Just In: Patriots Adjust Jason McCourty’s Contract

Jason McCourty had his contract ‘fixed,’ and we don’t really know if he likes the new changes. McCourty’s contract was adjusted before the start of the 2018 season.

ESPN’s Mike Reiss confirmed that McCourty’s contract was changed, and his base salary was shaved down from $2.375 million to $1.6. million. The Patriot can get $1 million in playing time incentives, and $400,000 in per-game bonuses.

According to Reiss, McCourty can get $200,00 for 40-percent of the defensive snaps, $200,000 for 50-percent, $200,000 for 60-percent, $200,000 for 79-percent and another $200,000 if he gets to 80-percent of the snaps.
Ben Volin of The Boston Globe notes that this change increases McCourty’s cap hit from $2.975 ti $3.382 despite the cut of his base salary.

Week 1 is over, and the Patriot is behind the eight ball with those snap count incentives. In the regular-season opener, McCourner played in 8-percent or six snaps of the team’s defense in the matchup against the Houston Texans.

The corner joined the New England Patriots after a trade deal with the Cleveland Browns. Last season, he totaled 65 tackles, three interceptions and 14 passes defended for the Browns.

“Well I think he made a big jump this week. He did a good job last week, made some good tackles and I think just overall more comfortable this week, showed up on the practice field and looked like it tonight too, so that was encouraging,” head coach Bill Belichick said of the corner after the game against New York in the exhibition finale.

McCourty had ups and downs with the Patriots this summer, and didn’t really make an impact on the game. However, he did show a willingness to move around the secondary and take the role of safety in the preseason. That’s why Belichick likes him.