New England Patriots, five others interested in Desmond Bryant
Well, four others, because the Oakland Raiders technically don’t count. Raiders defensive tackle Desmond Bryant is everyone’s favorite sleeper free agent this offseason, and I could see him being a great fit for the New England Patriots. Although some people believe the list of free agent teams interest in Bryant is agent-driven, I truly think there will be a strong market for Bryant and believe the teams reportedly interested in Bryant could really use him- like the New England Patriots.
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Jason Cole tweeted yesterday that the Patriots, Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Philadelphia Eagles all have interest in Bryant. The Seahawks and 49ers are looking for more pass rushers, as both teams brought in veterans Cullen Jenkins and John Abraham for workouts. The Raiders would like to keep Bryant, and they also once brought in Jenkins for a workout. The Eagles were the team that released Jenkins, and they interested in 49ers DL Ricky Jean-Francois so there is an opening for them as far as interior pass rushers go. As for the Jaguars, they could always use another talented, veteran defensive player.
The Patriots are an especially interesting team in this, and that’s not just because I cover the Pats and most of my readers care about them. Bryant has been viewed as a great fit for the Patriots by multiple Pats fans and writers, and that’s because he would be a great fit for the need they have at defensive tackle. The Pats pass rush could use some upgrading, and that is especially true for the interior pass rush.
While Bryant isn’t the best run-stuffer around, he’s decent in that regard too. However, what the Patriots need above all else is pass rushing, because guys like Vince Wilfork and Kyle Love can already play the run well (the former much better than the latter, at that). Bryant is one of the best pass rushing DTs in the game, as he consistently disrupts the interior and brings consistent pressure. For the Patriots, consistent pressure on the QB can be hard to come by.
The former Harvard grad was recently arrested in South Beach, but that was a very minor offense that won’t (it certainly doesn’t look like it) affect his free agent market. I am glad the Patriots are showing interest in Bryant, because he could be a very good signing for them. By the way, there are five other teams interested besides the Pats and Raiders, because the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported earlier this week that the Cleveland Browns have interest. The Raiders will most likely not be able to keep Bryant, but he might not be the best fit in the Browns 3-4. Well, it could work out to a great effect if he can transition to the 3-4 DE slot seamlessly.
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