Mahomes is a crazy good player. But that was a crazy contract due to the cap implications it has.
Who cares, Cam will turn around everything around this year with a career performance. And Bill’s best video will be holding up the trophy with Cam.
I would expect Bill to abandon video projects for a while considering how badly his last effort worked out.