Written by Matt Ferreira
Image via @NFL_MEMES on twitter
With the NFL Free Agency starting at noon today it had seemed Bill Belichick was not happy with how the Patriots performed in 2020. In the first few hours of free agency the Patriots had already signed multiple players and by the end of the day had signed or re-signed 10 players.
Patriots 2021
— What’s the Word? (@wtwmass) March 16, 2021
In:
WR Nelson Agholor
WR Kendrick Bourne
TE Jonnu Smith
OT Trent Brown
OLB Matt Judon
DT Davon Godchaux
DB Jalen Mills
Back:
QB Cam Newton
DE Deatrich Wise
DT Carl Davis
CB Justin Bethel
Out:
LG Joe Thuney
RT Marcus Cannon
S Terrence Brooks
The most interesting stat today was reported by Adam Schefter.According to Schefter the Patriots had spent the most guaranteed money TODAY, then any other offseason over the last decade. It seems the days of players taking pay cuts to come and win in New England is over, but Belichick still looks to try and find a way to win even without getting stars on pay cuts.
Patriots already have spent their most guaranteed money on free agents in any offseason over the last decade. https://t.co/iyQI3A72lx
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 15, 2021
New England helped their offense by signing wide receivers Nelson Agholar and Kendrick Bourne and tight end Jonnu Smith to help Cam Newton in the passing game. One of the reasons many said Newton struggled last year was due to the receiver core, with Jacoby Meyers being the number one option for Cam.
The Patriots also filled other holes on their team including nose tackle signing Davon Godchaux, Henry Anderson, and Matt Judon which will help their run defense that struggled in 2020. The Patriots had a very good defense especially with the amount of opt-outs they had. Having a very good secondary with former defensive player of the year Stephon Gilmore, a breakout season from corner J.C. Jackson, and the always amazing safeties of Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung coming back, adding Jalen Mills to this secondary the Patriots are going to be locked down in 2021. With Godchaux, Wise, Winovich, Judon, Hightower, Duggar, Uche, and others controlling the line and middle of the field the Patriots defense looks to be better than ever.
With the Patriots signings today they are only a piece or two away from once again being a playoff team if. While the AFC East continues to get better with the Buffalo Bills showing to be good with Josh Allen and Stephon Diggs, the Dolphins getting better with another year of experience for Tua the Patriots will have some competition in the division they will have to fight through if they want to make a run for the playoffs, yet the gap between the teams seems to be getting smaller and smaller.
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