The Patriots' long run of success can be credited in part to the organization's shrewd spending.
New England rarely commits a boatload of cash to one single player. Instead, Bill Belichick and Co. more often than not elect to spread out their financials across the roster. In turn, team-friendly deals are aplenty in Foxboro year in and year out.
Two of those contracts paved the way for a pair of Patriots cracking ESPN's all-value NFL team for the upcoming season. Shaq Mason, one of the league's better interior offensive linemen, is on a five-year, $45 million deal that runs through the 2023 campaign.
"The Patriots signed Mason to this extension in August 2018, one full year before he could hit the free-agent market," Mike Tanier wrote. "It looked like a whopper at the time, especially for a former fourth-round pick at the least glamorous (and perhaps least impactful) position on the field. But top guards now make upward of $14 million per year, while Mason will cost the Patriots roughly $10 million per year over the next two seasons. And he is one of the best in the business.
"To repeat the chorus, it pays to get young core veterans on long contracts before they get a chance to test the market."
Mason is slotted on New England's O-line next to David Andrews, who somewhat surprisingly re-upped with the Patriots this past offseason on a four-year deal worth $19 million.
"Andrews missed the 2019 season with blood clots in his lungs and part of 2020 with a thumb injury," Tanier wrote. "Rather than test a free-agent market likely to be wary of his health history, Andrews re-signed with the Patriots for what sure looks like a hometown discount.
"Andrews and Mason have helped the Patriots' offensive line rank in the top 10 in Football Outsiders' adjusted line yards metric every year since they entered the NFL together in 2015. Their affordable contracts will allow them to provide stability for years to come."
New England is in line to feature one of the best offensive lines in football this season, and Mason and Andrews are major reasons why.
