Part of the process for the Patriots leading into free agency is not only assessing their needs, but also their resources. A staple of the Patriots' success over the past dozen or so years has been managing the salary cap so as to not face situations of purging talent and gutting their roster.
With that in mind, we wanted to take a look at the current salary-cap numbers for each player currently on the Patriots roster for the 2013 season, starting at the top with quarterback Tom Brady.
(A player's salary cap charge is not the same as his salary. For example, Brady's base salary for 2013 is $9,750,000, while his cap charge is $21,500,000. The cap charge is determined by a player's base salary plus a prorated amount of his signing bonus -- if applicable -- plus other bonuses earned, i.e. a roster or workout bonus).
QB Tom Brady: $21,800,000
DLVince Wilfork: $10,600,000
G Logan Mankins: $10,000,000
LB Jerod Mayo: $5,600,000
WR Brandon Lloyd: $4,500,000
TE Aaron Hernandez: $4,073,000
K Stephen Gostkowski: $3,400,000
C/G Dan Connolly: $3,333,333
DE Rob Ninkovich: $3,066,668
TE Rob Gronkowski: $2,750,000
S Steve Gregory: $2,558,333
OT Nate Solder: $2,329,225
WR Matthew Slater: $2,266,666
G Brian Waters: $2,225,000
DE Chandler Jones: $1,857,613
DB Devin McCourty: $1,845,000
LB Dont'a Hightower: $1,755,455
TE Daniel Fells: $1,583,333
CB Ras-I Dowling: $1,446,572
P Zoltan Mesko: $1,369,814
DT Kyle Love: $1,100,000
C Ryan Wendell: $1,015,000
DE Jermaine Cunningham: $960,000
S Tavon Wilson: $958,613
RB Shane Vereen: $943,950
FB Spencer Larsen: $875,000
LB Brandon Spikes: $870,000
RB Stevan Ridley: $805,500
QB Ryan Mallett: $803,953
C/G Nick McDonald: 656,668
DL Brandon Deaderick: $640,075
OL Marcus Cannon: $637,687
DE Marcus Benard: $630,000
DL Myron Pryor: $630,000
LB Dane Fletcher: $620,000
DE Jake Bequette: $619,950
QB Mike Kafka: $555,000
TE Jake Ballard: $555,000
WR Andre Holmes: $555,000
LB Jeff Tarpinian: $555,000
LS Danny Aiken: $555,000
S Nate Ebner: $504,150
CB Alfonzo Dennard: $494,462
LB Mike Rivera: $490,000
RB Brandon Bolden: $485,000
OL Markus Zusevics: $484,333
DE Justin Francis: $482,333
FB James Develin: $480,000
DL Marcus Forston: $480,000
WR Kamar Aiken: $480,000
DB Malcolm Williams: $480,000
RB Jeff Demps: $408,666
OL Kyle Hix: $408,000
TE Brad Herman: $405,833
DL Armond Armstead: $405,000
WR Jeremy Ebert: $405,000
DL Tracy Roberston: $405,000
Total: $111,299,185
(Contract information for defensive end Jason Vega not yet available).
These numbers are flexible, as a player could restructure his deal and create additional space, as Brady has done in the past. Using their play during the 2012 season, 2013 cap charge, and the perceived market value for each position, there isn't a player on the roster who would be an obvious cap casualty, as is the case on many other rosters around the league.
If they were to repeat their performances from 2012 in 2013, running back Stevan Ridley, linebacker Brandon Spikes, and cornerback Alfonzo Dennard would each qualify as major discounts amongst the players with salary cap charges under $1 million.
The NFL's projected salary cap for 2013 is roughly $121 million, while the Patriots have an additional $5.6 million that rolled over from last season, meaning their cap rises to $126.6 million next season.
For now, the above reflects where things stand.