FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots have informed veteran defensive tackle Alan Branch that they don't intend to pick up his $1 million option for the 2018 season, a source confirms. Branch will become a free agent at the start of the 2018 league year on March 14.
The move was expected after Branch didn't play down the homestretch and in Super Bowl LII, and will give the Patriots a savings of about $3 million on the salary cap. Accounting for the savings, the Patriots have between $17-18 million in salary cap space.