The success of the New England Patriots has long been backed by their stern approach when it comes to negotiations. However, there are some special cases where the Patriots are willing to dish out more money than what was originally planned.

Defensive tackle Lawrence Guy is the latest benefactor of their generosity. As first noted by Ian Whetstone, Guy was awarded his $500,000 playing time incentive despite falling just short of the initial mark:

It looks to me like the Patriots adjusted the contract of DT Lawrence Guy to add a $500,000 bonus in 2018, probably because he just missed out on a $500,000 incentive in his contract for hitting 55% playing time in 2017. (He finished the year with 54.8%.)

Guy had been on track to meet his goal up until he appeared in just 27 of 59 plays on defense in the 2017 NFL season finale versus the New York Jets. The team had already been well on their way to clinching the No. 1 seed in the AFC Conference Playoffs during the game. As a result, the Patriots decided to sit Guy and several other starters out for the majority of the game.

Fortunately, New England took heed of this action by still rewarding Guy with a lucrative signing bonus. Not only was it well-deserved, but it also goes to show how much the organization respects the player for his effort this season.

It is not uncommon for teams to still reward players who fell just short of their incentives due to reasonable circumstances. The Patriots are a prime example of one whose real expectations extend beyond the regular season.