Patriots reshape Onwenu deal to free cap room and boost trade heft

Patriots reworked Mike Onwenu’s contract, cutting $7.5 million from his salary and cap hit while adding about $8.95 million in new guarantees, bringing total guarantees to $16.45 million and a $17.5 million cap hit (down from $25M). The move leaves the Patriots with roughly $42.5 million in cap space and makes Onwenu more tradable, as a potential trade would require only about $4 million of cap for the acquiring team. The restructuring could signal upcoming moves while keeping Onwenu in consideration through 2027, though his long‑term fit with the team remains uncertain.