Musket Fire
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3 defensive free agents Patriots could sign to fix this mess

By Thomas Carannante

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 22: T.J. Watt #90 and Bud Dupree #48 of the Pittsburgh Steelers react during the second half against the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field on November 22, 2020 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 22: T.J. Watt #90 and Bud Dupree #48 of the Pittsburgh Steelers react during the second half against the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field on November 22, 2020 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /
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Grover Stewart #90 of the Indianapolis Colts (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
Grover Stewart #90 of the Indianapolis Colts (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

2. Grover Stewart

Grover Stewart would be a great fit for the Patriots’ defensive line.

Speaking of run-stuffers, Grover Stewart might be the most underrated in the NFL. And you want to talk about hitting one’s stride? Across 10 starts in 2020, he’s already registered a career-high 36 tackles, which is six more than his previous high across 16 games in 2019. The interior defensive lineman has been a force for Indy’s top-ranked defense this year.

Yes, he’s no doubt been benefitting from the presence of Justin Houston and DeForest Buckner, but he’s very clearly dominating his one-on-one battles, which is key for winning the game in the trenches. Stewart has a much more defined role now as a disruptor up the middle and it’s clear he’s benefitting greatly.

While he has no sacks or quarterback hits, like Tomlinson, Stewart’s value goes well beyond the box score. He’s a disruptor and constantly blows plays up in the middle, whether it’s closing a hole to stop the run or collapsing the pocket to stop the quarterback.

The only issue here? The Colts have more cap space and could very well prioritize the former 2017 fourth-round pick. However, Indy’s making it a priority to find a quarterback of the future, which won’t be easy. They also need to take care of Darius Leonard and address their secondary (they’ll have a bunch of guys hitting free agency there), so the front office could get distracted and might not be able to keep up if Stewart fetches offers early.

Time to strike, Bill.

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