New England Patriots Guide to the 2017 Free-Agent Market
The New England Patriots head into the 2017 NFL offseason as defending Super Bowl champions. Even though the team just won one of the most exciting Super Bowls in league history, this doesn't mean the Patriots are content with the roster at hand.
No matter how good New England might be, the team is constantly finding ways to evolve and grow. Last offseason, the Patriots added pieces like Chris Hogan, Martellus Bennett and Chris Long in free agency. Each of these additions played a role in the Patriots reaching and winning Super Bowl LI.
According to Spotrac.com, the Patriots are expected to have roughly $63 million in cap space this offseason, so the team could be quite active once again. In fact, by the time the offseason is over, the Patriots might be even stronger than they were a year ago.
What positions should the Patriots address this year in free agency? Well, that's what we're here to determine. We'll take a look at six positions New England needs to at least examine. We will also assess some potential options based on player ability, team fit and potential cost.
Running Back
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The Patriots were deep at running back in 2016 with the likes of LeGarrette Blount, James White and Dion Lewis leading the way. However, the team's main running option, Blount, is scheduled to hit the market in March.
If the Patriots choose not to retain Blount, there will be a sizable hole in the backfield. Blount rushed for 1,161 yards and 18 touchdowns this past season.
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like there are any real upgrades at running back on the open market this year. This is, of course, assuming that the Pittsburgh Steelers don't allow Le'Veon Bell to hit the open market—which seems unlikely.
"He is somebody we hope to have around for a little while longer, that’s for sure," Steelers president Art Rooney II said in January of Bell, per Steelers.com (h/t Bryan DeArdo of CBSSports.com).
If Bell does somehow become available, the Patriots should pounce. His ability to excel on the ground and in the passing game fits in perfectly with what New England likes to do on offense. When Blount was on the field, opposing defenses generally could assume he was either running or pass blocking. This wouldn't be the case with Bell.
Aside from Bell, there aren't any backs really worth chasing hard this offseason. Guys like Latavius Murray, Eddie Lacy and Christine Michael could potentially fill the role of bruiser for New England, though it would make just as much sense to just re-sign Blount.
If the Patriots want to take a chance on a restricted free agent (like they did with Hogan last year), Isaiah Crowell of the Cleveland Browns could be an option. He has frequently shown promise but has often struggled to find open lanes against defenses with no respect for Cleveland's passing game.
Crowell is just 24 years old and could potentially lead New England's backfield for the next several years.
Wide Receiver
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Wide receiver is also not a major need for the Patriots, but it could become a need by the time free agency rolls around. A lot is going to depend on what the team decides to do with wideout Danny Amendola, who is due a $6 million base salary in 2017.
Mike Reiss of ESPN.com believes Amendola will only return if he takes a pay cut.
"He's taken major pay cuts each of the last two years to stay in New England, proving that money isn't what is driving him at this point," Reiss recently wrote. "Does Amendola still want to play? And if so, do the Patriots want him back at another reduced salary?"
If New England isn't inclined to bring Amendola back, there are plenty of talented options that are scheduled to be available. Guys like Anquan Boldin, Pierre Garcon, Kenny Britt and Alshon Jeffery could all fill roles in New England's offense.
Jeffery would be an especially attractive target if the team wants to add the type of big, physical receiver it currently lacks. However, Jeffery is expected to be one of the top free agents hitting the market this year, and I'm not so sure the Patriots want to spend the kind of money he would command for a second or third wideout.
Two guys I do like here are Britt and Cordarrelle Patterson.
Britt is still south of 30 and is coming off a 1,002-yard season with the Los Angeles Rams. At 6'3", he possesses the size of Jeffery but will likely come at a cheaper price. Pro Football Focus rated him 58th overall among receivers for 2016.
Patterson is interesting because he possesses the ability to makes plays as a receiver, a ball-carrier and a return man. His versatility would be a nice fit in New England. While the Minnesota Vikings have largely struggled to get him the ball on offense, this doesn't feel like it would be an issue in Josh McDaniels' scheme. Think of Patterson as a bigger, stronger Dion Lewis.
Tight End
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The Patriots brought in tight end Martellus Bennett on a one-year deal last offseason for a couple of reasons. One was to complement star tight end Rob Gronkowski and the other was to provide injury insurance for him.
New England ended up needing that injury insurance, and Bennett helped the Patriots win Super Bowl LI. However, with Bennett headed to the market, the Patriots need to fill those two roles once again.
The obvious choice here would be to re-sign Bennett. However, New England isn't likely to overpay, and Bennett has made it clear that he is thinking about dollars this offseason.
“I’m going into free agency as a Super Bowl champion," Bennett said on NFL Network after Super Bowl LI. "You know they overpay Super Bowl champions."
Unfortunately, Bennett really appears to be the best tight end option in free agency this year. There are a couple of interesting veteran options, like Jacob Tamme and Jermaine Gresham, but the Patriots may be better off looking to the draft this offseason.
If New England is determined to add a veteran at the position, two guys I would look at are Vernon Davis and Jared Cook.
Davis is clearly past his prime, but he still showed plenty of burst and playmaking ability in a subdued role with the Washington Redskins this past season. He hauled in 44 passes for 583 yards and two scores in total.
Davis is the kind of late-career player New England could bring along for a Super Bowl run. He proved he could be dangerous lined up alongside Jordan Reed last year. He could do the same across from Gronkowski.
Cook appeared in 10 games with the Green Bay Packers last season. He produced 377 yards and was rated 47th overall among tight ends by Pro Football Focus.
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Edge-Rusher
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One of the few weaknesses the Patriots had during the 2016 season was a lackluster pass rush. While defensive end Trey Flowers developed into a consistent force, the pass rush as a whole was far from elite.
Pro Football Focus rated the Patriots just 24th in pass rush for the season. It would make a lot of sense for New England to grab an edge-rusher to complement Flowers in the offseason.
It would also make sense for the Patriots to re-sign defensive end Jabaal Sheard, who is 27 years old and has 13.0 sacks over the past two years for New England. Re-signing 31-year-old Chris Long is probably less of a priority.
Based on the defensive talent expected to be available in this year's draft, though, the Patriots may opt to look for their edge guy there. This means that adding a big-name player like Jason Pierre-Paul or Melvin Ingram may be out of the question.
If the Patriots are going to make a splash, though, either of these guys would make the sense. Pierre-Paul is a true end that would fit into New England's 4-3 base, and he is coming off a very strong season with the New York Giants. Pro Football Focus rated him 11th overall among edge-rushers in 2016. Ingram was rated sixth overall.
The Patriots could also try bringing back Chandler Jones, who was traded to the Arizona Cardinals last offseason for a second-round pick. However, it seems highly unlikely that the Cardinals would allow him to walk. Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Nick Perry, who produced 11.0 sacks in 2016, is another interesting option.
I have a hard time believing the Patriots will go hard after any of the top free-agent pass-rushers. If the team can convince one of these guys to come in on the cheap in order to chase a ring, though, it's a whole different story.
If the Patriots want to try their luck with a reclamation project, Steelers outside linebacker Jarvis Jones could intrigue. The disappointing pass-rusher has just 6.0 NFL sacks, but the Patriots have rarely shied away from at least trying out guys who have busted with other teams.
Guard/Center
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The Patriots have themselves a quality left tackle in Nate Solder. They also appear set at the right tackle spot, even with former starter Sebastian Vollmer missing 2016 and possibly nearing the end of his playing career. Marcus Cannon was more than serviceable last year—he actually finished the season rated 11th among tackles by Pro Football Focus.
The big issue for New England is along the interior of the line. Despite boasting one of the top tackle tandems in the entire league, New England was rated just 11th in pass blocking by Pro Football Focus.
The weakest link last year was left guard Joe Thuney. While he did earn the starting job as a rookie—which is impressive in New England—he didn't do particularly well. Pro Football Focus rated him 138th among guards.
Though both are primarily right guards, T.J. Lang and Kevin Zeitler are two big-name guards who are expected to be available. Pro Football Focus rated them sixth and 13th, respectively, in 2016. Zeitler, who will turn 27 just before the start of free agency, would be especially appealing. He could also make it to the market.
"I continue to feel confident Kevin Zeitler will be playing elsewhere in 2017," Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer recently wrote. "When Bengals free agency comes up, it always starts with Andrew Whitworth and usually skips over the 26-year-old guard."
Even if the Patriots don't go after one of the big fish in free agency, they should be able to find an upgrade over Thuney.
Finding an upgrade over David Andrews, who was rated 43rd among centers by Pro Football focus, should also be a priority. However, this year's free-agent crop isn't deep at center, so I'd expect the Patriots to take a longer look at the draft here.
Cornerback
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Right now, cornerback is not a major need for the Patriots. New England's secondary—which was rated first in pass coverage for the 2016 season by Pro Football Focus—is solid. However, one of the biggest pieces in that secondary, cornerback Logan Ryan, is set to become a free agent.
Ryan is just 26 years old and is entering the prime of his career. He is coming off a very good campaign, too—92 tackles, 11 passes defended and two interceptions—so he could command a hefty sum on the open market.
If the Patriots deem Ryan too expensive to retain, they'll likely seek a slightly older starting-caliber veteran in free agency. This would allow the team to maintain experience in the secondary while potentially developing a rookie talent.
Don't expect New England to chase a young emerging talent like Houston Texans corner A.J. Bouye. If the Patriots were interested in going down that route, they would likely pursue Ryan.
Instead, look for the Patriots to kick the tires on corners who have already moved past their second contracts. Two interesting options here are Captain Munnerlyn and Prince Amukamara. Munnerlyn and Amukamara are 28 and 27 years old, respectively, so neither staring down the twilight of his career.
Both Munnerlyn and Amukamara performed well in 2016. Pro Football Focus rated them 55th and 45th overall among cornerbacks, respectively.
Amukamara is a particularly intriguing option. The former first-round pick played on a one-year "prove it" deal last season that cost the Jaguars just $5.5 million. He could conceivably cost $2-3 million (or more) less than it would cost to retain Ryan.
If the Patriots want even more of a value pick, they may consider 32-year old corner Leon Hall. While Hall played just 384 snaps at cornerback during the regular season, he did perform well. Pro Football Focus rated him 42nd among cornerbacks. Hall could be a cheap stopgap option for a season or two.
Realistically, though, working out a deal with Ryan should take priority at cornerback.
*All contract information via Spotrac.com.
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