10 Free Agents in Patriots Wheelhouse

The Patriots are never interested in winning the offseason. During free agency they’re interested in rounding out their team so that they have no glaring needs heading into the draft. Not to say there won’t be needs still, but by mid-April the Patriots should have a 53-man roster that they could roll out there and make the playoffs. Hey, times are good.

Searching for external free agents when there are so many internal free agents to deal with can be futile. Still, there’s only a set number of players who really fit what the Patriots do, so identifying those players is a little easier.

I already took a look at five splashy signings the Pats could make. But let’s face it, splashy free agent signings are rarely their thing, unless you count signing your own players. I’m sure re-signing Dont’a Hightower, Malcolm Butler and a couple of the other significant free agent Patriots would be plenty splashy for all of us.

There are two types of external the Patriots primarily target. First, the talented but misused. You hope that some Brady and Belichick magic rubs off and all of sudden you’ve got a Rob Ninkovich, Mike Vrabel or Wes Welker or any of the other hundred or so of these guys who have helped build the dynasty, going from castoff to star.

Second, the talented vet looking for one last shot at a ring. Think Chris Long, Andre Carter, Brian Waters, even Junior Seau. Those are the guys who fly under the radar, because you just can’t know who’s willing to, as Long put it, “play for five dollars” to be in New England.

Here’s a list of 10 more free agents who jumped out at me.

1. Zach Brown – LB: Brown will draw plenty of free agent interest but he’s a three-down linebacker who could take a lot of heat off Dont’a Hightower (assuming he’s still here). He’s just 27 as well, so there could be a good value in giving him a multi-year deal.
2. Gerard Hodges – LB: Hodges had a breakout year with the 49ers, tallying 88 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions. He won’t be expensive, but his versatility against the run and pass would be a welcome addition to the linebacker corps.
3. Charles Johnson – ED: Johnson falls into the vet looking for a shot at a title category. He might be miscast as a sub end in the Patriots’ defense, a spot they’ll look to drop into coverage occasionally, but he’s an experienced vet with high character. The Pats always like guys like that.
4. John Simon – ED: Simon would likely play a role similar to Hightower in the Patriots scheme, spending time both off the ball and as a rusher. His experience with Romeo Crennel and Mike Vrabel would certainly ease a transition to New England.
5. Jared Cook – TE: With Martellus Bennett likely to test free agency, the Pats will have a big need at tight end. Cook had a better season than his 30 catches and one touchdown indicate and could be a satisfactory Bennett replacement until the Patriots get to the draft, where the position will be a priority regardless of free agency.
6. William Gholston – ED: Gholston is widely respected for his run stopping abilities, a hallmark of the Belichick defensive player requirements. Physically (6’6″, 281 pounds) he fits the Patriots perfectly and would make an excellent bookend to compliment Trey Flowers and Rob Ninkovich. His lack of gaudy sack numbers should keep his price tag now.
7. Trey Burton – TE: Burton was a target of mine when he came out in the draft. He falls into the talented but misused category. He had 37 catches in 2016 as the Eagles’ third tight end, but you wonder what the Pats could do pairing him with Brady. He’s an athletic “F” and while he won’t block like Bennett did, he could compliment Gronk in a way similar to Aaron Hernandez, another Florida Gator (gulp)…
8. Benny Cunningham – RB: The Pats had Cunningham in for a visit last offseason when he was an RFA with the Rams but did not sign him to an offer. While he’s a little redundant to James White and Dion Lewis, he still packs some good power and would compliment them well. I’d love to see what he could do in a competent offense that recognized his talent.
9. Christian Jones – LB: Jones got caught up in the Bears’ defensive changes just like Shea McClellin did. He’s played both inside and outside linebacker and can play special teams as well. He’s just the kind of reclamation project the Pats love.
10. Jermaine Gresham – TE: I think the Patriots will go after some tight end and if they wanted to make another splash like they did with Bennett last year, Gresham could be an interesting choice. He had just 37 catches and two touchdowns with the Cardinals last season, but he’s missed just seven games in his career and that kind of durability is important.