With news of the NFL salary cap being officially released at $182.5 million, cuts and contract restructures were accurately expected to ensue. The salary cap was reduced by more than $15 million due to the pandemic-stricken 2020 season, where the cap was set at $198.2 million. Superagent Drew Rosenhaus has been incredibly diligent in negotiating deals for his clients. Since the new league year formally started, Rosenhaus has already successfully negotiated ten contracts worth over $250 million in total.
Four of those ten clients have signed with the New England Patriots. The Patriots are historically conservative in the free-agent market. However, this offseason, New England has already spent more in guaranteed money for free agents than in any year in the last decade. Rosenhaus clients that have signed with the Patriots include Jonnu Smith, Davon Godchaux, Trent Brown, and Jalen Mills. Drew partly attributes getting those deals done to the beneficial relationship he’s built with Coach Belichick over the last 30 years.
Also included in free agent signings was the unexpected re-signing of Aaron Jones with the Green Bay Packers. It was anticipated that Green Bay would be unable to resign their Pro Bowl running back with the new salary cap restraint. Much to Packers fans’ pleasant surprise, Rosenhaus was able to negotiate a four-year deal worth $48 million for Jones, who is just one member of a star-packed client list. Additionally, Rob Gronkowski, another All-Pro client of Rosenhaus, will be returning to the defending champion Buccaneers on a $10 million one-year deal.
Rosenhaus took to Twitter to thank his peers for assisting in the hot start to the 2021 free agent signing season. Robert Bailey, Jason Rosenhaus, and Ryan Matha were all credited for partnering with Drew on the free agency negotiations. The significant reduction in salary cap snaps the seven-year streak of at least a $10 million increase in cap space. In what has already proven to be a financially interesting offseason, Rosenhaus and his team have confirmed they are up to the challenge.