Terrance Knighton nearing deal with Patriots
Today may be the day we see the New England Patriots sign free agent defensive tackle Terrance Knighton. According to Anthony Gulizia of the Washington Times, a source familiar with the situation said that Knighton left a meeting with the Washington Redskins on Wednesday without a deal, and that the 350-pound nose tackle is leaning toward the Patriots.
It is significant news that “Pot Roast” is still on the open market after meeting with his 2015 team, as the Redskins had originally told the veteran they would be moving on from him but changed their tune once the Patriots entered the sweepstakes. There’s really only one option left for Knighton: New England.
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Hopefully, the Patriots follow through with this deal sooner rather than later to ensure that another team doesn’t dangle a tempting deal in front of Knighton. Having lost out on the bidding for Akiem Hicks at the beginning of free agency, the Patriots must ensure they lock-up the 2009 third round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
A defensive tackle depth chart of Malcom Brown, Alan Branch, Dominique Easley and Knighton followed by Ishmaa’ily Kitchen, Chris Jones and Joe Vellano plus any additional players added through the draft and post-draft will make for a heated training camp battle.
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Even if Knighton signs, however, he won’t be a shoo-in for the final roster. Knighton turns 30 this summer, and it remains to be seen if he has recovered from the series of severe headache cluster that plagued him in the latter half of 2015. In fact, the only game Knighton missed last season was the Redskins’ Week 9 visit to Foxboro.
In recent days, the Patriots have continued to milk the free agent market for all it’s worth. The signings of E.J. Biggers, Clay Harbor and now probably Knighton indicate that the Patriots are planning to enter training camp with a wealth of veteran options in addition to the haul from the 2016 NFL Draft.
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Stay tuned here on Musket Fire for coverage on every twist and turn in the Patriots’ offseason.