The New England Patriots put the pedal to the metal at the start of free agency, spending an unprecedented amount of money (close to $300 million!) over the first couple of days.
That sum is the most GM Bill Belichick has committed in any offseason throughout his front office career, and it’s honestly not even close, signaling to the rest of the NFL that the Patriots will be back with a vengeance next season after finishing with their worst record in two decades.
The craziest part is that New England, even after their spending spree, still have the seventh-most cap space of any team in the league at $27.66 million, per the latest projections.
That means they have more than enough left over to make at least two or three more quality signings.
You might be thinking, “What could the Patriots possibly have left to improve after their cavalcade of moves?”
Let’s not dismiss just how egregious this roster was just a few weeks ago. There’s still plenty of room for improvement, especially at the safety position following the shocking retirement of longtime starter Patrick Chung.
With that in mind, let’s highlight the best fits for the Patriots who are still currently braving the free agent waters.
The Patriots should consider signing these three remaining free agents.
3. Justin Houston
Free agent DE Justin Houston just feels like a perfect fit for the Patriots.
Yes, the Patriots should still be in the market for an edge rusher following the blockbuster signing of Matthew Judon, and we won’t hear otherwise. After all, their pass rush was the epitome of toothless this past season and we like to think the front office has zero intention of letting that happen again.
The re-singing of Deatrich Wise ensures the Patriots will have depth up front, but, as evidenced by his 14.5 career sacks over four seasons, he’s more accustomed to (and productive) working along the interior of the defensive line compared to the exterior.
With that in mind, defensive end should still be at the top of New England’s shopping list, and veteran Justin Houston comes to mind as a potential addition. The 32-year-old star wouldn’t command anything more than a two-year deal and that fits right into the team’s wheelhouse as they gear up for another spending spree when the NFL’s new television deals come into play.
On top of that, Houston is likely champing at the bit to sign with a contender amid his pursuit of a championship, which has eluded him throughout his decorated career. Though he would likely jump at the chance to return to Indianapolis, the Colts have shown zero incentive to make any statement signings thus far, which suggests he’s negotiating with other teams.
Since joining the Colts as a free agent in 2019, Houston has registered 69 tackles, 19 sacks, 30 QB hits, 53 pressures, three forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries. Those numbers are flat-out ridiculous and prove that Houston would be the Patriots’ most cost-effective option at defensive end. . .especially since household names like Jadeveon Clowney, Ryan Kerrigan, Melvin Ingram and Carlos Dunlap are all still available.
2. JuJu Smith-Schuster
JuJu Smith-Schuster could be just what the doctor ordered for the Patriots.
We’ve been adamant in asserting why the Patriots shouldn’t sign JuJu Smith-Schuster after his persistent social media antics this past season. However, that mostly boiled down to the Patriots pegging him as their be-all-end-all solution at wide receiver, and that is clearly no longer the case following the signings of Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor.
When you consider that Bourne and Agholor are still unproven commodities as far as possession-based wideouts are concerned, Smith-Schuster’s adeptness in the slot would be the ideal final piece of the Patriots’ renovation project on offense.
Also…the Jets are sniffing around. You know what that means.
The former Steelers star is as effective as any WR in the league in terms of finding pockets of space in the middle of the field and that would help bring out the best in Cam Newton, who really didn’t have any semblance of a security blanket in 2020.
And for those fans saying the Patriots don’t need any WR help, need we remind you that they’re actively shopping 2019 first-rounder N’Keal Harry and just released Marqise Lee this week? Not to mention that veteran Julian Edelman is no guarantee to return, seeing as though cutting him would save New England $3.5 million against the cap.
Smith-Schuster has been met with criticism over the last two seasons after he struggled to replicate the dominance he enjoyed working alongside Antonio Brown. However, the Steelers had a revolving door at QB in 2019 and he’s fresh off logging a respectable 97 catches for 831 yards and nine touchdowns while fighting for targets with Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool.
The latest buzz suggests the Patriots aren’t done bolstering their WR corps, and Smith-Schuster would really put the cherry on top of what has been an overhaul to their offensive personnel.
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.
Kyle Van Noy announces return to Patriots with perfect tweet
Former New England Patriots defensive star Kyle Van Noy has returned to the Pats after the Dolphins cut him loose! Alrighty then!