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Patriots To Sign RB James Robinson

March 15th, 2023 at 8:23pm CST by Ben Levine

Another free agent running back is off the board. The Patriots are signing James Robinson, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Twitter).

Robinson is inking a two-year deal with New England, according to Fowler. The contract has a max value of $8MM.

The former UDFA burst onto the scene as a rookie with the Jaguars, finishing with 1,414 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns en route to PFWA All-Rookie Team honors. With rookie Travis Etienne out with a season-ending injury, Robinson once again led the backfield in 2021, finishing with another 989 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns. A torn Achilles ended that 2021 season early, but the RB managed to return in time for the 2022 campaign.

With Etienne healthy, the Jaguars played around with their RB rotation early during the 2022 campaign. Robinson started the first five games for Jacksonville, but after handing the reigns to Etienne, the Jaguars traded Robinson to New York for a sixth-round pick. The acquisition was expected to fill in for the injured Breece Hall but saw a limited role in New York; in four games, Robinson had 90 yards from scrimmage on 31 touches. The 24-year-old was non-tendered by the Jets after the season.

Robinson will join a Patriots depth chart that’s led by Rhamondre Stevenson, but there should be some snaps to go around considering Damien Harris‘s free agency. The Patriots are also still rostering veteran Ty Montgomery and 2022 fourth-round pick Pierre Strong.

Patriots S Devin McCourty To Retire

March 15th, 2023 at 3:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

TODAY, 3:45pm: The Patriots have added a year to McCourty’s contract worth the minimum, per ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter). This tactic will instantly open more than $5MM in cap space for the Patriots and will push the retired safety’s $6.2MM in dead money to 2024.

MARCH 10, 2:00pm: After 13 seasons, Devin McCourty intends to walk away from the game. The Patriots safety who played an integral role in the team’s 2010s dominance announced Friday he will retire.

McCourty, 35, was set to be a free agent, after having re-signed with the Patriots on a one-year deal worth $9MM in 2022. McCourty agreed to a few pacts with the Pats during his long run with the organization, but the team will see a significant change at safety in 2023.

This announcement comes a year after Devin’s twin brother, Jason, announced his retirement. The two had a chance to play together with the Patriots near the end of the latter’s career, but Devin enjoyed the opportunity to finish his career having played for one team. The Patriots drafted McCourty in the 2010 first round, and he was an essential piece during five seasons that ended in Super Bowl trips.

Only three players have played in more Super Bowls than McCourty’s five, and his 205 starts trail only Tom Brady and tackle Bruce Armstrong in Patriots history. McCourty managed to stay relatively injury-free as a pro, missing only five games during his career. He exited the 2022 season having not missed a game since 2015.

The Pats tacked void years onto McCourty’s deal for cap purposes; this retirement would accelerate $9.7MM in dead money onto New England’s 2023 cap. Though, as Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap notes (via Twitter) McCourty re-signing on a league-minimum deal (for procedural purposes) could push $6.2MM of that total to 2024.

McCourty agreed to four contracts with the Patriots during his career, earning more than $92MM. The Pats extending him on a five-year, $47.5MM deal in 2015 proved to be quite the pivotal transaction. McCourty continued to serve as the New England secondary’s linchpin during the late 2010s, helping the team join only the early-1970s Dolphins and early-1990s Bills by advancing to three straight Super Bowls. McCourty notched two postseason interceptions and 119 tackles, starting 24 playoff games.

Although McCourty closed his career with two Pro Bowls, he ended it as one of the most important players during the Patriots’ dynasty. The Rutgers product finishes his run with 35 interceptions, two pick-sixes and 11 forced fumbles. Pro Football Focus graded McCourty as a top-five safety three times and slotted him just outside the top 30 at the position last year.

Bill Belichick‘s teams have managed to maintain their place near the top of the league in points allowed despite regularly allowing talented cornerbacks to depart in free agency (Darrelle Revis, Logan Ryan, Malcolm Butler, J.C. Jackson) or via trade (Stephon Gilmore). McCourty’s presence helped on that front. During McCourty’s tenure, the Pats finished as a top-10 scoring defense 11 times. They will attempt to do so again without their back-line general in 2023.

Adrian Phillips and Kyle Dugger remain under contract, but the two Super Bowl-era bastions in New England’s secondary — McCourty and Jonathan Jones — are not. Jones has said he wants to return, but the Pats may need to outbid other suitors once free agency commences next week.

Patriots Expected To Sign T Riley Reiff

March 15th, 2023 at 8:56am CST by Sam Robinson

Riley Reiff will be heading to a fourth team in four seasons. The veteran tackle is expected to sign with the Patriots, Dianna Russini of ESPN.com tweets.

The 11-year veteran has been with the Vikings, Bengals and Bears since 2020. He will join a Patriots team that has already agreed to terms with ex-Broncos spot starter/swingman Calvin Anderson. Reiff spent last season as Bears part-time starter; the Patriots may give him a chance to earn the right tackle gig opposite Trent Brown.

Connected to a pursuit of a right tackle on this year’s market, the Pats stood down and let the likes of Mike McGlinchey (Broncos), Jawaan Taylor (Chiefs) and Kaleb McGary (Falcons) agree to terms elsewhere. Reiff and Anderson would not exactly present a desired right tackle competition, at least not at this point in Reiff’s career, and the Patriots do not have an expensive contract elsewhere on their front. For now, however, Reiff is the most proven option for the team on the right side.

Reiff’s experience aside, he turned 34 in December and did not begin last season as a starter for a 3-14 Bears team. The NFC North nomad did, however, move into Chicago’s starting lineup. The ex-Lions first-rounder made 10 starts for the Bears last season, supplanting Larry Borom in the rebuilding team’s lineup. Pro Football Focus ranked Borom and Reiff as its Nos. 50 and 51 tackles last season. Reiff (149 career starts) bounced back from an injury-abbreviated Bengals season, playing 16 Bears games in 2022.

The Pats are satisfied with their interior O-line trio (David Andrews, Cole Strange, Michael Onwenu) and may be leaning toward bringing Brown back at left tackle. They benched former blindsider-turned-right tackle Isaiah Wynn last season, before an injury knocked the ex-first-rounder out for the year. Wynn is almost certain to depart. Reiff and Anderson, a former Pats UDFA, as of now represent his successor options.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/14/23

March 14th, 2023 at 9:59pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s tender decisions from around the NFL:

RFAs

Tendered:

Non-tendered:

ERFAs

Tendered:

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/14/23

March 14th, 2023 at 9:51pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Patriots To Re-Sign S Jabrill Peppers

March 14th, 2023 at 6:40pm CST by Ben Levine

Jabrill Peppers is sticking around New England. The safety is re-signing with the Patriots, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Peppers is inking a new two-year deal.

[RELATED: Patriots S Devin McCourty To Retire]

This contract includes a max value of $11MM, per ESPN.com’s Field Yates, who adds $6MM will be guaranteed (Twitter link). Coming off an injury in 2022, Peppers signed a one-year deal worth $2MM. He upped his value a bit with the Pats last season.

A former first-round pick by the Browns, Peppers had an uneven three years with the Giants. His final year in New York ended prematurely when the player suffered a torn ACL and high ankle sprain, and Peppers ended up settling for a one-year pact with the Patriots last offseason.

Despite having to come back from the severe injury, Peppers managed to appear in all 17 games for New England last season, collecting 60 tackles. He ended up grading as PFF’s 16th safety (among 88 qualifiers), the first time he cracked the top-20 at his position since the 2018 campaign.

Peppers was used as a bit of a Swiss Army Knife last season, splitting time between the box, the slot, deep in the secondary, and the perimeter. With Devin McCourty retired and out of the picture in 2023, there’s a chance that Peppers serves as more of a traditional safety in 2023, although with Adrian Phillips still on the roster, the Patriots could continue to take advantage of Peppers’ versatility.

Patriots Expected To Re-Sign CB Jonathan Jones

March 13th, 2023 at 11:17am CST by Adam La Rose

Jonathan Jones had been expected to test the open market this week, but that will no longer be the case. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that the corner is re-signing with the Patriots on a two-year contract (Twitter link).

The 29-year-old played out the final season of a three-year extension he signed with the Patriots in 2019. His production over that span, including seven interceptions and usage both in the slot and on the boundary, would have made him a candidate for a notable contract from New England or another team on the open market. Ultimately, it looks like he took a bit of a discount to stick around with the Patriots.

The former UDFA out of Auburn mostly played in the slot during his first six seasons in the NFL, but he was required to take on a larger role in 2022 following the loss of J.C. Jackson in the secondary. Jones ended up having a career season from a statistical standpoint while playing on the outside, finishing with career-highs in interceptions (four) and passes defended (11) while starting a career-high 16 games.

Pro Football Focus also gave Jones some praise for his new role, ranking him 38th among 118 qualifying cornerbacks. When serving as a slot cornerback, Jones had a pair of top-20 finishes, including a fifth-place ranking in 2020.

“He’s tough, well prepared, smart kid,” Belichick said this past season (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss). “His playing strength for his size is good, speed’s very good, instincts, quickness, good tackler. He’s a good player and really good off the field with preparation and communication.”

While the Patriots were able to bring back Jones on an affordable contract, the team wasn’t in dire need of cornerback help. The organization got some solid production from rookies Marcus Jones and Jack Jones in 2022, but with Jonathan Jones back in the fold, the team won’t be as reliant on the upcoming sophomores.

Falcons To Acquire TE Jonnu Smith From Patriots

March 13th, 2023 at 10:21am CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots have moved on from one of their big-ticket tight end acquisitions of 2021. Jonnu Smith is being traded to the Falcons for a seventh-round pick, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).

Smith made himself one of the top free agents of the 2021 class at the position after the four-year start to his career in Tennessee. As part of their unusually aggressive approach on the open market that offseason, New England inked him to a four-year, $50MM contract. They also splurged on fellow tight end Hunter Henry, something the team may have come to regret.

The former had an underwhelming tenure with New England, scoring just one touchdown in 30 games. He registered 539 yards on 55 catches, totals which were far lower than expected given his success in Tennessee. Now, this move will reunite him with Falcons head coach Arthur Smith (who was the Titans’ offensive coordinator during his time there). It will also save the Patriots roughly $4.4MM in cap space.

Smith’s deal was restructured in September, which upped his 2023 cap hit to $17.2MM. Per multiple reports, the Falcons will look to re-work his contract once again upon arrival to make it more team-friendly. Smith, 27, is currently on the books through 2024. He will look to rediscover his Titans form while working with a familiar coach in Atlanta, while also giving the Falcons a strong blocking tight end to complement the pass-catching skills of Kyle Pitts.

For New England, this move marks a disappointing end to Smith’s addition two years ago. They will now focus on retaining Henry, who has racked up 1,112 yards and 11 touchdowns in his two Patriots campaigns. The former Charger has one year remaining on his deal, which includes a cap hit of $15.5MM. That figure could hinder the team’s efforts to add more productive receivers (regardless of if they are able to keep Jakobi Meyers in the fold), though the cap savings from this deal will give them some added flexibility. A replacement for Smith can likely be found in the draft, which is said to include a number of high-end options at the TE spot this year.

Patriots Interested In Re-Signing Jonathan Jones; Jakobi Meyers Expected To Reach Market

March 12th, 2023 at 7:35am CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 12: One team that has looked into Meyers’ market believes the NC State product will command a $15MM/year deal, a source tells Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. If that projection is accurate, then it becomes even more unlikely that Meyers returns to Foxborough, and Doug Kyed of AtoZSports.com says fellow wideout Nelson Agholor also appears to be headed elsewhere.

Per Reiss, Jones has indicated that he would like to re-sign with the Pats and that the two sides have discussed a new contract.

MARCH 7: Jonathan Jones played out his second Patriots contract in 2022. The veteran cornerback now joins Jakobi Meyers in free agency. New England appears interested in retaining Jones, while Meyers’ expected price tag may be too steep.

The Pats are interested in re-signing Jones, Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald reports. Substantial talks do not appear to have taken place, but the former Super Bowl contributor does not profile as the top corner available in free agency like J.C. Jackson did a year ago. Meyers, however, may be the top option at his position. That stands to complicate a return to the Pats.

Meyers has engaged in conversations about staying in New England, but ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano notes the sides have not made too much progress. This thin receiver market stands to inflate Meyers’ value. Odell Beckham Jr. is the biggest name available at receiver, but the 30-year-old standout’s injury issues complicate his market. Ditto DJ Chark. JuJu Smith-Schuster and Meyers do not carry such baggage, though the former would seem a strong candidate to stay in Kansas City given his production spike when teamed with Patrick Mahomes last season.

New England extended Jones just before the 2019 season, signing him to a three-year, $21MM deal. A similar accord may be enough for the Pats to retain Jones on a third contract, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes Jones is likely headed to the open market (video link). He would join the likes of Jamel Dean, James Bradberry and Byron Murphy here.

Murphy and Jones each bring slot and boundary coverage experience, with the latter serving as New England’s top slot option for most of his tenure. Pro Football Focus graded Jones as the No. 5 overall corner in 2020, his most recent full season as a slot player. Jones suffered an injury midway through the 2021 season but bounced back in 2022. Jones played on the outside more in 2022, out of necessity but has earned a solid reputation in the slot over the course of his career.

Still, his age (30 in September) will provide some limitations in free agency. Although the Pats are interested in keeping Jones, Rapoport tweets a franchise tag should not be considered in the equation. With the cornerback tag being $18.3MM, Jones was never a candidate to be cuffed. Slot corners’ value has not come up near the point a tag would enter the picture.

Entering his age-27 season, Meyers is coming of back-to-back 800-plus-yard receiving campaigns. After Pats signings of Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne produced inconsistency, their UDFA success story has provided some security. Meyers’ relatively low yards-per-reception totals (12.4 is his career-high mark) could cap his value, but this year’s receiver market will still put him in position to command a lucrative accord.

Latest On Odell Beckham Jr.

March 11th, 2023 at 9:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

9:05pm: In the aftermath of Beckham’s workout, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that the three-time Pro Bowler is seeking a deal worth up to $20MM per season, as was the case at one point during the 2022 campaign. His injury absence makes that ask one which is highly unlikely to be met, though the attendance at yesterday’s showing points to a number of suitors still being keenly interested in signing him.

1:38pm: The rare free agent to skip a season and still be expected to generate extensive interest on the following year’s market, Odell Beckham Jr. is believed to be fully recovered from the ACL tear that altered his 2022 hopes.

Beckham is now 100%, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. He attempted to showcase that form in a workout attended by nearly half the league. OBJ did not work out for teams during his late-season push to land a multiyear deal — evidently contingent upon a playoff-only role with a contender last season — but he attracted a nice audience Friday.

Twelve to 14 teams attended the workout, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes. Representatives from the 49ers, Bills, Browns, Cardinals, Chiefs, Giants, Jets, Panthers, Patriots, Rams, Ravens and Vikings were at the event, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes (Twitter links). Perhaps the most notable Beckham suitor, the Cowboys, were not believed to be one of the teams observing Beckham’s form.

The Cowboys certainly should not be described as out of the Beckham mix, and the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins notes the team remains comfortable signing the eight-year veteran if his health and price demands are right (Twitter link). They are widely expected to revisit the pursuit they scrapped in December. The Rams and Giants are also among the teams expected to go after OBJ again. Sean McVay confirmed, via ESPN’s Sarah Barshop, the Rams are “absolutely” monitoring their former receiver. Before falling out of contention, the Rams were viewed as the favorites to land him last year. But Beckham’s knee ended up needing more time to heal.

Beckham, 30, missing last season means he can sign with a team at any point. Though, every unrestricted free agent wideout can begin talking to teams at 3pm CT Monday, when the legal tampering period starts. The former Giants, Browns and Rams pass catcher is now nearly 13 months removed from his second ACL tear. He returned to action 10 months after his first and ended up making an impact for the Rams, a stretch that concluded with a Super Bowl LVI touchdown.

This year’s iffy wide receiver market should help Beckham’s value, but because of his age and the injury-induced full-season absence, this stands to be one of the more unusual free agencies for a player in recent memory.

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