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New England Patriots News & Rumors

Patriots To Sign Nelson Agholor

March 15th, 2021 at 5:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Nelson Agholor is parlaying his quality Raiders season into a deal with the Patriots. New England is expected to land the former first-round pick in free agency, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Once finalized, it’ll be a two-year deal worth up to $26MM, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). 

This news comes after the report indicating the Pats were discussing a deal with Kendrick Bourne. As of now, it is uncertain if the Pats will add both. But they are signing Agholor, with Rapoport tweeting the deal is done. Agholor’s base value will be $11MM per year, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Incentives could move it up to the aforementioned $13MM-AAV price.

Nelson Agholor and the Raiders agreed to a deal, Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area News Group tweets. The former first-round pick played out his five-year rookie contract with the Eagles and will follow Jason Witten in moving from the NFC East to the Raiders’ first Las Vegas pass-catching contingent. Agholor’s pact is for one year, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Agholor was inconsistent during his Eagles tenure, but the former first-round pick proved essential during Philadelphia’s Super Bowl LII march. And, in 2020, he enjoyed a solid season with the Raiders, tallying 48 grabs for 896 yards and eight touchdowns. It was opportune timing for Agholor, who erased memories of a 2019 slate marred by a knee injury.

Patriots To Re-Sign Deatrich Wise

March 15th, 2021 at 3:57pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Patriots have been the most aggressive team in the league so far, signing free agents left and right, and now they’re bringing back one of their own. New England has agreed to terms on a new deal to bring back defensive lineman Deatrich Wise, a source told Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

A fourth-round pick out of Arkansas back in 2017, Wise just wrapped up his initial rookie contract. He’s been a consistent role player during his four years in New England, starting at least three games each season but never more than seven. He had five sacks as a rookie and then 4.5 as a sophomore.

He started seven games this past year and appeared in all 16, playing around 55 percent of the defensive snaps. He finished with only 2.5 sacks this time as the Patriots’ pass-rush struggled as a whole.

The team has been making moves to upgrade the defensive front by adding defensive tackle Davon Godchaux and pass-rusher Matt Judon, but they clearly didn’t feel like that made Wise expendable.

Patriots To Sign Jalen Mills

March 15th, 2021 at 2:12pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Patriots just won’t stop. After signing Jonnu Smith, Davon Godchaux, and Matt Judon to big deals already, New England is adding another high profile player.

The Pats are signing defensive back Jalen Mills, agent Drew Rosenhaus tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Interestingly, Rosenhaus also represents both Smith and Godchaux, so clearly he and Bill Belichick have a good relationship. It’s a four-year deal for Mills, worth $24MM with $9MM of that guaranteed. The Patriots have been the most active team so far, and it isn’t even close.

New England entered free agency with a lot of cap space, and they weren’t about to let it go to waste. A seventh-round pick of the Eagles in 2016, Mills quickly established himself as a starter and was a huge part of the team that beat the Patriots in Super Bowl LII as he started 15 games that year.

Known for his versatility, Mills has extensive experience at both cornerback and safety. Foot injuries limited him to only eight and nine games in 2018 and 2019, but he again started 15 in 2020. This past year he finished with 74 tackles, 1.5 sacks, three passes defended, and an interception.

Patriots To Sign Matt Judon

March 15th, 2021 at 1:36pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

UPDATE, 2:00pm: It’s official now, Judon is going to be a Patriot. The deal has been finalized, Rapoport tweets. It’s a four-year, $56MM pact with $32MM guaranteed in the first two years, a source told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).

1:36pm: The Patriots’ free agent spending spree might only be getting started. New England has already agreed to terms on big deals with tight end Jonnu Smith and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux on Monday, and they have a new big name player firmly in their sights.

The Patriots are making a “major push” to sign Ravens pass-rusher Matt Judon, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets. The Pats feel they are “close” to signing Judon, a source told Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Everything we’ve heard recently this offseason has indicated Baltimore would likely be letting Judon walk. The Ravens franchise tagged him last cycle, but it would’ve been prohibitively expensive to do so a second time and they never worked out a long-term deal.

A fifth-round pick out of Grand Valley State in 2016, Judon broke out in 2017 and has kept improving. He’s been a Pro Bowler in each of the past two seasons, with six sacks in 14 games in 2020 and 9.5 sacks the year before.

With Godchaux and now potentially Judon in the fold, the Patriots’ defensive front will be a lot more imposing in 2021. The Pats had only 24 sacks as a team in 2020, the sixth-fewest in the league.

Patriots To Sign DT Davon Godchaux

March 15th, 2021 at 12:24pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Patriots stormed out of the gates by signing Jonnu Smith to a massive deal, and they didn’t stop there. Bill Belichick continue his aggressive start to free agency by agreeing to terms with defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, his agent Drew Rosenhaus told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Rosenhaus also reps Smith, for what it’s worth. Godchaux didn’t get quite as much money to sign, but he’s still getting a sizable two-year, $16MM deal that has $9MM in guaranteed money. It’s a great payday for a player drafted 178th overall by the Dolphins back in 2017. He spent each of his first four seasons in Miami, and quickly blossomed into a full-time starter in his sophomore season.

Interior defensive line, like tight end, was a weakness for the Patriots last season. Godchaux only played in five games last year due to biceps surgery, but it was the first major injury of his career and he had played in at least 15 games in each of the three prior seasons.

In his last full campaign in 2019, Godchaux had 75 tackles, four for a loss, two sacks, and one pass defended. He should immediately upgrade the run defense in New England.

Patriots Sign TE Jonnu Smith

March 15th, 2021 at 12:05pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

One of the top tight ends on the market is off the board. The Patriots have agreed to terms on a deal with free agent Jonnu Smith, his agent Drew Rosenhaus told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

It’s a big one, as Smith is getting a whopping $50MM over four years with $31.25MM guaranteed. What a way for New England to kick off free agency, and it’s one of the biggest investments Bill Belichick has made in a skill position player in years. Tight end was a clear need for the Pats this offseason, as the team got virtually nothing from the position in 2020. Ryan Izzo led the team’s tight ends with 13 catches for 199 yards and no touchdowns. They haven’t really gotten anything out of it since Rob Gronkowski walked away.

A third-round pick of the Titans in 2017, Smith never truly broke out but flashed a lot of potential during his four years in Tennessee. Stuck behind Delanie Walker for his first couple pro seasons, Smith had his best year yet in 2020.

In 15 games and 14 starts, he had 41 catches for 448 yards and an impressive eight touchdowns. He’ll now be catching passes from Cam Newton, or whoever else Belichick brings in under center. If your team is still looking for a tight end don’t worry, solid options like Hunter Henry, Kyle Rudolph, and Jared Cook are still all on the market.

As Doug Kyed of NESN.com was quick to tweet, Belichick lavished Smith in praise a little over a year ago, calling him the best tight end in the league after the catch.

Patriots Trade OT Marcus Cannon To Texans

March 14th, 2021 at 12:48pm CST by Rory Parks

New Texans GM Nick Caserio is bringing in a familiar face. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Houston will acquire OT Marcus Cannon from the Patriots, and Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports that the two clubs will exchange draft positions in the 2021 fourth round, fifth round, and sixth round (Twitter links).

After the Pats traded for Trent Brown last week, speculation concerning Cannon’s roster spot began to pick up. Many assumed that New England would let him go in order to create $6.3MM of cap space, but the club managed to get its cap relief while also upgrading its picks in the middle rounds of next month’s draft.

As Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets, Cannon will likely be shifted to guard in Houston, as the Texans are set at right tackle with Tytus Howard. Cannon is owed $4.7MM in each of the next two seasons, so his salary isn’t prohibitive for a guard, and he did play on the interior earlier in his career.

Cannon opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19, and as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes, the soon-to-be 33-year-old had yet to return to New England for a physical examination/workout. Obviously, the Texans are not overly concerned about Cannon’s health at this point, and though their new acquisition showed signs of decline in 2018-19, a move back to guard could help his performance.

This is the second trade the Texans have swung today, following this morning’s deal that will send inside linebacker Benardrick McKinney to Miami in exchange for edge defender Shaq Lawson. And according to Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (via Twitter), LB Whitney Mercilus might also be on his way out of Houston.

AFC West Notes: V. Miller, Henry, T. Brown

March 14th, 2021 at 12:42pm CST by Rory Parks

Here’s a quick roundup of some AFC West rumblings:

  • There is still no clarity on whether the Broncos will bring back LB Von Miller in 2021. As Mike Klis of 9News.com writes, new Denver GM George Paton met with Miller for the first time last week, and Klis believes a paycut is no longer on the table. Miller is due an $18MM salary in 2021, and by March 16, Paton must decide whether to pick up an option that would guarantee $7MM of that $18MM payout. While the Broncos would prefer to have Miller take a cut, given that he missed the entire 2020 season, J.J. Watt‘s new $14MM/year deal with the Cardinals suggests that Miller would be disinclined to do so. Which means that Paton has the difficult task of deciding between a major financial hit for an aging star coming off a serious injury and releasing one of the greatest defensive players in franchise history. The good news is that Miller appears to be back to full speed, at least according to a workout video he recently posted to Instagram.
  • The Chargers decided against putting the franchise tag on TE Hunter Henry, but Henry is still open to returning to the Bolts. “I will say I’m not ruling out the Chargers,” Henry recently told TMZ Sports. “I’m not ruling out the Chargers and I won’t rule out the Chargers.” Though Henry comes with some health concerns, he is also just 26 and still has the chance to be one of the league’s top receiving TEs. He also has the chance to serve as one of Justin Herbert‘s top targets for the foreseeable future — a proposition that he admits could lead him back to LA — but he will have no shortage of suitors when the legal tampering period opens tomorrow.
  • Before he was traded to the Patriots, former Raiders tackle Trent Brown was considered a release candidate. But as Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweets, Vegas had no intention of cutting Brown (at least not yet). The club planned to bring him to training camp to earn his keep, but New England’s offer, along with Brown’s willingness to rework his contract, triggered the deal. Still, Brown’s hold on his roster spot in Vegas couldn’t have been very strong, as the Raiders dealt him and a 2022 seventh-rounder for a 2022 fifth-rounder.

Latest On Patriots, Jimmy Garoppolo

March 14th, 2021 at 10:42am CST by Rory Parks

The financial details of the Patriots’ new deal with Cam Newton make it clear that New England is leaving its options open with respect to the quarterback position, and the Jimmy Garoppolo rumblings continue to persist. In a recent appearance on the PFT PM podcast, Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston said a New England-Garoppolo reunion remains a possibility even after the Newton re-up (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk).

Of course, the 49ers would need to make Garoppolo available via trade, and that situation is a little murky. San Francisco GM John Lynch said last month that he had no doubt Garoppolo would be his starting QB in 2021, but just a few days later, a report surfaced indicating that Jimmy G was still on the trade block.

According to Florio, the Niners continue to seek an upgrade, and if they find one, obviously Garoppolo would stand to be dealt. Though he would need to waive his no-trade clause, that probably wouldn’t be a problem if San Francisco brings in, or is planning to bring in, a player that could pose a threat to his starting job.

As Mike Reiss of ESPN.com points out, getting a legitimate quarterback under contract was key for the Patriots with free agency opening this week. Although there are plenty who believe Newton is simply not a viable starter anymore, he is still a beloved figure among players, and the Pats — who have among the most salary cap space in the league — figure to be active players in the market. The club has been connected to some of the top receivers and tight ends available, and those players would probably not even consider Foxborough if Jarrett Stidham was the only passer on the roster. So while the Newton deal doesn’t assure him of anything, it needed to be done.

For his part, Newton expects to take a major step forward in 2021 if given the opportunity. He recently posted a hype video to Instagram promising a return to form next season, and depending on how things shake out in free agency and the draft, he just might get that chance. If nothing else, the fact that the Pats brought him back suggests that the team believes he could look more like his old self with a better complement of weapons surrounding him.

Patriots Re-Sign QB Cam Newton

March 12th, 2021 at 8:16pm CST by Zachary Links

2:17pm: Newton’s contract marks a raise from his 2020 Patriots pact, but incentives comprise much of the deal. The former MVP passer’s accord carries a $5MM base value, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. This includes a $2MM signing bonus and $1.5MM guaranteed. The deal also contains $1.5MM in per-game roster bonuses, per Garafolo, who adds the other $9MM is tied to incentives.

9:45am: The Patriots will re-sign quarterback Cam Newton to a one-year deal, as ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. The new deal could be “worth close to” $14MM, though the details of the deal are unclear. 

Newton’s new contract will not preclude the Patriots from adding another quarterback this offseason, Schefter hears. From the sound of it, Newton’s base value is rather low, making this yet another low-risk/high-reward pact for the Patriots.

Newton joined the Patriots last offseason to replace Tom Brady. Starting in 15 games, Newton threw for 2,657 yards while completing 65.8% of his throws — more accurate than most of his NFL seasons. Unfortunately, he also threw for just eight touchdowns against ten interceptions.

Newton started strong, but the former MVP dovetailed later in the year. His COVID-19 interruption didn’t help matters; nor did injuries to Julian Edelman, David Andrews, and Rex Burkhead. All in all, Newton went 7-8 as a starter and the Patriots finished 7-9.

Still, Bill Belichick reportedly loved coaching Newton. Despite concerns about his arm strength and his long-term health, the Patriots were happy to re-up Newton for another low-cost season.

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