John Simon, Brandon Bolden expected to sign with Patriots
New England is reportedly set to re-sign free agent linebacker John Simon and bring back former Patriots running back and special teamer Brandon Bolden.
While they aren’t exactly the splashiest or flashiest of signings, the New England Patriots helped solidify their defensive and special teams units with a pair of under-the-radar moves early on Wednesday morning.
According to the Boston Herald, linebacker/defensive end John Simon is expected to re-sign with the Patriots after joining the team in late September of last year. The versatile, hard-hitting former Ohio State Buckeye also had professional stints with the Ravens, Texans, and Colts before ending up in New England in 2018.
While he only had 17 tackles and two sacks during the regular season, he came on strong in the postseason, playing 85 snaps and logging an additional four tackles, one pass defensed, and half a sack.
Simon also provides valuable depth in the team’s linebacking corps, after having often served as New England’s third starting option behind Dont’a Hightower and Kyle Van Noy. His return in 2019 should help add an element of continuity to a unit that already lost its coordinator and stands to lose several key contributors (including star defensive end Trey Flowers, who is expected to sign with the Detroit Lions).
The Patriots will also reportedly bring back core special teamer and backup running back Brandon Bolden. Bolden spent six years with the Patriots before departing for the division rival Miami Dolphins last offseason and spending all of 2018 with them.
His return is expected to further stabilize a special teams unit that floundered a bit during the early part of last season, before coming together and finding more of a groove just in time for the playoffs.
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Like Simon, Bolden also provides insurance should any of New England’s running backs miss time due to injury once again, as many of them did in 2018 (including Sony Michel, Rex Burkhead, and Jeremy Hill).
Both moves can become official when the new league year begins today at 4 pm EST.