Patriots: 3 FA signings New England might already regret
By Jerry Trotta
The New England Patriots have put the rest of the league on notice over the first week of free agency, as they’ve spent nearly $300 million on 12 new signings, eclipsing their combined budget from the last decade with plenty of room to spare.
This unparalleled splurge should have the Patriots ready to compete for a playoff berth next season, but that will take some hard work, as spending like a drunken sailor in free agency isn’t exactly a foolproof method when it comes to team success.
In fact, the two teams (the Jets and Jaguars) that have spent the most on the open market over the last three years have the worst record in the NFL during that span.
The Patriots are clearly a better run organization than those two laughingstocks, but that stat alone should be enough to strike some apprehension into the hearts of fans.
History has proven that not all of these signings are going to pan for New England. Sorry, but not even Bill Belichick’s wizardry is capable of pulling off that sort of witchcraft.
In fact, something tells us the longtime de facto general manager should already regret some of his additions.
The Patriots should be second-guessing these three free agent signings.
3. Jalen Mills
The Patriots clearly have a ton of faith in versatile DB Jalen Mills.
The Patriots champion discipline over aggression on the defensive side of the ball, correct? Then why on earth did they give Jalen Mills a four-year (!) deal worth $24 million and $9 million in guaranteed money?
Perhaps the coaching staff sees Mills as a jack of all trades who can line up anywhere in the secondary, which is true. However, the signing looks even more suspect now that longtime starting safety Patrick Chung surprisingly announced his retirement this week.
It was admittedly mouthwatering to think of Chung and Mills lining up together — with 2020 second-rounder Kyle Dugger mixing in wreaking havoc around the line of scrimmage — but now the Patriots have serious questions to ask about the safety position.
The unlikelihood of Stephon Gilmore being traded this offseason gives New England a surplus of cornerbacks, meaning that Mills will likely play the majority of his snaps at safety, which is extremely concerning considering that he’s never had a full-time role there.
Who knows? Maybe Mill turns into a home run signing for the Patriots. We just can’t help but wonder whether they should’ve let the market come to them rather than push the envelope to sign an overly-aggressive defensive back who is incredibly prone to getting burned over the top.
After all, former Vikings star Anthony Harris, arguably the best safety on the open market whose 90.6 grade from Pro Football Focus since 2018 ranks first among all safeties in the league, signed a one-year deal with Mills’ former team (the Eagles) for just $5 million.