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Cap check

Following their aggressive approach in acquiring personnel this offseason, where do the Patriots stand with the salary cap?

Accounting for Asante Samuel's $7.79 million salary cap charge as a franchise player, as well as the money allocated to sign their nine draft choices, the Patriots have approximately $7.1 million of space. So salary cap space is not an issue for the club.

At this time on the NFL calendar, the top 51 salaries are counted against a team's salary cap. The cap for teams is $109 million this season.

SAMUEL SITUATION: Christopher L. Gasper of the Boston Globe examines what the contract extension signed by Bears cornerback Nathan Vasher on Monday means for Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel. The agent for Samuel, Alonzo Shavers, said he expects to talk with Patriots officials before the July 15 deadline to strike a long-term deal. Shavers added that he hasn't spoken with the Patriots "in a little while."