Minkah Money: Safety Mega Contract Confirms Patriots Savvy

While the Steelers broke the bank for Minkah Fitzpatrick, New England is paying its top four safeties roughly the same money.

Nobody loves a buy-one-get-one-free sale like the New England Patriots. Latest evidence: Minkah Fitzpatrick.

The Pittsburgh Steelers made the playmaking All-Pro the highest-paid safety in the NFL this week, inking him to a four-year, $74 million contract that averages $18.4 million per season. We're not arguing that Fitzpatrick isn't quality, but he's also a reminder that the "Patriot Way" continues to covet quantity.

Entering next month's training camp, New England's entire safety depth chart - which includes six players - combines to make only $19.1 million. The Patriots top four safeties - Devin McCourty, Adrian Phillips, Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers - will earn $17.3 million in 2022.

In its recent secondary rankings, Pro Football Focus placed New England's safeties near the top of the NFL.

McCourty was re-signed via a one-year deal ahead of free agency earlier this year. Phillips was kept from the open market as well, signing a three-year deal with the organization back in January. Dugger is on his rookie contract after arriving in 2020, and Peppers joined on a one-year unrestricted free agency contract.

Again, Fitzpatrick is the Porsche gold standard. But in the wake of his new contract, New England has engineered a Ford four-for-one deal. Dugger's rookie contract and Phillips' recent team-friendly extension drive this home more than ever. 

Other than Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, the Patriots have always efficiently and effectively distributed their salary-cap money as to not compromise the ability to pay more players. McCourty is the team's biggest contract this season, but it eats up only 2.7 percent of the cap.

McCourty is back for season No. 13 with the Patriots. He's missed only five games and won three Super Bowl rings. He's played three times longer in the league than Fitzpatrick, but made only $84 million in his entire career. Fitzpatrick's new deal will pay him well over $100 million by the time his new deal expires.