Equipped with the most salary cap space in the NFL, the New England Patriots wasted no time getting to work after the opening of the legal tampering period on Monday. Within the first hour, they secured their first player: linebacker Robert Spillane was signed to a three-year deal with a total base value of $33 million.
A closer look at the contract’s details as reported by ESPN’s Mike Reiss and further dissected by salary cap expert Miguel Benzan shows that the pact gives a clear indication of what the Patriots see in the 29-year-old.
LB Robert Spillane: Contract details
2025:
Base salary: $3,300,000
Signing bonus: $3,000,000
Roster bonus: $1,020,000
Workout bonus: $180,000
Incentives: $1,500,000
Salary cap hit: $7,500,000
2026:
Base salary: $8,300,000
Signing bonus: $3,000,000
Roster bonus: $1,020,000
Workout bonus: $180,000
Incentives: $1,500,000
Salary cap hit: $12,500,000
2027:
Base salary: $8,800,000
Signing bonus: $3,000,000
Roster bonus: $1,020,000
Workout bonus: $180,000
Incentives: $1,500,000
Salary cap hit: $13,000,000
At an annual average value of $11 million, Spillane’s contract currently ranks ninth among all NFL linebackers and clearly above the deals that new teammates Ja’Whaun Bentley ($6.75M AAV) and Jahlani Tavai ($5.33M AAV) are on.
While the time of signing obviously impacts those numbers, the share of cap space in Year 1 shows that Spillane is indeed the highest-compensated of the three ‘backers. His $7.5 million cap hit in 2025 accounts for 2.7 percent of the available cap room. For comparison, the extensions signed by Bentley and Tavai in 2023 and 2024 took up 2.2 and 1.7 percent in their respective first years.
What this and the overall structure of the pact goes to show is that the Patriots view Spillane not just as a big part of their linebacker group: they see him as a player worthy of leadership within the room and on the field — a role that has been held by Bentley since 2022. How the new addition will impact the team captain and one-time Super Bowl champion will be seen, but he at the very least has a co-leader next to him now.
The player most impacted by the signing might be Tavai, though. The Robin to Bentley’s Batman the last few seasons, his fit in a Mike Vrabel/Terrell Williams defense was already in question heading into the offseason. Adding Spillane to the mix seemingly further complicates his outlook.
As for the contract itself, it ensures Spillane will be with the team at least the next two seasons. His salaries in both 2025 and 2026 are fully guaranteed, as is his $9 million signing bonus prorated over the length of the pact.
