Fanduel
Log In
The Duel

3 Patriots Who Could Be Traded or Cut if the Salary Cap Drops in 2021

By Tristan Jung

Three Patriots who could be cut or traded if the salary cap is reduced
Three Patriots who could be cut or traded if the salary cap is reduced / Kathryn Riley/Getty Images
facebooktwitterreddit

Recently, the NFL has come to terms with a potential salary cap reduction in 2021, due to the financial difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Teams with full balance sheets may need to cut or trade players to get under the cap for the 2021 season.

After an early playoff loss, the New England Patriots have already encountered cap issues that caused Tom Brady to leave the team along with key veterans like Kyle Van Noy and Jamie Collins. Here are three Patriots players who could be cut or traded if the salary cap drops in 2021.

1. N'Keal Harry, WR

N'Keal Harry plays in a game against the Tennessee Titans.
N'Keal Harry plays in a game against the Tennessee Titans. / Adam Glanzman/Getty Images

The Patriots surprised many by taking a wide receiver in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. The outcome of Harry's first season, which resulted in a disappointing 105 yards on just 12 catches, may show that Belichick's philosophy of trading down from the first round was right all along. It's safe to stay that fans and coaches were expecting more than just five starts for Harry last year given the team's lack of depth at wide receiver. If he doesn't turn it around in 2020, he could find himself traded due to cap constraints.

2. Patrick Chung, S

Patrick Chung signed a contract extension in 2020.
Patrick Chung signed a contract extension in 2020. / Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

The Patriots signed Patrick Chung through 2023 in a last-ditch effort to save cap room in 2020. However, Chung would need to play through his age-35 season, which seems unlikely given that the veteran safety is showing signs of decline. While the move created some immediate cap space, the Patriots now have dead money on the books for 2022 and 2023, making Chung a likely candidate to be cut or traded for an extra roster spot. Chung might also decide to retire, so there are no guarantees here.

3. Jarrett Stidham, QB

Jarrett Stidham is set to be the Patriots' starting QB in 2020.
Jarrett Stidham is set to be the Patriots' starting QB in 2020. / Bob Levey/Getty Images

It may seem counterintuitive to cut a team's starting quarterback, but if Jarrett Stidham doesn't inspire confidence in 2020, he could be on his way out. Stidham is on a four-year, $3.1 million deal with only $600,000 guaranteed. If Stidham, a completely unproven quarterback, has a bad year, the Patriots could easily move on from Stidham and sign a new quarterback, especially with a reduced salary cap.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook today and get your first bet risk free for up to $500!

Tristan Jung is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Tristan Jung also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username tristan1117. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.