Patriots: 3 defensive free agents NE should sign over Kyle Van Noy

The New England Patriots’ defense regressed this past season, but that was always expected following their borderline historic output in 2019.

As foolproof as their system and schemes are, the group was simply never going to overcome losing as many key players to free agency and opt outs as they did.

Luckily for the Patriots, however, they’re projected to be equipped with the third-most cap space of any team in the league ($68.87 million) this offseason.

It’s also been confirmed that the likes of Dont’a Hightower and Patrick Chung are expected to report back to the team for 2021.

Those two storylines will obviously go a long way in terms of raising the defense’s ceiling for 2021, but it could still prove to benefit from the addition of a pass rusher, another linebacker and potentially an interior lineman if Lawrence Guy and Adam Butler don’t re-sign.

As far as pass rushers go, Kyle Van Noy has piqued fans’ interest following his surprise release from the Dolphins just one year into his four-year, $50 million contract. While there’s no doubting the seven-year pro could make a huge impact returning to the Patriots, however, perhaps they should look elsewhere for reinforcements.

The Patriots should sign these three defensive free agents over Kyle Van Noy this offseason.

3. Jurrell Casey

Anybody who watched the Patriots this past season knows how frequently their front seven was dominated at the point of attack, and if we had any say in the matter, all of the cap space they commit to upgrading the defense this offseason should be used to bolster their defensive line and linebacking corps.

When it comes to the former, we absolutely love Jurrell Casey as a potential interior solution after he was released by the Broncos this week.  We all know New England loves to pinch their pennies on the open market, and Casey missing all but three games in 2020 due to a biceps tear,  coupled with the fact that Denver acquired him for just a seventh-round pick last offseason, indicates he could come at a discount.

Former Broncos DL Jurrell Casey would be a great fit with the Patriots.

If we were the Patriots, we would jump all over the idea of signing Casey, who was named to the Pro Bowl every season dating back to 2019 before his injury deprived him of the opportunity to extend that streak. As somebody who has experience playing as a tackle and on the edge, the 31-year-old vet would bring tremendous (and needed) versatility to New England.

With Guy and Butler slated to hit free agency, Casey makes perfect sense as a potential backup  plan if extension negotiations go awry. Now that we think about it, we honestly wouldn’t even bat an eyelash if the Patriots prioritized signing Casey over their two impending free agents given his experience.