The New England Patriots are in the middle of what could be an offseason that changes the franchise. Immediately after Bill Belichick and his company were ousted from the playoffs at the hands of the Tennessee Titans, attention quickly shifted to quarterback Tom Brady and his status as an imminent free agent, which is expected to start in the next weeks. For the first time in 20 years in the NFL, Brady will have the opportunity to speak with other teams in the league about a future that does not involve the Patriots.
It will undoubtedly be the first major domino to fall for New England, which will have the chance to woo Brady at Foxborough for the rest of his football days. That said, they will have to put serious weapons around him to make sure he wears the Patriots’ uniform throughout his career. While Brady’s free agency will be priority # 1, there are a number of other free agents that it will be important for the Patriots to retain. Devin McCourty, longtime captain for safety and the Patriots, is just one of the names entering the open market during the off season.
When it comes to coaching staff, we’ve already seen some turnover as the special teams coordinator Joe Judge, elected to serve as head coach of the New York Giants. The good news for the Patriots, however, is that they were able to retain offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels once again and signed player personnel manager Nick Caserio for a contract extension, keeping the main pillars of the banner intact. Masthead.
As we cross the offseason, this hub will serve as a starting point for everything related to the Patriots. We will have all the important dates, free agency dashboards, content project, the latest rumors and news about New England, and much more. Before we get into the staff, let’s take a look at the dates needed for the offseason.
Key dates to come
- February 25 to March 2: The NFL Combine takes place. There will undoubtedly be a large number of Patriots assessors in Indianapolis throughout the combine, including head coach Bill Belichick.
- March 10: Deadline for NFL teams to place the franchise or transition label on a player. New England rarely uses the franchise label, the last time in 2015 with kicker Stephen Gostkowski. Even this label was simply a placeholder for his long-term agreement with the club. Prior to that, the Patriots placed it on the Wes Welker receiver in 2012. Although this is rare, it does not mean that Belichick will not use it this off-season if deemed necessary. The only player he can’t franchise or tag on is Tom Brady because of the language of his contract.
- March 16: The NFL legal forgery period begins. Free agency may not start for a few days, but it is a time when teams can contact and start contract negotiations with players. It will be an important time for the Patriots as they will really start to see their competition in their attempt to re-sign Tom Brady. The Chargers and Raiders would be interested, but this period will give them the opportunity to speak to him.
- March 18: The new championship year officially begins at 4 p.m. AND. Free agent signatures in the NFL will be flagged before that, but they won’t become official until 4 p.m. AND March 18. As far as Brady’s free agency is concerned, the start of the new league year is important for the Patriots’ ceiling situation. If Brady is not renewed at this stage, New England will be hit by the full ceiling of $ 13.5 million reached in 2020 which remains on Brady’s existing agreement, which would naturally hinder them from trying to recruit talents across the list.
- March 29 to April 1: The annual NFL meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, takes place. This is an opportunity for fans to potentially hear owner Robert Kraft on the latest events surrounding the team and the league as a whole.
- Half April: The NFL will release the 2020 regular season schedule.
- April 23 to April 25: The NFL draft takes place in Las Vegas. New England’s first selection in the first round is 23rd.
- April 27: NFL teams may request permission to visit, try out or sign any player who has an XFL contract at the end of the XFL season.
- May 1 to May 4: Teams can organize their rookie mini-camp three days after the draft from Friday to Sunday or from Saturday to Monday.
* The Patriots will also organize OTAs and a mandatory mini-camp for several weeks in June, followed by a break of approximately six weeks before the start of training camp in late July. Final dates to be determined.
Free agent dashboard
Restricted free agents:
Adam Butler, defensive tackle
Jermaine Eluemunor, guard
Keionta Davis, defensive end
Adam Butler is the restricted free agent to keep an eye on this trio. The former undrafted defensive tackle from Vanderbilt has turned into a solid player in rotation in the top seven of New England and has shown his ability to rush the smuggler. He finished the 2019 season with six sacks, nine quarterback hits and 26 tackles in total in 16 games played (two starts). He will undoubtedly be a player the Patriots will try to keep in mind given the turnover they could see through defense. As for Eluemunor, the Patriots acquired the offensive lineman and a sixth round pick in a trade with the Ravens in exchange for a fourth round pick in 2020. He was really just an element of depth along of an offensive line that saw injuries touching the interior, the center of departure David Andrews missing all the year. Meanwhile, Keionta Davis was placed in the injured reserve over the summer and missed the 2019 season. The undrafted defensive side has the physical attributes (6 feet 3 inches, 280 pounds) to be an intriguing prospect for New England in the future and played well in preseason last year before landing on IR.
* Restricted Free Agents will need to be submitted by New England to be listed in 2020. The Patriots may assign a number of different offers to their Restricted Free Agents (initial RFP, RFP) second round offers, first round tender, etc.). Each offer is accompanied by a higher 2020 salary. These figures have not yet been determined by the NFL.
Unrestricted internal free agents
Tom Brady, quarterback
Devin McCourty, security
Kyle Van Noy, linebacker
Matthew Slater, wide catcher / shooter
Phillip Dorsett, wide receiver
Nate Ebner, security / task force
Jamie Collins, linebacker
Danny Shelton, defensive tackle
Nick Folk, kicker
Marshall Newhouse, right tackle
Joe Thuney, left guard
Shilique Calhoun, linebacker
James Ferentz, center
Ted Karras, center
Elandon Roberts, linebacker
Tom Brady is the straw stirring the glass of the Patriots’ free agent this off-season. In fact, he is such an important free agent that we have a whole Tom Brady Free Agent Hub to keep track of recent events with him. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand why he’s such an important figure for the Patriots this offseason, so we won’t dive too deep into TB12 here. Instead, let’s take a look at a few other big names that are worth watching.
Defensively, Devin McCourty has already announced that he has no plans to retire, which now opens the possibility for the long-secure Patriots to leave Foxborough and join a new club for the first time in his career. Even at 32, McCourty still has the ability to be a high performance goalie in the NFL. He had five interceptions last season (most since 2012) and had 58 tackles for a defense that resulted in the second fewest yards in 2019. Kyle Van Noy is another name to watch as he is ready to hit without restriction also. . Linebacker, who had a 6.5-bag career bag last season, said CBS Sports HQ before Super Bowl LIV that he would like to stay with the Patriots. That said, its market will likely be robust, so it could cost New England a good cent to keep it. Jamie Collins, however, may well be the easiest linebacker to sign, as the veteran already knows that grass isn’t always greener beyond Foxborough and had a solid season in 2019, starting his second term with the club.
On the attacking side of the ball, left goalkeeper Joe Thuney is the big name unnamed Tom Brady. He is likely to see a marketing agreement this offseason as he has been an absolute stallion for the Patriots indoors since his draft in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. With his impending hot market in mind, it seems unlikely that a return to New England is in the cards given their ceiling situation.
Unrestricted free agent signatures of other teams
To be determined
Free agent signatures for players cut by other teams
To be determined
* It is important to differentiate between players signed as unrestricted free agents and those signed after being eliminated by another team. This is true because players who are signed after being released by another team do not count towards the compensatory project selection formula for the team that signs them.
2020 NFL Draft Pick:
- Tour 1: New England
- Round 2: None
- Tour 3: New England
- Round 4: Chicago
- Round 5: None
- Tour 6: Denver, Baltimore, Houston
- Round 7: Seattle, Atlanta, Philadelphia
* The Patriots are also expected to win two third and two sixth round picks thanks to the compensatory formula, according to Over The Cap. It’s thanks to the loss of Trey Flowers, Trent Brown, Cordarrelle Patterson and Malcom Brown in free agency a year ago. No official word has yet been said on these compensatory choices.
Rumors, reports and updates
Sanu needs surgery out of season
Friday February 28: ESPN Adam Schefter reported that wide receiver Mohamed Sanu will require surgery on a high ankle sprain he suffered in the middle of the 2019 season. The injury has not yet healed this off-season, the camp of the catcher chose to go under the knife. The timetable for his recovery was not released immediately. ESPN’s Mike Reiss added to that, noting that Sanu had originally suffered an injury against the Eagles, his third game with the club since he was acquired as part of a deal with the Falcons. The 30-year-old is hired for the 2020 season, but the Patriots could withdraw $ 6.5 million from their cap if they chose to cut the bait with him now.
CBA Could Be Blocked In Brady’s Talks
Thursday, February, 27: While there has been bad news regarding Tom Brady’s possible return to New England, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that CBA discussions could be what is preventing the Patriots from hiring iconic quarterback in contract talks. Because they don’t know the specific rules of how they can build a contract, this limits Bill Belichick in what he and Brady can discuss. We detail how a new CBA could really benefit the Patriots in their attempts to re-sign with New England in this story here.
Minimal discussions with Kyle Van Noy
Thursday, February 27: There were “minimal discussions” between the Patriots and the linebacker Kyle Van Noy, according to Henry McKenna of Patriots Wire, and the two sides have no meeting scheduled this week to discuss an extension. Van Noy has previously noted that he would like to stay with the Patriots, but he will likely be a much sought after product in the free agent market and could justify a size contract that may be too rich for New England blood.
Patriots could lose two linemen from the inside
Thursday, February 27: The buzz around the NFL scouting combines, Mark Daniels reports from the Providence Journal, is that the Patriots starting the left guard and the future unrestricted free agent Joe Thuney “could establish the guard market”. This was to be expected for Thuney, who has been a New England anchor on the left side since joining the league in 2016. Not only can the Patriots lose Thuney, but Daniels takes over as Ted Karras, who showed the ability to play center and guard, will also have a strong market this offseason.
Phillip Dorsett and the Patriots to meet
Thursday, February 27: New England to meet Phillip Dorsett wide receiver over possible extension, says Henry McKenna of Patriots Wire. While the two sides are expected to meet, McKenna reports that it is “likely” that Dorsett will test free will. Dorsett, who signed a one-year contract with the Patriots last season, saw irregular representatives in 2019 and was sometimes buried in the depth chart. If he is looking for more opportunities to exploit his potential in the first round, it may not be in Foxborough.
Pats has been in contact with Jamie Collins
Thursday February 27: Doug Kyed of NESN reports that the Patriots “had contact” with linebacker Jamie Collins. The ABC should be determined before the talks escalate, but Collins should have a solid market. The 30-year-old experienced a resurgence during his second visit to the Patriots in 2019, totaling seven sacks and three interceptions, a career record, with 81 tackles and three forced fumbles.
Stidham trains in California
Thursday, February 27: Much attention is rightly paid to the free agent status of Tom Brady, but, if the quarterback leaves New England, it could be second-year flagman Jarrett Stidham aligned below the center. He was in California with Carson Palmer’s brother Jordan Palmer and current quarterback coach for consensus number one choice Joe Burrow. When Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald asked Stidham’s agent Brian Murphy if he would be willing to resume the Pats offense, he said, “I think he will be fine. He will keep his mouth shut and work as hard as ‘he can and will do what they tell him. “
Mutual interest between Patriots and McCourty
Thursday, February 27: Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal reports there is a mutual interest between the Patriots and Devin McCourty for security to be renewed with the club. Daniels relayed that “it seems that the two will meet soon to talk about an extension”. McCourty, 32, is expected to be an unrestricted free agent this season and will likely have a solid market after totaling five interceptions last season. Doug Kyed from NESN names the Dolphins, Lions and Giants as possible non-patriotic destinations for McCourty, which makes sense given the Foxborough ties each head coach has with the organization.
Patriots have yet to speak with Tom Brady
Thursday, February 27: According to Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald, the Patriots still haven’t reached out to Brady on the possibility of re-signing with the club. She adds that a source noted: “it’s not going well”. In addition to Guregian’s report, Jeff Darlington of ESPN noted on Get up! Thursday he would be “stunned if Brady returns to New England”. Darlington, who steadfastly said that Brady is unlikely to return to the Patriots this off-season, also quoted people “very close” to Tom Brady as the quarterback says a comeback “will not happen “.
Patriots to meet NFL agent Tom Brady
Tuesday, February 25: The Patriots brass is about to meet Tom Brady’s agent Don Yee at the NFL Scouting Combine, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Boston Herald Karen Guregian adds to this report “the feeling is that it could be a” starting point “for a real dialogue on an upcoming contract for Brady, who strikes the free agency on March 18.” The Patriots will however have some competition for Brady because The Boston Globe reports the Chargers, Buccaneers and Raiders are the teams that continue to be elevated as the most likely destinations for Brady outside of New England.
Patriots Interested in the Hayden Hurst TE Ravens?
Tuesday, February 25: Florida Times-Union Eugene Frennette reported on Monday that the Patriots and jaguars study drafts for Hurst, who would have liked to be able to get more involved in the passing game. Given that Mark Andrews is above him on the tight depth chart in Baltimore, it makes sense that he wants to get out. Since this initial report, Jeff Howe of The Athletic supports him by relaying “there is a real chance” that the Ravens move Hurst. However, it is unclear to what extent the Patriots are involved. For what it’s worth, New England was tied to Hurst before the 2018 NFL Draft.
Dante Scarnecchia, recently retired, still helps Patriots recruit for NFL
Monday, February 24: Earlier this off-season, longtime Patriots coach Dante Scarnecchia announced that he would retire from the NFL. Although the 72-year-old turns away from training, it looks like he will still help New England as Ben Volin of the Boston Globe Scarnecchia attends the NFL Combine on behalf of the Patriots. He helped spot the Patriots’ offensive linemen during his first retirement after the 2013 season, so it’s not a new concept for New England. Scarnecchia is considered one of the best offensive line coaches in NFL history, so he certainly has a precious eye.
Danny Shelton changes agent
Thursday February 20: Before entering the defensive forward of the free agency Danny Shelton elected to change agency and now be represented by powerful NFL agent Drew Rosenhaus. Shelton has just had the best year of his career in 2019 and Rosenhaus is known for making his customers pay, so it looks like the veteran defensive tackle is looking to take big on this offseason.
No free agency visit from coast to coast for Tom Brady
Monday February 17: According to Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston, Tom Brady “try to organize meetings in one place instead of creating a circus“This should help Brady make a quick decision about his future in the NFL, which, in turn, would help the Patriots because they would know if he was in the fold for 2020 or if they should potentially chase his successor into the free agent or the commercial market.