A year later, the New England Patriots have finally made good on that “burn some cash” comment by former head coach Jerod Mayo.
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.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Where Patriots rank in salary cap space after major offseason spending