10 takeaways from a Patriots-heavy first day of NFL Free Agency

Author Alex Barth

March 15th, 2021 10:30 PM

Looking back on it, Monday March 15, 2021 could go down as one of the more significant days in Patriots history. Coming off of a tumultuous season in the first year of the post-Brady era, the Patriots responded in a big way. The team signed around $200 million worth of contracts in the first 10 hours of free agency. For comparison, that’s more than half of the previous 10 years combined.

Now that the dust has started to settle (does a quick check to Twitter to make sure another signing didn’t just happen), we can start to look at these signings with more depth. Why did the Patriots choose the players they chose? Did they actually miss out on any players they were hoping to land? And what might be next? Here’s my biggest takeaways from day one of the NFL’s legal tampering period.

If you missed any of the Patriots’ moves, you can get caught up with our NFL Free Agency Tracker here.

• The ‘uncharacteristically aggressive’ reports were true

  Share

  There were no semantics, no half-truths, no conditions about the January report from the likes of Mike Reiss and Tom Curran that the Patriots would be ‘uncharacteristically aggressive’ this offseason. They spent early, spent a lot, and spent often. That included targeting players at the top of their respective positions, and potentially overpaying to get guys in the door. A true departure from the norm.

• Paying for potential

  Share

  In another notable departure from the Patriots’ standard operating procedure, some of the bigger contracts signed by the team on Monday seem to represent the players potential, not overall body of work. Normally, that wouldn’t be the case as Bill Belichick had tended to pay for past performance, not potential.
  
  For instance, the team made Jonnu Smith one of the three highest-paid tight ends in the league, despite him never having more than 500 yards in a season. The contract doesn’t reflect what he’s done, but what the team expects him to do going forwards.
  
  Smith, Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, Jalen Mills, and even Deatrich Wise are all younger players coming off career years, whose new contracts seem to be more in line with career projections than past accomplishments. It’s not necessarily a good thing or a bad thing, but it is a stark change in style for the Patriots’ front office.

• Versatility galore

  Share

  Ok, so not everything about Monday was different from the Patriots' typical business model. In Matt Judon and Jonnu Smith, they brought in guys who can line up all over the formation on their respective sides of the ball. The Jalen Mills signing took it a step further, as a guy who not only can play multiple positions, but has a decent number of snaps under his belt at a number of spots on the field. Even Davon Godchaux can move across the defensive line.
• Time to turn the focus from ‘Bill the GM’ to ‘Bill the coach’

  Share

  For a number of the players the Patriots brought in, their level of success will hinge on how they’re used in New England. Jonnu Smith, Matt Judon, and Jalen Mills all bring versatility to the table, but it will be up to the coaching staff to put them in the best position to succeed. Can/will Bill Belichick coach and mold his team around his new acquisitions? Or will they be asked to adjust their games to the Patriots status quo?

• When it comes to receiver, quantity is better than quality (to an extent)

  Share

  Based on the way the Patriots were throwing money around on Monday, it seems fair to say they could have signed any player they wanted. Yet at arguably their biggest position of need, wide receiver, they ended up with two second-tier players instead of a big name. Don’t panic though, this may be by design.
  
  It’s not like they were one stud receiver away last year - the entire position needed an overhaul. With guys like Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne, they can now have multiple NFL-caliber threats in their formation. Add Smith into the mix, and defenses have to worry about covering multiple legitimate targets, instead of one or two like they did at times last year. That will make things much easier on the quarterback, whether it’s Cam Newton or a rookie.
  
  Of course, things only get easier with a true No. 1 receiver, and they can still blow this whole idea up tomorrow and sign one. But the depth is now there, which is important.

• They want to stop the run.

  Share

  The Patriots were one of the worst teams against the run last season. They got bullied up front to the tune of over 2,000 yards on the ground, the first time that's happened since 2013.
  
  Bill Belichick went into free agency set on turning that weakness into a strength in 2021. Of the team's nine signings on Monday, five were front seven players (Judon, Godchaux, Anderson, Wise, Davis). Pair those players with the return of Beau Allen, and the Patriots' defense should be the ones doing the bullying in the trenches next season.
• What’s up with the running backs?

  Share

  One of the few reports of Patriots’ interest that didn’t pan out on Monday involved the running back position. Mike Giardi reported in the morning that the team had been in contact with at least two backs, who at the time were “seeking employment elsewhere.”
  
  Even though it didn’t work out with a running back on Monday, don’t rule out a signing at the position at some point this week. While the Patriots are set on early down, traditional running backs between Damien Harris and Sony Michel, James White and Rex Burkhead are both pending free agents. A third down, pass catching back is an absolute need, and it’s a solid class with guys like Duke Johnson and Jamaal Williams.

• No news on David Andrews

  Share

  Joe Thuney signing with the Chiefs didn’t come as much of a surprise, but it did put more focus on what will happen with David Andrews. The four-time captain isn’t just one of the best players in the league at his position, he also provides a valuable leadership voice on and off the field. Perhaps no news is good news, and the team is letting him test the market and will try to match the top offer. Or maybe he’s as good as gone.

• Role reversal in the AFC East

  Share

  For the last two decades, it's been the Patriots sitting on the sidelines while the other three AFC East teams dish out massive contracts. This year, it was the other way around. The Jets made a few big signings late in the day in Corey Davis and Carl Lawson, but that was just about it elsewhere in the division.
• Other teams are comfortable sitting and waiting

  Share

  While the Patriots were busy resetting their roster, the rest of the NFL seemed set with a wait-and-see approach. Of the 24 players who signed with a new team by 9:00 p.m. on Monday, seven signed with the Patriots (30 percent). There were a couple of big deals elsewhere (Thuney in KC, Bud Dupree to TEN), but the Patriots ruled the day.
  
  The question now becomes, why the pause? A down market due to the decreased salary cap? Teams not viewing the remaining free agents highly? Everybody was stuck in awe of what the Patriots were doing? Whatever the case, there’s still a number of talent left on the board, especially as big money positions such as wide receiver and offensive tackle.

MORE: NFL Free Agency tracker

Click here for 98.5 The Sports Hub’s complete coverage of the Patriots.

Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.

Sign me up for the 98.5 The Sports Hub email newsletter!

Get the latest Boston sports news and analysis, plus exclusive on-demand content and special giveaways from Boston's Home for Sports, 98.5 The Sports Hub.

First Name *

Last Name

Email *

Subscribe

By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.

Author Alex Barth

Category:

• Alex Barth
• Columns
• News
• Patriots
• Sports
• The Sports Hub

Tags:

Alex Barth,Bill Belichick,damien harris,David Andrews,davon godchaux,deatrich wise,Jalen Mills,Jonnu Smith,Kendrick Bourne,Matt Judon,Nelson Agholor,New England Patriots,NFL,nfl free agency,patriots,patriots free agency,patriots offseason 2021,rex burkhead