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New England Patriots News & Rumors

Patriots Sign Christian Barmore

July 21st, 2021 at 1:29pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots have inked defensive tackle Christian Barmore, per a club announcement. As the No. 38 overall pick, Barmore will earn $8.5MM on his four-year contract. 

Barmore skipped two years of Alabama eligibility to go pro, joining fellow underclassmen Jaylen Waddle, Patrick Surtain II, and Mac Jones in the 2021 NFL Draft pool. After taking Jones in Round 1, the Pats shipped pick Nos. 46, 122 and 139 to the Bengals for No. 38, where they grabbed Barmore.

Barmore, the defensive MVP of the National Championship Game, notched 37 tackles, eight sacks, and three forced fumbles last year. He finished 2020 as Pro Football Focus’ top-ranked interior lineman in college and seemed to be on track for the first round. For one reason or another, he slipped, leading him to Bill Belichick & Co. in the second round.

With Barmore in the fold, the Patriots now have their entire 2021 draft class signed. Here’s the full breakdown:

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 7/20/21

July 20th, 2021 at 10:54pm CST by Ben Levine

Here are today’s draft pick signings:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Jacksonville Jaguars

New England Patriots

Pittsburgh Steelers

The pair of Jaguars rookies are the most notable names on the list. The Georgia product rebounded from an injury-plagued 2019 campaign, finishing with 29 tackles, five passes defended, and one interception. The Jaguars selected Campbell with the first selection of the second round, and he should compete for a starting gig right away. Meanwhile, Little was selected with the 45th pick of the draft following a standout collegiate career that saw him earn first-team All-Pac-12 honors. He’ll likely have to work his way into playing time behind Cam Robinson and/or Jawaan Taylor.

Meanwhile, the Steelers’ signing of Green means the team has officially inked their entire draft class to rookie contracts.

No Progress For Patriots, Stephon Gilmore

July 19th, 2021 at 9:02am CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots and cornerback Stephon Gilmore haven’t made any recent progress on their extension talks, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. Gilmore told reporters recently that he’s not happy with his current contract, but also said that he wouldn’t demand a trade.

“I just want what I’m worth, however that plays out,” Gilmore said earlier this month. “Every player should be paid what they’re worth. That’s just how it is. Hopefully we can find some common ground and get it situated. I just know what I bring to the table and my style of play.”

Gilmore, 31 in September, is set to make just $7MM in base salary this season after a chunk of his money was advanced in 2020. In terms of average annual value ($13MM), the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year ranks as just the 13th highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. At the time of signing, his five-year, $65MM deal was plenty. Since then, the former Bills first-round pick has performed as one of the game’s premier cover men.

There’s mutual interest in a longer arrangement, since Gilmore was a first-team All-Pro in 2018 and ’19.However, questions persist about last year’s torn quad. Some believe that they can smooth things out with incentives for the current year, like they’ve done in the past for Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady. But, Breer hears that there hasn’t been much progress on that front either.

Patriots Notes: Newton, Gilmore, Hightower

July 18th, 2021 at 4:46pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Shortly after the Patriots drafted Mac Jones in the first round, head coach Bill Belichick came out and said Cam Newton would remain the team’s starter until he was unseated. While a lot of coaches might express similar sentiments with respect to their veterans and not really mean it, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe writes that he doesn’t think “that’s just lip service” from Belichick. Newton didn’t play well in 2020, but he also had a poor supporting cast and Belichick seems to be genuinely fond of him. Volin believes that “the Patriots’ quarterback job is Newton’s until he gets hurt or is clearly holding the team back.”

He adds that at a “minimum” he doesn’t think the team will want Jones to “have to deal with the pressure of playing against Tom Brady in the big return game in Week 4.” Volin highlights the week after their Week 11 Thursday night game against Atlanta as a good time to potentially make the switch. We’ve previously heard that the Patriots are going to hold a true open competition in training camp between Newton and Jones, but Volin seems to think the vet is a somewhat heavy favorite in that battle. If Jones flashes in the preseason that could change things in a hurry.

Here’s more from New England as they look to bounce back from a rough 2020:

  • Last week Stephon Gilmore confirmed he isn’t happy with his current contract, saying “I just want what I’m worth,” but also said he wouldn’t be demanding a trade. Gilmore said he hoped his camp and the team could “find common ground” and get something done, and Mike Reiss of ESPN.com has an idea of what that might look like. Rather than outright adding guaranteed millions to his existing $7MM salary for 2021, “adding easily-earned incentives to Gilmore’s contract would fall most closely in line with the Patriots’ approach” in recent years, Reiss writes. He highlights how the team added millions in incentives to Rob Gronkowski and Brady’s contracts from 2017-18 to make their compensation more in-line with their market value as a potential blueprint. Reiss thinks the Pats would be more inclined to add incentives for this season rather than do a long-term extension because of concerns about their 2022 salary cap situation, as well as Gilmore’s relatively advanced age (31 in September).
  • Gilmore might not be the only member of this Patriots defense to have contract drama coming up. Star linebacker Dont’a Hightower opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19, and is set to make $8.725MM with another $2MM in incentives available when he makes his return this season. Volin writes that his “hunch” is that Hightower is “worried about the Patriots asking him to take a pay cut.” Hightower turned 31 in March, and obviously hasn’t played since the 2019 season. He did make the Pro Bowl that year and has been a leader in New England for a while, but the Pats have never gotten too sentimental in the past. Gilmore is getting most of the attention, but it sounds like this could be another situation to monitor.

Latest On Damien Harris, Patriots RB Depth

July 15th, 2021 at 5:01pm CST by Ben Levine

Per usual, the Patriots running back room is getting a bit crowded. However, while Bill Belichick and co. will traditionally shake up their depth chart based on performance and opponents, ESPN’s Mike Reiss believes the hierarchy is already set heading into training camp. According to the writer, Damien Harris is the “surefire No. 1 option” at the moment

Harris, a 2019 third-round pick, barely played during his rookie campaign, but he took on more responsibility during the 2020 season. The Alabama product ended up finishing the campaign with 743 yards from scrimmage on only 142 carries. Best of all, the 5-foot-11 running back doesn’t appear to be a flash in the pan, as Belichick was quick to praise the 24-year-old last month.

“Damien works extremely hard at all phases — certainly his conditioning and training, running game, passing game, protection, route running, catching the ball,” Belichick said (via Reiss) “He’s got a lot of skill and he can contribute in a variety of ways, and he’s looking to upgrade where he is in every area.”

While Harris seems to have a firm hold on the starting gig, the rest of the depth chart is still a bit uncertain. As Reiss notes, the only other running back who’s (basically) guaranteed to make the roster is fourth-round rookie Rhamondre Stevenson. Elsewhere, pass-catching veteran James White will probably retain his role for at least another year, J.J. Taylor is inexpensive and should serve as a “spark plug,” and Brandon Bolden has established himself as a special teams ace. This means that former first-round pick Sony Michel could find himself on the outside looking in, especially if the Patriots decide to hang on to one of their younger, less expensive alternatives.

Latest On Patriots, N’Keal Harry

July 12th, 2021 at 2:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

N’Keal Harry attended Patriots minicamp but has since made a trade request. The former first-round pick, however, remains under contract for two more years in New England.

The third-year wide receiver and the Patriots continue to hold talks about this matter, according to veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson, who adds Harry is expected to attend training camp (Twitter link). It would have been quite surprising if Harry were a no-show, given the $50K-per-day fines for holdouts.

New England has received interest on Harry this offseason, with Washington being a team that has inquired about the ex-Arizona State prospect’s status. Thus far, the Patriots have been linked to landing a fifth- or sixth-round pick for Harry — were they to unload him. A team acquiring Harry would be buying low. The Pats paid Harry’s $5.3MM signing bonus; an acquiring team would have only Harry’s base salaries — $1.41MM in 2021, $1.87MM in 2022 — on its books.

Harry has been in trade rumors for more than four months, even before the Pats signed Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne. While Harry’s draft status is more indicative of a No. 1 wide receiver than what Agholor or Bourne have shown in their NFL careers, he has not come close to justifying it and sits behind UDFA Jakobi Meyers among Patriot wideouts. New tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry also surpassed Harry in the Pats’ aerial pecking order this offseason.

The Pats have a history of trading first-rounders while on their rookie deals during Bill Belichick‘s run. They unloaded Chandler Jones and running back Laurence Maroney after four seasons and dealt disappointing defensive lineman Dominique Easley after two. Harry’s profile certainly veers closer to Easley’s. If the Patriots cannot find a trade partner, they may be prepared to waive Harry. The Patriots have only cut one first-rounder over the course of his rookie contract (Brandon Meriweather in 2011).

2021 Cap Space For All 32 NFL Teams

July 12th, 2021 at 12:27pm CST by Zachary Links

There are still plenty of quality free agents left on the board as we look ahead to training camp. Cornerback Steven Nelson, tackle Russell Okung, and longtime Legion of Boom leader Richard Sherman headline the list, along with accomplished edge rushers like Justin Houston, Melvin Ingram, and Olivier Vernon. That list will only grow larger, of course, as more teams shed veterans to redirect their funds elsewhere.

With that in mind, here’s a look at every NFL team’s cap situation, starting with the league-leading Jaguars:

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars — $32.7MM
  2. Denver Broncos — $28.9MM
  3. New York Jets — $28.5MM
  4. Cleveland Browns — $20.6MM
  5. Los Angeles Chargers — $19.9MM
  6. Detroit Lions — $17.9MM
  7. San Francisco 49ers — $17.8MM
  8. Cincinnati Bengals — $17.4MM
  9. Washington Football Team — $16.7MM
  10. Indianapolis Colts— $14.3MM
  11. Carolina Panthers— $14.3MM
  12. Minnesota Vikings — $13.5MM
  13. Pittsburgh Steelers — $13.1MM
  14. New England Patriots — $13.1MM
  15. New Orleans Saints — $11.4MM
  16. Arizona Cardinals — $11.3MM
  17. Buffalo Bills — $10.5MM
  18. Baltimore Ravens — $8.8MM
  19. Atlanta Falcons — $8.6MM
  20. Seattle Seahawks — $8.3MM
  21. Tennessee Titans — $8.3MM
  22. Kansas City Chiefs — $7.9MM
  23. Los Angeles Rams — $7MM
  24. Chicago Bears — $6MM
  25. Dallas Cowboys — $6MM
  26. Miami Dolphins — $5.3MM
  27. Green Bay Packers — $5MM
  28. Houston Texans — $5MM
  29. Las Vegas Raiders — $3.3MM
  30. Philadelphia Eagles — $3.2MM
  31. New York Giants — $2.4MM
  32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — $489K

Cam Newton Reveals New Details On Shoulder Issues

July 11th, 2021 at 9:14pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

It was widely known that Patriots quarterback Cam Newton wasn’t his self physically during his last couple years with the Panthers. But he recently revealed just how bad his health situation was. In a video he just posted this past week (that was recorded in September of 2020), Newton said he hadn’t felt good in years, via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com. “Last time I’ve been healthy?” Newton said. “Honest, 2016.”

“I threw an interception,” Newton explained, describing the shoulder injury he first suffered in December of 2016. “I tried to go make the tackle, and I tried to push him out, and I extended my arm, and I messed up my AC joint. And ever since then, there’s just been a part of me that’s just been a wounded dog. Like a wounded lion almost. Just, ‘I’m not right.’ I feel good at times, but when I’m running I still feel it. So instead of running them over, I’m going to turn this shoulder and just go down.” Newton went on to say that he had felt like the shoulder finally healed ahead of his 2020 season with the Patriots. Obviously that season didn’t go how anybody around the team hoped for, and it’s curious timing as to why Newton posted this video now. He’s expected to battle it out with rookie Mac Jones for the starting job in training camp.

Stephon Gilmore Confirms Contract Issue, Does Not Plan To Seek Trade

July 9th, 2021 at 11:22am CST by Sam Robinson

Stephon Gilmore‘s contract continues to be a midsummer NFL talking point. The All-Pro did not attend the Patriots’ mandatory minicamp and is going into the final year of a contract several less accomplished cornerbacks have since surpassed.

The 10th-year veteran addressed some issues regarding his status with the Patriots and health going into training camp Friday.

“I just want what I’m worth, however that plays out,” Gilmore said in a text to veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson (Twitter links). “Every player should be paid what they’re worth. That’s just how it is. Hopefully we can find some common ground & get it situated. I just know what I bring to the table & my style of play.”

Gilmore, 31 in September, is due just a $7MM base salary this season. This amount was set to be higher, but the Patriots moved money to give the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year a raise in 2020. In terms of average annual value, Gilmore’s $13MM mark has dropped to 13th. The Pats gave Gilmore a five-year, $65MM accord in 2017. The former Bills first-round pick has since become one of the game’s premier cover men, earning first-team All-Pro recognition in 2018 and ’19.

The Pats are not expected to do a new deal with Gilmore ahead of camp, however. The more likely scenario will be adding incentives for him to reach in 2021, similar to how the team played it with Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski in 2018. Gilmore is coming off a down season, playing in just 11 games due to contracting COVID-19 suffering a torn quadriceps. On the latter front, Gilmore said he has been running “a lot” since his quad surgery, though he stopped short of confirming he would be 100% by camp (Twitter link via Anderson).

Even though this situation remains unresolved, Gilmore confirmed to Anderson he is not planning to push for a trade. This supports previous reports indicating this situation is not contentious at this point.

Kyle Shanahan Discusses Decision To Take Trey Lance Over Mac Jones

July 8th, 2021 at 10:23pm CST by Ben Levine

Even up until the day of the 2021 Draft, it was still uncertain which QB the 49ers would take with the No. 3 pick. Our final report on the subject indicated that the decision was down to the team’s eventual pick, Trey Lance, and Alabama’s Mac Jones, who ended up going to the Patriots at No. 15.

During a recent appearance on the “Flying Coach” podcast, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan seemed to indicate that the team did seriously consider Jones before ultimately choosing Lance.

“I think either one would have been a good decision,” Shanahan said (h/t Yahoo’s Josh Schrock). “Like, you’re not moving up if you don’t feel good about both of those. And if it had just been one then we probably would have said no — well, we probably wouldn’t have said that because it’s still risky. But we really — either one of those players would have been a great pick, in my opinion. And the third guy with Justin [Fields], he would have been a great pick. It’s just what direction do you want to go.

“There’s so many things that go into it and you’ve got to make that decision. But I didn’t blame people at all for thinking it would be Mac Jones. Because Mac Jones deserves that. He’s that good of a player and he put it on tape for a whole year, and everyone did want to relate me to Kirk [Cousins] because that’s the only guy that I was openly going for as a free agent, so people talk about him. But Trey brought another element. And it doesn’t mean he’s better or worse. It just means he brought another element that over the course of us studying it really intrigued us, and that’s a direction I would love to go and have always wanted to go.

“But the guy has got to be able to do it all, and Trey sold us that he could and that’s why I’m excited to work with him and it’s up to us to get him to do it.”

After acquiring the No. 3 pick from the Dolphins for No. 12 and a pair of future firsts, the 49ers never really showed their hand, but it sounds like the team was sincerely exploring all of their potential options. As Shanahan noted, the 49ers seemed to value Lance’s diverse skill set, something that was especially evident during a 2019 collegiate season where the quarterback ran for 1,100 yards. For comparison’s sake, Jones had 42 rushing yards throughout his entire college career.

While Lance will eventually be under center for his new team, it sounds like the team is going to give Jimmy Garoppolo every opportunity to win the starting gig.

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