Equipped with the most salary cap space in the NFL, the New England Patriots wasted no time getting to work after the opening of the legal tampering period on Monday. Within the first hour, they secured their first player: linebacker Robert Spillane was signed to a three-year deal with a total base value of $33 million.
A closer look at the contract’s details as reported by ESPN’s Mike Reiss and further dissected by salary cap expert Miguel Benzan shows that the pact gives a clear indication of what the Patriots see in the 29-year-old.