Patriots Notes: Kraft, Newton, Stidham, Free Agency
The Patriots went 7-9 during the inaugural season of the post-Tom Brady era, making it the first time New England had missed the postseason since 2008 (when the team was forced to rely on Matt Cassel in place of an injured Brady). Robert Kraft and the entire Patriots brass are focused on getting back to the playoffs, and they made that clear when they handed out an NFL-record $165MM in guaranteed money during the early parts of free agency.
“What happened here last year was not something to our liking. We had to make the corrections,” Kraft said (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss). “In all the businesses we’re involved in, we try to take advantage of inefficiencies in the market. We were in a unique cap situation this year and it allowed us to try to [fix] things we missed, to a certain extent, in the draft. So this was our best opportunity.”
While Bill Belichick and the Patriots front office were able to patch some holes by spending in free agency, Kraft also acknowledged that this strategy isn’t a recipe for long-term success.
“In the end, if you want to have a good, consistent, winning football team, you can’t do it in free agency. You have to do it through the draft. I don’t feel we’ve done the greatest job the last few years and I really hope, and I believe, I’ve seen a different approach this year,” Kraft said.
Tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith, linebacker Matt Judon, and wideout Nelson Agholor were among the Patriots’ major free agent acquisitions.
Let’s check out some more notes out of New England:
- Kraft seemed to excuse quarterback Cam Newton‘s uneven play in 2020, noting that the veteran was joining a new team during an abbreviated preseason, had COVID-19, and dealt with an inconsistent receiver corps. “In fairness to Cam, I’m not sure he had the proper weapons around him last year,” Kraft said. “I really do believe Cam getting COVID, and what it did to the team, it changed a lot. Now we’ll get a chance to see…Players on the team, in the locker room, really love the guy. In the end, I trust Coach Belichick’s ability to build a team, and put the right players in the best position to succeed.”
- While the owner seemed to hint that Newton would be under center next season, he also kept the door open for former fourth-rounder Jarrett Stidham, who was expected to receive more playing time during his sophomore season. “I don’t know that Jarrett has ever really gotten a fair shot,” Kraft said. “We have to wait and see what happens, and we still have the draft. … Quarterback is the most important position on the team. One way or the other, we have to get that position solidified.”
- While the Patriots certainly had the ability to spend on free agents, Reiss writes that Belichick’s “cachet” was a major reason why the Patriots were able to recruit players. “This opportunity couldn’t be passed up because of the prestige, being coached by some of the best coaches in the NFL,” said linebacker Raekwon McMillan. “Coach Belichick told me that he’s been watching my career. For a player, you’re talking to a Hall of Fame coach, that really inspired me.”
- Former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia rejoined the organization this offseason as an assistant, but Reiss notes that the coach’s role has continued to evolve. Patricia has spent recent weeks helping to negotiate and finalize contracts, thus serving “as an added layer of support to Belichick,” per Reiss.
Latest On 49ers’ Trade, QB Plans
The 49ers pulled off a stunner this past week when they traded with the Dolphins to move up to the third overall pick in next month’s draft. It was a move with significant implications that will have a domino effect around the rest of the league.
Now we’ve got some more details on how exactly the blockbuster went down and San Francisco’s plans moving forward, courtesy of Albert Breer of SI.com. Interestingly, although we heard the 49ers and Jets didn’t have talks about a trade for the second overall pick, the 49ers “did have some internal discussion” about Sam Darnold, Breer writes. It’s confirmation that after missing out on Matthew Stafford, San Francisco still was mulling other veteran options before ultimately opting to roll with a rookie.
Breer also writes that the 49ers’ scouts gave management a “bleak” picture of the 2022 quarterback class, reinforcing the need to make a move in this draft cycle rather than next. The 49ers and Dolphins started talking trade “about three weeks ago,” and the talks were kept a tight secret.
Other teams inquired about trading for the third pick, and those other teams “were told only that Miami had a strong offer for it,” but not from whom. Breer confirms the Patriots inquired about Jimmy Garoppolo earlier this offseason, but still says that Garoppolo isn’t available in a trade.
That’s in large part because San Francisco “believes it has a championship roster,” and doesn’t want to give the keys over to a rookie blindly before even seeing them in practice. It sounds like if whatever quarterback the 49ers draft at three comes in and looks great during OTAs and training camp, then Garoppolo could be moved over the summer, which Breer speculates about as well.
No matter what happens next, it was a bold move by Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch. We won’t know the full scope of the fallout for quite some time.
Patriots’ Stephon Gilmore Open To Extension
Stephon Gilmore “would be very open to signing a new deal” with the Patriots, according to Albert Breer of SI.com. There hasn’t been much buzz about an extension for the Patriots cornerback lately, but the two sides could iron something out to put the recent trade rumors to bed. 
Gilmore is currently set to count for $7MM against the Patriots’ books. That’s not a ton of money for Gilmore, who earned 2019 Defensive Player of the Year honors, but it’s the final year on his deal. Sooner or later, the Pats will have a decision to make — do they want the 30-year-old on a pricey multi-year deal? Or, would they rather trade him now in exchange for draft capital?
The Patriots have discussed trades for Gilmore over the past year, but the more recent offers might not be to their liking. Last year, Gilmore was limited to just eleven games, thanks to COVID-19 and his season-ending injury. Meanwhile, his coverage numbers slipped — Pro Football Focus slotted him just 61st among corners last season.
The Patriots — or one of the league’s 31 other teams — will have to take Gilmore’s expected ask into consideration. Jalen Ramsey, Marlon Humphrey, and Tre’Davious White all moved the market last year with their $17MM+/year extensions. Despite Gilmore’s weak 2020, he’s in for a significant pay raise. If the Patriots don’t plan on paying J.C. Jackson top-CB money, they could use this opportunity to lock up Gilmore while his leverage is lacking.
Kyle Love Retires From NFL
Defensive tackle Kyle Love announced his retirement on Sunday (via Instagram). Love, 34, did not play in 2020 and he will not seek NFL employment for 2021. 
Love entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi State in 2010. He spent three seasons with the Patriots, appearing in 41 total games before being diagnosed with diabetes and waived with a non-football illness designation. He appeared in only three contests from 2013-14 while playing for the Chiefs, Jaguars, and Panthers, but he eventually reestablished his career with Carolina. From 2017-2019, Love appeared in at least 37% of the Panthers’ defensive snaps. Last year, after six years with the Panthers, he agreed to join the rival Buccaneers.
Love was set to serve as a rotational piece behind of Vita Vea and Ndamukong Suh, but he was released before the final cut in September. We here at PFR wish Love the best in retirement.
Patriots Made Late Push For Joe Thuney
Before Joe Thuney left for the Chiefs, the Patriots made a late push to keep him in New England, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. In addition, the Bengals and Chargers were also in on the standout guard. 
[RELATED: Chiefs Sign Joe Thuney]
The Patriots shocked everyone by tagging Thuney last year. This time around, they opted against cuffing him again at a 20% increase, but they still tried to keep him with a multi-year offer. Ultimately, the Chiefs won out – they were the first team to put an offer on the table for Thuney and it proved to be the most lucrative of the bunch. The longtime starter is now tied to Kansas City for five years at a whopping $80MM. The first two years are fully guaranteed at $32.5MM. Meanwhile, Year 3 goes from guaranteed-for-injury to 100% guaranteed in 2022, so $48MM of the deal is effectively locked in. Thuney didn’t come cheap, but he’ll help to fortify a line that has lost starting tackles Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz.
When Thuney went elsewhere, the Bengals pivoted towards lower cost moves, such as re-signing guard Quinton Spain. Unless they make a splashier signing like veteran Nick Easton, they’ll probably look to find a starter early on in the draft. Meanwhile, the Chargers managed to ink All-Pro center Corey Linsley and versatile lineman Matt Feiler, so Justin Herbert should be well protected.
In addition to those aforementioned teams, the Jets also tried to land Thuney. He’s long been a target of Gang Green – they were planning to make a big push for him last year, too, up until the Patriots kept him from the open market.
NFL Contract Details: Fuller, Ford, Barr, Pats
As free agency’s second wave continues, here are the latest contract details from around the league:
- 49ers DE Dee Ford: Two years, $24MM. $11.6MM guaranteed, with $4.6MM of that sum due in 2022, David Lombardi and Matt Barrows of The Athletic note (subscription required). Ford’s 2021 guarantees ($7MM) include a $4MM base salary. Ford’s contract also includes a void year (2023).
- Dolphins WR Will Fuller: One year, $10.63MM. Contract maxes out at $13.63MM, with $3MM available in performance-based incentives, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Fuller will receive a $9.6MM signing bonus and is due a $990K base salary.
- Vikings LB Anthony Barr: One year, fully guaranteed $9.4MM. $8.4MM signing bonus, $1MM base salary. Barr’s cap number will drop to $6.1MM. Contract includes $3MM in sack-based incentives and features two void years, per the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling (all Twitter links).
- Patriots T Trent Brown: Fully guaranteed $6.5MM base salary, up to $2MM in per-game roster bonuses, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Contract can climb to $11MM based on the roster bonuses, $1MM for 90% playing time, $1MM for a Pro Bowl nod and $500K in weight incentives. Brown must stay under 380 pounds, Vic Tafur of The Athletic tweets.
- Bills DE Mario Addison: $4.1MM base salary in 2021, $3.25MM of that is guaranteed, Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic tweets. Addison is also due a $1.9MM roster bonus. His contract will now void after 2021.
- Colts T Sam Tevi: One year, $2.51MM. $1MM guaranteed, $1.5MM base salary. The deal also includes $1MM in playing-time incentives, Wilson tweets.
Patriots Re-Sign FB Jakob Johnson
The Patriots have re-signed exclusive rights free agent Jakob Johnson, per a team announcement. As an ERFA, Johnson could not negotiate with any other club, so this was mostly a foregone conclusion.
Johnson, a fullback, joined New England via the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program in April 2019. He saw action in four games during the 2019 campaign, but he played in every game in 2020, appearing in 37% of the Patriots’ offensive snaps. He caught eight passes for 35 yards and a score and also served as a significant special teams contributor.
With this re-signing and yesterday’s James White re-up, the Pats will now return most of their 2020 backfield. Damien Harris and Sony Michel are also under contract, but Rex Burkhead — who sustained an ACL tear in November — remains a free agent.
Patriots, DL Lawrence Guy Agree To Deal
The Patriots will have a host of new starters next season, but they are finalizing an agreement to keep one of their own first-stringers. Lawrence Guy and the Pats are closing in on a new four-year deal, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets.
Guy’s second Pats contract is worth $11.5MM over four years, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). This represents a discount from the sides’ 2017 agreement, and it will keep Guy in New England — where he will join a brigade of incoming talent acquired over the past two weeks.
Guy visited the Dolphins on Monday, but it does not look like ex-Patriots assistant Brian Flores will be able to lure the veteran defensive tackle to Miami. A staple on the Pats’ defensive line, Guy has been with New England for the past four seasons.
A role player who bounced around prior to joining the Patriots in 2017, Guy started for each of New England’s most recent Super Bowl-qualifying teams and has been a steady first-stringer on each of the Pats’ past four squads. Guy, 31, has started 60 of the 62 games he has played with the Pats.
Flores did bring ex-Patriots defensive tackle Adam Butler to Miami, leaving the Pats thinner on their defensive front. However, the Pats — quite busy in this free agency period — have added on their D-line as well. New England signed Henry Anderson, Davon Godchaux, Montravius Adams and Carl Davis to help up front.
A 2011 Packers seventh-round pick, Guy has played a similar role on each of the Patriot teams on which he has played. He has logged between 50-55% of New England’s defensive snaps from 2017-20. The Pats gave Guy a four-year, $20MM deal in 2017 and agreed to a slight pay bump ahead of his 2020 contract year. It appears the sides are set to continue this partnership, with Guy set to be joined by numerous new faces on the 2021 Pats.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/24/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DE Efe Obada
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: K Matt Ammendola
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: LS Joe Fortunato
Miami Dolphins
- Re-Signed: LB Elandon Roberts
New England Patriots
- Signed: LB LaRoy Reynolds
Seattle Seahawks
- Re-Signed: OL Jordan Simmons
WFT Interested In Patriots WR N’Keal Harry
The Washington Football Team is keeping an eye on N’Keal Harry, as John Keim of ESPN.com tweets. Harry has drawn trade interest in recent days and it has been widely speculated that the Patriots could move him. 
The Pats made Harry a first-round pick in 2019, but he hasn’t lived up to expectations. In total, the Arizona State product has just 414 receiving yards and four touchdowns across 21 games. He’s had lots of setbacks, too, including an injury-riddled rookie year and the offense’s overall woes in 2020.
Despite his inconsistent performance, Keim hears that at least three other teams are in the mix. As he notes, WFT GM Martin Mayhew was with the 49ers in 2019 and they were hoping to land Harry before the Patriots scooped him up in Round 1. In Washington, Harry could fit alongside Terry McLaurin and newcomer Curtis Samuel. Meanwhile, after adding Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne, the Patriots can afford to part ways with the 6’4″ pass-catcher.