PATRIOTS NOTEBOOK: Gronk has incentive

Pats add $4.3 million of incentives to Rob Gronkowski's current contract

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — After restructuring Tom Brady’s contract earlier this month, the Patriots turned their attention to their other offensive star, Rob Gronkowski.

On Thursday, the Patriots added $4.3 million of incentives to Gronk’s current contract, which runs through the 2019 season. The tight end’s $8-million 2018 base salary remains the same, but he can boost the total value to $13.05 million, according to his agent, Drew Rosenhaus. This new deal, gives the player several ways to cash in.

Gronkowski now has an additional $1 million in per-game bonuses. He also has four different ways to earn an additional $3.3 million. All Gronk has to do to get the full amount is better four statistical categories from last year.

In 2017, he finished with 69 catches for 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns while playing 79.3 percent of the Patriots offensive snaps. Now, he can earn an additional $1.1 million by finishing with 70-plus catches, 1,085 yards, 9-plus touchdowns or 80 percent of playing time. For each milestone he hits, he’ll earn $1.1 million, but the amount maxes out at $3.3 million.

Since the incentives are stats that he didn’t hit last year, they’re characterized as “not likely to be earned.” That means the $3.3 million wouldn’t change the Patriots' salary cap number.

Originally, Gronk was set to count as a $10,906,250 cap hit for the Patriots this year. Gronkowski’s restructure doesn’t change his 2019 cap hit. Next year, he has a base salary of $9 million and a total cap hit of $12 million. He’s schedule to become an unrestricted free agent in 2020.

This marks the second year that the Patriots added incentives to Gronkowski’s deal. Last year, he was scheduled to make a base salary of $4.25 million and count as a $6.75 million cap hit. In the end, he made $10.75 million after a first-team All-Pro honor locked him in for the highest of three potential incentives.

The Patriots also did something similar to Brady’s deal this month. The quarterback has a chance to earn an additional $5 million.

They're safe: In the preseason finale, it’s not always a good thing to be on the field. When you’re inactive or not playing, however, it’s a sign that your roster spot could be safe come Saturday’s NFL cut-down day.

Nearly 2-1/2 hours before kickoff against the New York Giants Thursday, 34 Patriots players were on the field for a conditioning run. This was a big sign that this group, littered with potential starters, was not just off on Thursday night, but safe come Saturday.

Among the notable players to be out there, who were considered on the bubble, were Riley McCarron, Brandon Bolden, Mike Gillislee, Jeremy Hill and Elandon Roberts. The other players were made up of the likes of Gronk, Brady, Julian Edelman and other roster locks.

Among the players not on the field during that conditioning run were Jason McCourty, Marquis Flowers, Keionta Davis, Jordan Richards, Eric Lee, Vincent Valentine and Cyrus Jones. That group of veterans could certainly be on the roster bubble.

Among the players who didn’t play due to injury or were otherwise absent — Trey Flowers, Sony Michel, Rex Burkhead, Marcus Cannon, Jacob Hollister, Luke Bowanko, Ryan Izzo, Isaiah Wynn, Harvey Langi, Matthew Slater, Nate Ebner and Christian Sam.

New deal: Gronk wasn’t the only tight end to redo his deal on Thursday.

According to ESPN, tight end Dwayne Allen agreed to reduce his salary compensation for the 2018 season. Originally, Allen was set to have a base salary of $4.5 million with a $500,000 roster bonus for a $5-million cap hit. None of that was guaranteed so the Patriots could’ve released the veteran and save $5 million on their salary cap.

Instead, the Patriots came to an agreement to keep Allen in Foxboro — for this season, at least. In 2019, Allen's cap hit rises to $7.4 million with a $6.9 million base salary and a $500,000 roster bonus. That also is not guaranteed.

The terms of Allen's new deal haven't been disclosed.

Last year, after being traded to New England, Allen struggled to catch on with the Patriots. In 16 games, he finished with a career-low 10 receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown. The year before, in 2016, Allen finished with 35 catches for 406 yards and six touchdowns as Indy's starting tight end. Allen was a solid run blocker for the Patriots, but he didn’t catch a pass from Brady until Week 10 of the regular season.

The Patriots tight end depth chart will likely include Gronkowski, Allen and Hollister. Will Tye and Izzo are on the bubble.