3 surprise cuts the Patriots could make this offseason

Jalen Mills #2 of the New England Patriots. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

With an offseason roster reshuffle on the horizon, here are three New England Patriots players who could suffer sudden cuts this year.

Bill Belichick has been known to make devastating roster cuts in the past, from cutting Lawyer Milloy to parting ways with Randy Moss mid-season.

Although cuts to big names can be daunting, Belichick’s moves are globally driven by one factor: the economy.

The Wesleyan economics graduate has said in the past that what he learned in college allowed him to keep the Cleveland Browns under a newly imposed salary cap. For 23 years, he did the same in New England.

That’s why Belichick likely won’t cut Jono Smith. The way Smith’s contract is currently structured discourages the team from cutting him out because it would be costly. While the team would save money by cutting Hunter Henry, Belichick has paid great tribute to the tight end over the course of his contract.

Given factors like max savings and performance, here are three surprising cuts the Patriots can make that won’t be entirely surprising.

Surprise cutbacks The Patriots could make this off-season

3. Cornerback Jalen Mills

A dead money and save check for each Patriots player indicates how likely the team is to cut that player. For example, the Patriots would lose $9.7 million in “dead money” if they cut Devin McCourty, and gain nothing from their cap savings, according to OverTheCap.com. As if it wasn’t obvious enough, McCourty will remain in New England, but another Patriots minor league player could be shipped in soon.

If the Patriots corner Jalen Mills before June 1, the team will lose $1,250,000 in dead money, but they will earn $4,963,235 in cap savings. This makes Mills more expendable.

What’s worse for Mills is that his potential replacement, cornerback Marcus Jones, has already made a name for himself. During his rookie season with the Patriots, Jones became the first player in 75 years to score an NFL goal in all three stages of a game.

The Patriots have consistently drafted and signed talented cornerbacks over the years, and Jones is another. This is great news for New England, but it’s not a positive sign for Mills.

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