As the NFL's free agency opened up on the 15th of March, Bill Belichick made sure that his presence was known. New England’s roster was looking a bit shaky going into Monday but major upgrades were made. Even before the 15th, New England began making moves, some of which were slightly controversial to the fanbase, but others included fan favorite players. Belichick had money to spend, and he spent it well.

Signings

Starting on the 9th of March, the Patriots brought back a familiar face. Tackle Trent Brown who spent 2018 in NE was a key part in their super bowl victory against the Rams. He later signed a 4 year contract worth 66 million dollars and over $36 million guaranteed. After a pro bowl selection in 2019, an underwhelming 2020 season left the Las Vegas Raiders with no decision but to move him. New England wasn’t an immediate front runner for the 6 foot 8 monster however with Marcus Cannon getting older, they pulled the trigger. The deal gave a 2022 fifth round pick to the raiders and a 2022 7th rounder to NE along with Brown. Based on value, this is a great deal for NE. Nobody knows the official contract for Brown but many sources say it is up to $11 million which is a bargain for one of the best OT’s in the league when healthy. According to his instagram, Brown definitely wanted to be back in Foxborough. Belichick hit here for sure.

The Patriots later on signed pro bowl special teamer Justin Bethel to a 3 year $6 million dollar deal. With Matthew Slater possibly ending his career in the near future, this deal makes sense. Bethel provides leadership and skill at one of the most important parts of the “Patriot Way.”

On the 11th, something somewhat shocking happened as NE brought back Cam Newton. A subpar 2020 season led many Pats fans to believe that he would not be returning for the 2021 season. This was not true. Despite being interested in Jimmy Garoppolo, they took the Newton deal instead of pushing for a trade. The deal is incentive heavy meaning that it is based on performance. While it is up to $14 million, the cap hit is only just over $5 million, a decent deal for the team. Personally, I don’t think the deal is bad, but Cam is not the answer. Contrary to my beliefs, he was surrounded by one of the worst offenses in the league which didn’t help his performance. Who knows what will happen in the New England QB room for 2021.

A Marcus Cannon deal helped free up even more cap space for Belichick to spend. They dealt him to the Texans on the 14th and swapped 3rd, 4th, and 5th round picks in the upcoming draft. This cleared $6.2 million and was a smart move after trading for Trent Brown.

On Monday the 15th, things started to heat up in Foxborough. With over $65 million to spend, at noon they agreed to terms with former Titans tight end Jonnu Smith, a deal worth $50 million over 4 years and $32.25 million guaranteed although his 2021 cap hit is only $4.9 million as the Patriots plan for the future.  Finally they spent big on a skill player. The $12,500,500 average salary is the largest for a skill player in years for NE. This contract is bigger than what Randy Moss and Rob Gronkowski ever got and is well deserved. While Smith didn’t put up incredible numbers last season, he scored 1 more red zone TD in 2020 than the Patriots did all season (Smith-8, NE-7). The Pats got a new weapon who is good in every aspect of the tight end position.

Right after agreeing to terms with Smith, defensive tackle Davon Godchaux signed a deal worth up to $16 million ($9 million guaranteed) over two years however the cap hit on the team for 2021 is only $4 million. The former Miami Dolphin only played in 5 games after suffering a bicep injury. In 2019 however, he had a very good season totaling 75 tackles and great run stuffing ability. He will be a solid addition to the front 7 but comes at a price. 

Almost immediately after, rumors started popping up that NE was making a “strong push” to acquire Matt Judon. Minutes later, he signed a 4 year deal worth $56 million (32 guaranteed). Judon is a two time pro bowler and provides a much needed pass rush presence for NE. Coming off the edge he has racked up 34.5 sacks over 6 years which will help the front 7 for New England greatly. Another surprising but important pick up.

With Stephon Gilmore’s time in Foxborough being monitored, secondary help was another need for the Pats. Jalen Mills agreed to a 4 year deal worth $24 million (9 guaranteed). Mills had some rough years playing cornerback for the Eagles but after transitioning to safety in 2020, he had a career season. He posted 74 tackles, a pick, and a sack and a half while having the best PFF (Pro Football Focus) rating in his career. With Terrance Brooks departing for Houston, Mills brings an upgrade to the position plus versatility to play in different packages. 

Still, on the 15th, Belichick decided it was time to go back to assessing the offense and signed Nelson Agholor to a 2 year deal worth $26 million. Agholor spent 5 years in Philly before going to Las Vegas and having a great year. Although he may not be a “number one” option for the offense, the former Raider provides an impressive deep ball ability as he averaged 18.7 yards per reception (2nd in the NFL). Unfortunately, Agholor has struggled with drops and had a 6.1% drop rate in 2020 (not good). A bit of a pricey deal for a decent player but NE needed weapons and they got one. 

Adding more WR help for whoever the quarterback may be, NE agreed to terms with former 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne. The deal is over 3 years worth up to $22.5 million but the cap hit for 2021 should only be around $3-4 million. Once again an incentive based contract. Bourne is a solid player who had career high numbers in 2020 with just under 700 yards. A similar player to Jakobi Meyers, he can help in the slot along with other places. With just under 70% as a career high snap share, there is a lot of potential for the 25 year old. 

Another DT was added to the team with Henry Anderson signing a 2 year deal worth $7 million but with incentives could be up to $11 million. As a run stuffing DT, the former Jet can help plug the line as well as providing some pass rush help. In 2018 he totaled 7 sacks as an interior lineman which is very impressive. Another somewhat affordable deal for a solid player. 

The first signing on the 16th was a HUGE one. Hunter Henry agreed to a deal for 3 years, $37.5 million, and $25 million guaranteed. He has had trouble staying healthy (tearing ACL in 2018 preseason) and has yet to play a full 16 game season but when healthy, Henry is a top 7 tight end in the league. Pairing Henry with Jonnu Smith provides the offense with RAC (run after catch) ability, red zone talent, and potential for a great running game. 

NE brought back two players from the roster last year as well. Deatrich Wise and Carl Davis (both D-Linemen) signed deals. Wise’s deal seemed a bit pricey at first (max $30 million) but after looking into it, the annual salary will only be about $5.5 million which is affordable. Davis’s deal is still unknown. 

Two special teamers in Cody Davis and kicker Nick Folk signed deals to return to NE. Davis, a great special teamer, returns on a 2 year contract worth $4.3 Million. Folk signed a 1 year $1.6 million dollar deal. Folk was superb kicking the ball last year as he made 26 of 28 field goals (92.9%). Davis had a great year with 10 tackles on special teams which was 2nd on the team as well as a blocked kick. These two key pieces return. 

Another huge signing came on the 18th when NE brought back linebacker Kyle Van Noy on a 2 year deal worth up to $13.2M. After signing with MIA, he had an average season in 2020 leading to his release. Van Noy was a key player in the 2018 super bowl season and having him return on an affordable deal will help the linebacking core. Center Ted Karras is another player who was on the patriots, left, then came back. He was signed to a 1 year deal for $4M incase David Andrews left. Surprisingly, Andrews returned on a VERY cheap and team friendly contract. The center signed a 4 year deal worth only $19M. For a top player at his position, it is insane that he took a paycut to stay in NE instead of cashing out elsewhere. It shows how much he loves this organization. Unfortunately for Karras and the team, he lost his starting spot and NE has to pay a lot for a backup. 

NE added even more DL depth by signing Montavius Adams to a 1 year contract worth $2.5 million. Coming out of Auburn, The former Packer never really stood out as a 3rd round pick but definitely can stuff the run. Hopefully he can prove himself in training camp to earn a roster spot. 

With the signings of Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry along with Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene going into their second season, Ryan Izzo had no place on NE’s roster. They dealt him off to Houston for a 2022 7th round pick. Another great move by Belichick to get a streaky player off the team. 

LB Raekwon McMillian signed a 1 year deal with NE as well. The 24 year old has great run stopping ability along with lots of speed. However, he does struggle in coverage. In his rookie season McMillan had 105 total tackles. After getting shipped to Las Vegas, he struggled badly and failed to play his role. He fits the mold for a New England linebacker and has a lot of potential so hopefully they can get him going. 

Over a week after free agency opened, NE running back James White was not getting much attention from teams. Initially it was projected that teams like the Packers and Buccaneers would make a push but never did. He agreed to terms with New England on a 1 year contract (worth $2.5M full guarantee). Since his market wasn’t that large, it shouldn’t cost too much. White has played an important role since 2014 with 369 catches and over 3000 yards as a RB. 

Finally, almost 10 days after FA began, NE made 2 more signings. Veteran special teamer LaRoy Reynolds signed a cheap deal. If he makes the roster, another leader will be added to the unit joining Slater, Davis, and Bethel. Along with Reynolds, Lawrence Guy signed a new contract with NE. The 31 year old signed a 4 year deal (up to $24M) and will most likely retire in NE after signing this deal. This is a great signing for the Pats as Guy has been one of the quietest but best players on defense. Another veteran that will help the young guys grow. 

Departures

Despite a lot of signings for NE, they have parted ways with some players from last year as well. Here is a list of former Patriots who left this offseason:

[OT] Marcus Cannon (Trade-HOU)

[TE] Ryan Izzo (Trade-HOU)

[G] Joe Thuney (signed with KC)

[S] Terrance Brooks (signed with HOU)

[DT] Adam Butler (signed with MIA)

[LB] Brandon Copeland (signed with ATL)

[WR/ST] Donte Moncrief (signed with HOU)

[WR] Marquise Lee (released)

[DT] Beau Allen (released)

[LB] Cassh Maluia (released)

[LB] Michael Pinckney (released)

[K] Justin Rohrwasser (released)

[S] Patrick Chung (retirement)

In the end, the Patriots set records on how much they spent in the 2021 free agency. After a down year in 2020, these signings are not to rebuild for the future but to get back to winning immediately. Still with over $12M left in cap space, more signings will be made throughout the offseason as well. In my opinion, a lot of these contracts have lots of value and Belichick got what he wanted. Hopefully they can get back to their winning ways.

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