Patriots: 3 best free agent fits still remaining for NE
By Jerry Trotta
1. Kareem Jackson
The Patriots should be keeping close tabs on free agent safety Kareem Jackson.
Kareem Jackson surprisingly found himself as a cap casualty, as the Broncos opted against picking up his team option for the 2021 season. The move opened up $10 million in cap space and adds a quality safety to the free agency pool.
Like so many other positions, the safety market is moving at a snail’s pace, as none of the high-profile names (including Jackson, Justin Simmons and Anthony Harris) have come off the board just yet. This could end up working in the Patriots’ favor, as the longer Jackson goes un-signed, the less money he’ll go for on the open market.
As previously mentioned, the Patriots need a starting-caliber safety after Chung disclosed his intentions to retire. While underrated free agent addition Jalen Mills has the versatility to play safety, he’s a cornerback by trade and we seriously doubt the coaching staff is keen on giving him a full-time role at the position.
That makes Jackson an ideal acquisition for New England. For starters, the 32-year-old was immense for the Broncos last season, nabbing career-highs in tackles (89), to go with four passes defended, two fumble recovers and an interception.
Perhaps more impressive is the fact that Jackson played all but four of Denver’s 1,088 defensive snaps and earned a stupendous 81.3 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus, which was the fifth-best mark of all safeties, in the process. On top of that, his 87.3 PFF Grade since 2019 is fourth among all players in the NFL.
What more needs to be said? The Patriots would’ve been hard-pressed to find a replacement for Chung on the open market had they known he was retiring before the start of free agency, but the Broncos refusing to pick up Jackson’s team option could gift them a serviceable replacement.
