Here’s how much salary cap space Patriots, rest of NFL teams have right now originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
NFL free agency is a few weeks old and the New England Patriots still haven’t made any notable additions beyond re-signing their own veteran free agents.
As a result, positions such as cornerback, linebacker, offensive line and wide receiver still lack the necessary talent and depth required for the Patriots to compete in a loaded AFC that saw several teams make substantial roster improvements so far this offseason.
Fans hoping to see the Patriots dip into the free agent and/or trade markets might be waiting a while, though, and the reason is a lack of salary cap space.
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The Patriots have $5,026,680 in cap space right now, per ESPN’s Field Yates. This figure ranks 27th in the league, or the sixth-lowest.
Here’s a look at every team’s salary cap space, as of Thursday morning:
Following the early wave of free agency, a look at where all 32 NFL teams officially stand in terms of cap space, from the Panthers to the Giants. pic.twitter.com/rOBNzOb5IJ
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 31, 2022
It’s important to remember the Patriots will need cap space to sign the players they acquire in the 2022 NFL Draft next month. New England owns seven picks, including No. 21 overall in the first round.
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Given the Patriots’ low amount of cap space, the draft probably is their best remaining place to find impact players for the 2022 season. It’s not an easy task, but the Patriots did find a few starting-caliber players from their 2021 class, including quarterback Mac Jones, running back Rhamondre Stevenson and defensive tackle Christian Barmore.
A similarly strong 2022 class would be a massive boost for the Patriots and help them fill roster holes they probably won’t be able to address with what’s left in free agency.