The New England Patriots made their first move of free business enterprise earlier than the market even opened, signing offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor to a one-year contract on Thursday. Okorafor was launched by the Pittsburgh Steelers in February, that means that he was already handy to be brought to the Patriots’ roster.
What variety of role the 26-year-old will quit up playing stays to be determined, however a seem to be at his contract indicates that the team is paying him like a plausible starter. Not only are there $3.125 million in guarantees, Okorafor can additionally greater than double the $4 million base fee due to incentives.
Chukwuma Okorafor: Contract details
2024:
- Base salary: $1.125 million*
- Signing bonus: $2 million*
- Roster bonus: $680,000
- Workout bonus: $195,000
- Incentives: $4.25 million
- Salary cap hit: $4 million
*fully guaranteed
A third-round draft pick by way of the Steelers in 2018, Okorafor is being paid the minimal revenue for a player of his experience. However, the Patriots decided to absolutely guarantee that revenue while additionally giving him a $2 million signing bonus proration — an indication that a) the market for his services may have been competitive, and b) New England expects him on its 53-man roster this fall.
As referred to above, there is no telling at the second what type of role Okorafor will cease up enjoying for the Patriots. He has experience both on the proper and the left facet if we seem at his full body of work going again to his university profession at Western Michigan, meaning that he may have price as a backup swing tackle.
Then again, the crew also organized for the eventuality of him incomes more outstanding playing time. Okorafor, after all, can earn up to $4.25 million in taking part in time incentives, perhaps turning his one-year, $4 million deal into an $8.25 million cash intake.
A lot can and will manifest earlier than any of that may also or can also no longer come to be relevant. But the Patriots seem to like what Okorafor has to offer, and reputedly feel assured in his capability to soar lower back from what was once in the end a disappointing last season with the Steelers.
In addition, Okorafor may be an insurance coverage as well.
On the one hand, he raises the offensive handle group’s ground by using adding any other participant with starter experience to a group that solely had Calvin Anderson, Conor McDermott, Vederian Lowe, Tyrone Wheatley Jr., and Andrew Stueber underneath contract for the 2024 season. On the different hand, his presence would possibly help soften the blow had been New England to lose each Trent Brown and Michael Onwenu in free corporation this coming week.
As some distance as the Patriots’ resources are concerned, they still have lots available. According to income cap expert Miguel Benzan, New England is $84.611 million below the cap proper now — a minimize of $3.085 million.Â
