New England Patriots Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Patriots Pursuing WR Help

March 23rd, 2022 at 10:39pm CST by Ben Levine

Many of the top free agent wide receivers are off the board, and despite efforts to add a player at the position, the Patriots have so far only landed Ty Montgomery. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, New England continues to “comb the market on wideouts, possibly via trade.”

Mac Jones‘ top receiver targets are Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor, and Jakobi Meyers, leaving plenty of room for improvement. Per Fowler, the Patriots were seeking someone of Russell Gage‘s caliber, but they weren’t going to match the $30MM he got from the Buccaneers. The Patriots have continued to shop through the middle and bottom tiers of free agent receivers, but no transactions have materialized.

The Patriots are also wary of compromising their compensatory pick formula, especially considering that the losses of cornerback J.C. Jackson and offensive lineman Ted Karras should result in a couple of mid-round picks. All of these notes seem to be hinting that the Patriots could be eyeing receivers in the upcoming draft.

Speaking of, the Patriots didn’t let Karras go without a fight. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the Patriots offered the offensive lineman a deal worth $5MM per season, but Karras ended up scoring a three-year, $18MM from the Bengals.

Patriots To Sign Malcolm Butler

March 23rd, 2022 at 3:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

Malcolm Butler is returning to where his NFL career began. The veteran cornerback is signing with the Patriots on a two-year contract worth up to $9MM (Twitter link via ESPN’s Adam Schefter).

Butler, 32, joined the Patriots as a UDFA in 2014. The final play he made in his rookie season – the game-winning interception in Super Bowl XLIX – remains what he is best known for. From that point on, he established himself as a productive corner, earning his lone Pro Bowl nod the following season.

In 2018, the West Alabama alum signed with the Titans on a five-year, $61.25MM contract. He remained a starter throughout his his three seasons there, putting up his most productive season in 2020 with 110 tackles and four interceptions. However, he was released last offseason.

Butler then signed a contract with the Cardinals, but he stepped away from the team just before the season began. That led many to believe that his career was over, and he missed the entire 2021 campaign. However, he aimed at a comeback by visiting the Texans, then the Patriots, this month. The team is banking on Butler being able to return to his previous form, as he ranked 15th amongst corners in PFF grade (74.5) in 2020.

The signing comes after the Patriots lost J.C. Jackson to the Chargers in free agency. While Butler likely won’t replicate the statistical success of Jackson in terms of interceptions, he should bring a veteran presence to New England’s secondary, which ranked second against the pass in 2021.

Contract Details: Miller, Robinson, Reddick, Mariota, Jensen, Collins, Brown, Norwell

March 22nd, 2022 at 4:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the latest details from contracts recently agreed to across the league, starting with the Bills’ big-ticket deal for a future Hall of Fame edge rusher:

Von Miller, LB (Bills): Six years, $120MM. Miller’s deal includes $51.44MM guaranteed. The Bills will keep Miller’s early base salaries low; he is tied to $1.1MM (2022) and $1.3MM (’23) salaries, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets. Miller has a $13.34MM roster bonus due in 2023, and Albert Breer of SI.com tweets his deal includes $50MM over the first two years. His $17.1MM, $19.6MM and $29.6MM salaries from 2025-27 are nonguaranteed.
Allen Robinson, WR (Rams): Three years, $46.5MM. Robinson is attached to guaranteed base salaries of $1.5MM and $10MM in 2022 and ’23, respectively, per Wilson (on Twitter). The contract includes a $5.75MM roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2024 league year. If Robinson surpasses 2,200 receiving yards in the regular season and playoffs during the 2022 or ’23 seasons, Wilson adds his 2024 year will void (Twitter link). Only Cooper Kupp has accomplished that feat in a season.
Haason Reddick, DE (Eagles): Three years, $45MM. Reddick, who is guaranteed $30MM, is tethered to base salaries of just $1MM and $1.1MM in 2022 and 2023, per Wilson (on Twitter). His $13.75MM 2024 salary is nonguaranteed. The Eagles tacked three void years onto the deal for cap purposes. Reddick will collect a $13.7MM roster bonus in 2023.
Ryan Jensen, C (Buccaneers): Three years, $39MM. Jensen’s deal includes $26.5MM guaranteed. The Bucs center is tied to a $1.5MM base salary in 2022 and a $12.5MM base in 2023, Wilson tweets. Jensen’s 2023 salary is partially guaranteed at signing; it will become fully guaranteed if he is on Tampa Bay’s roster by Day 5 of the 2023 league year. A $1.5MM 2024 roster bonus resides in this deal as well. The Bucs included two void years here for cap purposes.
La’el Collins, T (Bengals): Three years, $30MM. The contract is closer to a two-year, $20MM pact, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, with Year 3 being included for cap purposes (Twitter link). It appears Cincinnati has dipped into the void-year realm, though is not clear just yet how this contract is structured.
Marcus Mariota, QB (Falcons): Two years, $18.75MM. This deal veers closer to a one-year pact. Mariota is due $6.75MM in 2022, but NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero notes (on Twitter) a $12MM 2023 option is included in this contract. A key point for Mariota’s Atlanta future will arrive on Day 5 of the 2023 league year, when a $3MM roster bonus is due.
Trent Brown, T (Patriots): Two years, $13MM. Brown will see $4MM guaranteed, Pelissero tweets. The veteran right tackle can earn up to $22MM on the contract.
Andrew Norwell, G (Commanders): Two years, $10MM. Norwell will collect $5.7MM guaranteed, Wilson tweets. He is set to earn $1.2MM and $3.54MM in base salary, with Wilson adding Washington added three void years onto this deal.

Restructured Deals: Packers, Broncos, Bills, Patriots, Giants

March 21st, 2022 at 10:29pm CST by Ben Levine

As free agency continues, teams will keep finding ways to open up additional cap. We’ve had a handful of reworked contracts in recent days, which we’ve compiled below:

The Packers opened $10.15MM in cap space by restructuring the contracts of wideout Randall Cobb (which was previously reported) and safety Adrian Amos, per ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter). ESPN’s Rob Demovsky tweets that Green Bay turned $5.88MM of Amos’ $7MM base salary into a signing bonus and added four void years.
The Broncos opened up some space via a pair of restructured deals. Wideout Tim Patrick converted $6.9MM of his roster bonus into a signing bonus, creating around $4.6MM in cap space, per Mike Klis of 9News in Denver (on Twitter). The Broncos also converted receiver Courtland Sutton‘s $10.5MM roster bonus into a signing bonus, saving $7.875MM in 2022 cap space, per Klis (on Twitter).
The Panthers converted $11.765MM of wideout Robby Anderson’s 2022 pay into a signing bonus, creating $5.88MM in cap space, per Yates (on Twitter). Staying in the NFC, Yates also tweets that the Eagles converted $14.88MM of cornerback Darius Slay’s salary into a signing bonus, creating $11.90MM in 2022 cap space.
The Giants converted $2.63MM of kicker Graham Gano’s salary into a bonus, creating $1.753MM in cap space, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan (on Twitter). The team also added a void year to the contract, something GM Joe Schoen was trying to avoid (per Raanan).
After getting traded to the Bills, quarterback Case Keenum agreed to rework his contract. Per Yates (on Twitter), Keenum reduced his base salary to $3.5MM. Another AFC East team, the Patriots, also got into the game, reducing defensive end Henry Anderson‘s base salary from $2.5MM to $1.25MM (per Yates).
Yates passes along three more restructures (on Twitter): the Vikings opened $6MM in cap space by reworking safety Harrison Smith‘s contract, the Bills opened $5.172MM via linebacker Matt Milano‘s contract, and the Titans opened $6.45MM via linebacker Zach Cunningham‘s contract.

Patriots Meeting With Leonard Fournette, Working Out Malcolm Butler

March 21st, 2022 at 12:17pm CST by Adam La Rose

Two notable names are in Foxborough today. Free agent running back Leonard Fournette is visiting the Patriots, per ESPN’s Field Yates (Twitter link).

Fournette, 27, spent the past two seasons in Tampa Bay after three seasons with the Jaguars. He took on a much larger role in his second year with the Bucs, receiving 249 touches compared to 133 the previous campaign. He totalled 812 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground, adding 69 catches for 454 yards and another two scores in the passing game.

The former fourth-overall pick would represent a significant addition to the Patriots’ run game. While New England ranked eighth in the league in rushing last season, Fournette’s pedigree and production would help strengthen the position group, currently headed by Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson. On the other hand, Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times notes that the Buccaneers “would love” to retain the former LSU star (Twitter link).

Meanwhile, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe reports that the team is working out former cornerback Malcolm Butler. The 32-year-old didn’t play in 2021, having walked away from the Cardinals near the beginning of the season due to personal reasons, but he took a step towards a comeback by visiting the Texans earlier this month.

Butler spent his first four seasons with the Patriots, a stretch which included two Super Bowl victories and his only Pro Bowl appearance. That earned him a big payday courtesy of Tennessee, where he played for three years. His final campaign with the Titans was highly productive – 100 tackles, four interceptions and 14 pass breakups – but he was released in a cost-cutting move.

Butler would likely help fill the void left by the free agency departure of J.C. Jackson in the Patriots’ secondary. If he and/or Fournette were to land in New England, they would mark significant moves in what has been a relatively quiet offseason so far for the team.

Patriots To Re-Sign Trent Brown

March 21st, 2022 at 8:41am CST by Adam La Rose

Trent Brown will be continuing his second stint in New England. The veteran offensive tackle is signing a two-year deal with the Patriots, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). Brown signed a two-year, $11.5MM deal that offers an additional $10.5MM via incentives. The lineman will receive $4MM in guaranteed money, per Ben Volin of The Boston Globe (on Twitter).

Brown, who will be 29 at the beginning of next season, returned to New England one year ago when he was traded from the Raiders. That ended a two-year stint in Oakland/Vegas, including the 2019 campaign in which he earned his only Pro Bowl nod.

That time was preceded by a single year spent with the Patriots, where he served as the team’s left tackle all season. Prior to that, he was the starting right tackle for the 49ers, who drafted him in 2015. The six-foot-eight, 380 pounder’s performances have fluctuated over the years, but he has generated notable interest for himself during his career. That was especially true after the 2021 campaign, in which he earned a PFF grade of 78.7.

It was reported last week that the Seahawks were interested in the former seventh-rounder. However, Brown himself made it clear he was still open to staying in New England. With this new deal, he is in line to remain a Patriot for multiple years, unlike his first go-round with the team. His deal is also a reaction to La’el Collins signing with Cincinnati; Rapoport’s colleague Mike Garafolo reports (on Twitter) that New England was among the teams “making a push” for the former Cowboy.

The Patriots have seen two significant losses to their offensive front recently. They lost Ted Karras to the Bengals in free agency, and traded Shaq Mason to the Buccaneers. With Brown under contract, however, they have a familiar face in place to provide some continuity along the o-line.

Bills RFA Ryan Bates Visited Vikings; To Meet With Patriots, Bears

March 18th, 2022 at 7:48pm CST by Adam La Rose

It appears one of the top candidates for an offer sheet this offseason is Bills guard Ryan Bates. The restricted free agent has visited with the Vikings, reports Chris Tomasson of The St. Paul Pioneer Press (on Twitter).

Bates, 25, was given an original-round tender by the Bills earlier this week, valued at $2.433MM. As a former UDFA, the Bills would be able to match any potential offers he receives. That could become very relevant, as Tommasson notes that the Vikings “have interest in extending an offer sheet”, after their meeting with Bates reportedly went well.

He adds that Bates has visits scheduled for next week with the Patriots and Bears. The Penn State product was a backup during the first two of his three seasons in the league, as well as much of the 2021 campaign. However, he stepped in as the starting left guard in Week 15, and never looked back.

In his 294 snaps played this year, PFF credits Bates with no sacks allowed and only one penalty committed. His ability to help fortify the Bills’ offensive front has generated not only a desire for Buffalo to hang on to him, but also plenty of outside interest, clearly.

After his visits with New England and Chicago – and any others which take place – there should be more clarity on what other teams are willing to offer him, and how far the Bills are willing to go to match.

Patriots Expected To Re-Sign Ja’Whaun Bentley

March 18th, 2022 at 12:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Ja’Whaun Bentley is back in New England. The linebacker is on the verge of a brand new deal to remain with the Patriots (Twitter link via Field Yates and Mike Reiss of ESPN.com).

Bentley recorded 108 tackles last year to lead all Patriots defenders. There was little doubt that the Pats wanted him to return for 2022, but there was also concern that he had played his way out of town.

The 25-year-old had clearly outperformed his rookie deal, a paltry four-year, $2.8MM contract for his fifth-round slot. Meanwhile, the Patriots have cut Kyle Van Noy and they could potentially lose Dont’a Hightower and Jamie Collins to free agency.

Bentley will be joined by new faces in the LB group, including the recently acquired Mack Wilson. There should be plenty more moves on the way, too, regardless of how things shake out with the Pats’ veteran free agents.

Bengals To Meet With T La’el Collins

March 17th, 2022 at 5:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

La’el Collins‘ first post-Cowboys visit will be in Cincinnati. The Bengals will host the veteran right tackle, according to Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Collins is flying to Ohio tonight, with the visit set for Friday, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio and The Athletic’s Jeff Howe (Twitter links).

As expected, the Bengals have been active in attempting to repair their beleaguered offensive line this week. They have signed interior blockers Alex Cappa and Ted Karras. Collins checks in with a slightly higher profile than both and would certainly be an upgrade for the defending AFC champions at right tackle.

Bengals offensive line coach Frank Pollack was Collins’ first NFL position coach, being with Dallas from 2015-17. Pollack’s position group has been under siege for multiple seasons, with the Bengals having seen Joe Burrow suffer a torn ACL and lead the NFL in sacks taken last season. The Bengals have Jonah Williams set to return at left tackle, but the team has operated with a purpose this week — after not devoting much in the way of resources to Burrow’s first two O-lines — to upgrade other areas up front.

Collins has been regarded as one of the NFL’s best right tackles for a few years now, but the former high-end prospect-turned-UDFA has not been consistently available during the 2020s. After missing all of the 2020 season due to injury, Collins saw a PED suspension shelve him for five games last year. Still, he came back and regained his job, making 10 starts for the NFC East champion Cowboys. Collins, however, only missed one game from 2017-19.

Dallas cut Collins for financial reasons, with the team’s longtime right tackle following Amari Cooper off the team’s payroll. The Bengals making this signing would nearly complete their O-line overhaul. Burrow, per The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr., is helping recruit Collins, who is also an LSU alum (Twitter link).

If the Bengals cannot close a deal with Collins on his visit, the Patriots and Dolphins have interest, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. The Dolphins have already signed ex-Cowboy guard Connor Williams but have needs across their line. The Patriots lost Karras and traded Shaq Mason, and the team may lose right tackle Trent Brown as well.

Patriots To Sign Ty Montgomery

March 17th, 2022 at 1:36pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots have reached agreement with Ty Montgomery (Twitter link via Josina Anderson of CBSSports.com). The running back’s two-year deal could pay up to$4MM, according to a source who spoke with Anderson.

Montgomery, 29, spent the first three-plus seasons of his career in Green Bay, moving from wide receiver to running back. His best work came in 2016, when he collected 805 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns. He was traded to the Ravens midway through the 2018 campaign, and he served as Le’Veon Bell‘s backup with the Jets in 2019.

Montgomery signed with the Saints in 2020 and spent last year at both positions. He finished out with 15 carries for 44 yards, plus 16 catches for 95 yards. The Patriots may look to reprise that role for the former third-round pick, using him as a receiver, a James White-type running back, and a special teamer. The Pats could use a player like Montgomery, especially after backup RB Brandon Bolden left to join the Raiders.

Meanwhile, the Pats still have some work to do up front after trading standout guard Shaq Mason to the Buccaneers.

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