Getty Bill Belichick's contract policy could cost a "respected" New England Patriots' veteran his roster spot.
Bill Belichick’s policies have served the New England Patriots well for nearly a quarter of a century, but one of the head coach’s tendencies could cost a “respected” veteran his roster spot.
Lawrence Guy held out of mandatory minicamp to enforce his desire for a new contract, but Chad Graff of The Athletic doesn’t rate the 33-year-old defensive tackle’s chances of getting paid by the Pats.
Graff made his predictions for what New England’s final 53-man roster will look like. While he included Guy on the finished depth chart, Graff did caution the 12-year pro “could be a surprise cut considering the Pats can save $3.3 million against the cap while only incurring $250,000 in dead money.”
As Graff pointed out, “Belichick previously hasn’t been keen on handing out new deals to players entering their mid-30s,” so those numbers might appeal to the man most responsible for the makeup of the Patriots’ roster.
History is not on Guy’s side, especially since numbers aren’t the only thing working against him.
Veteran Faces Uphill Task Getting Paid
Belichick’s typically terse response to a question about Guy’s status from Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston (h/t ABC6 News reporter Ian Steele) doesn’t bode well for the defensive lineman:
Guy has been hoping to alter a four-year deal worth $24 million he signed in 2021, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss: “Guy, who has since changed agents, is believed to be looking for an adjustment to the contract after what sources had previously described as a challenging negotiation.”
A negotiation now is likely to be even more “challenging,” especially since the Pats have refreshed their options in the trenches. The most notable new arrival is 2023 NFL draft second-round pick Keion White.
Multiple enough to line up on the edge or slide inside, White should play a key role next to fellow budding young star Christian Barmore. The latter is entering his third season in the pros and has been tabbed for a breakout season by several observers, including Tanner James of AtoZ Sports.
A White and Barmore double act will be crucial for the Patriots’ ability to generate pressure inside this season, but neither may be able to do the vital but unfashionable job Guy performs each week.
33-Year-Old Still Does the Dirty Work for Pats’ Defense
What Guy does best is occupy blockers and help others make plays. One of the best examples is this sack No. 93 helped create against Josh Allen and AFC East rivals the Buffalo Bills in 2019, highlighted by former NFL Network reporter Mike Giardi.
Guy has been just as effective against the run, a talent he also unleashed upon the Bills two years later, per Evan Lazar of Patriots.com.
Belichick loves to keep at least one big-bodied run-stuffer like 6-foot-4, 315-pound Guy on the roster. The role requires an unselfish lineman willing to forego splash plays like sacks to play head-up over blockers and control two gaps.
Guy, who has just 17 career sacks to his credit, has filled this workmanlike role admirably. The problem is there are others built to do the same.
While White is unlikely to put offensive linemen on skates and occupy double teams the same way, Barmore and nose tackle Davon Godchaux both fit the bill. There’s also the chance the Pats keep rotational defensive tackle Carl Davis Jr., who Graff noted can still make it “onto the roster.”
Davis was resigned on a one-year deal earlier this offseason and his contract will cost the Pats just $1,317,500, according to Spotrac.com. Cold, financial reality could make Guy expendable in favor of a more cost-effective run defender.
That would be a tough break for an experienced and dependable lineman whose two-gap skills aren’t valued nearly as highly elsewhere around the league as they are in New England.
