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Free Agency

Patriots Trade Parade Continues with Cordarrelle Patterson

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After the season ends I dive into the free agency lists and try to figure out who might be a good fit for the Patriots. Then the Patriots go and blow all my study out of the water as they focus on trades like they did with their third of the past two weeks, acquiring Cordarrelle Patterson from the Raiders for a swap of late-round picks. Just as I got keen to the Patriots’ restricted free agency ways, they continue to keep me on my toes and that’s why sometimes it’s best to just sit back and let them do their thing.

Patterson’s addition was a bit surprising on the surface but as you dig a little further it’s a move that shores up a few different spots that have been affected by departures this offseason. Patterson was drafted with what was originally the Patriots’ 29th overall pick in the 2013 draft. The Patriots turned that pick into four other picks, and now they get Patterson for peanuts, with no guaranteed money. He’s not exactly cheap with a cap hit of $3.25 million, but should bring enough value to the offense and special teams to make him worth it.

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Pats Posits: Sunday Ramblings

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The initial wave and excitement of free agency are over as we now start to settle in on the mid and lower tier free agents and the draft. The team building process is a year-long activity for the Patriots, but last week is the short little window that everyone loses their minds over. Each season I find myself caring less and less about talking people off the ledge. Bill Belichick has 18 offseasons of precedent and if you don’t understand how they do business you’re willfully not paying attention.

Sometimes they do make a splash, like with Adalius Thomas and Stephon Gilmore, but most often it’s things like swinging low-risk trades for affordable vets like Kony Ealy or Jason McCourty, signing vet free agents to short, affordable deals like Jabaal Sheard or Adrian Clayborn, grabbing unremarkable castoffs who turn into special players like Rob Ninkovich or making in-season moves to shore up weaknesses like Akiem Hicks or Akeem Ayers.

I included a few busts in there because in the NFL no one bats a thousand. It’s just as easy to point out personnel moves that missed the mark as it is those that were hit out of the park. The important thing, as most of us should’ve learned by now, is to build a team that is strong top-to-bottom because injuries and poor performance can torpedo any best-laid plan.  I know having Tom Brady certainly helps cover up personnel misfires as does an established system and clear expectations handed down by a well-organized coaching staff that is designed to disseminate Belichick’s coaching points.

The bottom line is that the team building process is far more than one week in mid-March and there are plenty of moves to come despite the fact that outside of left tackle the Patriots already have a pretty impressive roster that could compete in the playoffs without adding any rookies.

I’ve gotten a little behind this week outside of the major acquisitions, so here are some quick-hit thoughts on all that has been going on.

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Patriots Bolster Front Seven with Adrian Clayborn

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwmfbwsDZYM

After grabbing Danny Shelton and Jason McCourty from the Browns, the Patriots added another solid and needed piece to their defense in Adrian Clayborn, a defensive end who should solidify an edge of their defense. As I wrote on Friday, the team needed another defensive end, a spot they struggled with last season after losing three veterans from the Super Bowl 51-winning team.

The Patriots gave Clayborn a two-year, $12 million deal, which is par for the course with them, similar to what the gave Jabaal Sheard a couple seasons ago. Clayborn will be 30 this summer, so he’s not a long-term answer but will give them instant toughness that they lacked in 2017, resulting in in-season moves like adding James Harrison late in the year.

I know everyone will get caught up in the sacks of it all, it’s just what us fans do, especially now that we’re being inundated with Clayborn’s six-sack performance against the Cowboys. We want production, but I’m less concerned with how many sacks Clayborn will give us and more about the strength and ability to win in the trenches.

That’s what the Patriots defense requires, especially from the hand-down defensive ends and that’s what Clayborn can give them. I’m sure he’ll drop a little in coverage, but his job will be to set the edge and dominate his blocker, not just getting to the quarterback. Simply put, Clayborn fits what they do, and should fit in really well.

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Patriots Free Agency Reset, Visits Rundown

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After re-signing Rex Burkhead and acquiring Jason McCourty via trade, the Patriots have picked up the pace of their free agency period the last two days, and with a number of visits reported there should be plenty more moves to come.

Once again there’s been plenty of outrage about the lack of big-name signings, which has left me wondering why people are far more enamored with an aging star over a promising player who never blossomed. The latter is always cheaper and come with far more upside. If anything the annoying part about them is they come to New England, resurrect their career and then move on to a bigger contract elsewhere. Guys like Akiem Hicks, Aqib Talib, even Brandon Browner are just a few that jump to mind in that regard.

The old stars get everyone excited because your mind immediately imagines them at the peak of their careers as if that is the player the Patriots are getting. Sometimes the Patriots do get one of those guys on a cheaper deal because they “want to win”, but most of the time they’re getting paid for past performance, not what they’re still capable of and that’s why the Pats avoid them.

Anyway, here’s a quick rundown of reported visits that the Patriots have scheduled and my thoughts on them. I try not to get too excited or invested when reports of interest or even visits are reported. Sometimes it’s smoke from the agents. Sometimes they can’t even pass a physical. Other times they leave and sign elsewhere. The point is, don’t get invested until they sign.

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McCourty Wonder Twin Powers Activate!

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After momentarily announcing they were releasing cornerback Jason McCourty, the Cleveland Browns instead decided to trade him to our beloved Patriots, uniting him with his twin brother Devin and giving Patriots fans a feel-good moment after a disappointing start to free agency.


J-Mac, as he’s known on the social media accounts the twins share, has one year left on his contract that pays him a manageable $2.375 million. This gives the Patriots some reinforcement at the cornerback position that was a light after losing Malcolm Butler, who, oh by the way, will be making $30 million guaranteed on a five-year, $61 million contract. Yes, this is Patriots economics at work here.

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Burkhead Back for Three Years

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Outside of Nate Solder going to the Giants and becoming the highest paid tackle in the game, free agency has unfolded as I pretty much expected, and that includes the Patriots latest move of locking up Rex Burkhead for three more seasons.


Burkhead certainly flashed a handful of times in 2017, his first with the Pats, but injuries derailed him every time. He still managed to finish with career highs in touchdowns (8 — 5 rushing, 3 receiving) and receptions (30), despite only appearing in 10 games and playing a total of 196 offensive snaps. He also blocked a punt against the Broncos to go with a touchdown.

His best stretch of the season came from weeks 9-12, where he had 40 attempts for 180 yards and three touchdowns to go with 12 catches and two receiving touchdowns. If that’s the Burkhead we get for the next three seasons, look out.

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Nate Solder to the Giants

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Nate Solder was my centerpiece to this free agency season and now he’s signed with the Giants for four years, $60 million, leaving the Patriots with a giant hole at left tackle.

I’m never one to panic about free agency, especially when we’re not even 24 hours in, but the team currently has just Marcus Cannon on the roster, with last year’s third-round pick Tony Garcia behind him recovering from an illness that caused him to lose a bunch of weight. Andrew Jelks and Jason King are also on the roster, while Cameron Fleming and LaAdrian Waddle continue to weigh their options in free agency.

This is new territory for the Tom Brady Pats. They seamlessly transitioned from Matt Light (2001-2011) to Solder, who has locked down the left side for the past six seasons. In 2015 he played in just four games, but otherwise, Solder has been a rock, missing just two games total and starting 95.

It is worth pointing out that Solder was managed through most of the preseason and had a really slow start to the season. We cut him plenty of slack given his personal situation, but it’s not like Solder was the lights out best left tackle in football who made it all work. He was very good, especially by the end of the year, and certainly the best option in free agency, but is he worth what the Giants paid him? We’ll see.

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