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Patriots splash the cash and sign six on the first day of FA negotiations

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Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

WHAT A DAY. – I had a feeling the Patriots, you know, might actually do something today, and boy did I underestimate. Let’s take a look at all of the moves from the first day of FA negotiations.

Signings

TE Jonnu Smith – 4-Years $50M ($31.25 Guaranteed)

WOW! – What a start, Bill and the staff went big for their first deal today, landing Jonnu Smith on a four-year contract. Since Gronk left back in 2018, the Patriots have struggled to even find an NFL-caliber player at the position. Now, they pay Smith to become the biggest patch-catching threat on the roster.

TE Depth-
Jonnu Smith
Ryan Izzo
Devin Asiasi
Dalton Keene
Matt LaCosse

WR Nelson Agholor – 2-Years $26M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92k6agbV11A

Forgetting his lackluster up and down time in Philly, Agholor comes to New England on the back of a solid 8-TD season in Las Vegas. A nice addition to the receiving ranks, not a Golladay or Smith-Schuster signing, but a solid signing for sure.

2020 Numbers- 48 REC – 896 YDS – 8 TD’s

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BREAKING- Patriots star LG Joe Thuney to sign with the Kansas City Chiefs

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Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Reported by his agent Mike McCartney, Joe Thuney will leave the Patriots and sign a mega contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Thuney signs a five-year $80M deal with the Chiefs, which he more than earned during his time in New England. He gets a life-changing payday and will go to a juggernaut team, protecting the NFL’s top QB.

I’ll remember Thuney fondly for his durability, having started all 80 games he suited up for, and someone who the team could rely on. Not forgetting his role in helping the franchise win two Super Bowls (LI & LIII).

The focus will now shift to David Andrews and whether the team can work out a deal to keep him around, this would be a huge victory for the team if they can tie him down to a new deal, especially given all of the other signings today! (Look out for my FA round-up post later on today)

BREAKING – Patriots trade OL Marcus Cannon to the Houston Texans

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Well, this isn’t a huge surprise, I thought that Cannon wouldn’t be on the roster by the time the regular season rolled around, and now, his time in New England is over as he is dealt to Houston.

This was always on the cards after the Trent Brown news came about last week, and the Patriots move quickly to find Cannon a new home and exchange picks in the process.

A good deal all around, Cannon gets a new start with a familiar face in Nick Caserio, and the Patriots upgrade their 4th, 5th, and 6th round choices in a pick swap for this year’s Draft.

On his way out, Cannon will be proud in knowing he helped the team secure three Super Bowl titles and got paid well in the process. A solid pro.

BREAKING- Patriots to re-sign ST Justin Bethel on 3-year $6M deal

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Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images

The news is rolling in today! Per Mike Reiss, the Patriots are bringing back special teams stand-out Justin Bethel on a new 3-year contract worth $6M.

Bethel was one who I wanted to keep in my previous article about who should stay with the team, whilst we await the news on Matthew Slater’s future, his counterpart of the impressive special teams unit from last year is secured for the next three seasons.

Who re-signs next?

BREAKING – Patriots to re-sign QB Cam Newton on 1-year $14M deal

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Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

First broke by Jim McBride, the Patriots are re-signing Cam Newton to a 1-year $14M contract.

Oh boy, on first thoughts, I’m not happy about this. I was more than satisfied heading into the Draft with just Stidham as the sole QB on the roster, but now, Cam is returning for a second season with the team.

Firstly, I question why the team has paid him more than his contract last year, I don’t feel he did anything to justify that, although $14M is still a low number for a starting QB. Secondly, I don’t think we’re any better off with Cam than any other veteran signing, but at least with a Mariota or a Fitzpatrick, it would have been different.

Now, first thoughts aside and thinking a little bit more about this, it still doesn’t rule out further trade/FA/Draft moves for another QB option, I think the sour taste some of us are experiencing is coming from the fact that we already know what we get with Cam, and it isn’t great.

It’s going to be an exciting next 7 days as free agency is about to drop, but man, I really don’t like this move. I really hope the team pushes big in FA interest next week, otherwise, we’re going to be in for another lackluster season.

Miguel at @PatsCap hasn’t had the chance to look at the breakdown of the contract yet either, so for all we know, it could be another incentive-laden deal.

Patriots trade with Raiders to bring back OL Trent Brown

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Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

The first major move by the Patriots this off-season, and it’s a big one, Trent Brown is back!

First broke by RapSheet this morning, the team is bringing back the giant lineman to bolster their already strong offensive front. Brown, who stands at 6’8, 380lbs, returns to New England following his one-year stint with the team back in 2018 when he helped the Patriots win their sixth Super Bowl championship.

After the Super Bowl win, Brown left in free agency and was made the highest-paid offensive lineman by the Raiders. However, he was only able to get through half of his four-year $66M contract before the trade was agreed to this week.

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Diagnosis: Free Agency Fever

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Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

With five guys on the defensive line hitting free agency, as well as let’s count, two quarterbacks, two running backs, two wide receivers, four pieces of offensive line a couple of linebackers, two cornerbacks, two safeties and a kicker (phew!) it’s no wonder we are starting to panic a little on how the Patriots are going to quell the bleeding this 2021 season. 

Sure it would seem that free agency is starting to heat up all over the NFL at the moment, with many teams struggling for cap space, there are some big cap casualties that are going to be hitting the market.

Of course not all gashes left in free agency need to be bandaged with a current NFL player, with just (at the time of writing this) 8 weeks from the draft, interest in the fresh young college talent is reaching fever pitch too.

Speculation is rife around the Patriots, and we all know a lot of that hinges on the fact that no one (well hopefully not NO ONE) knows who will be the starter at quarterback. If you go on simply signed at the moment the guy who throws the ball will either be Jarrett Stidham or Jake Dolegala……… and a lot of fans feel that’s a total flat line. Personally, my perspective is without giving him plenty of starting games, the true picture on Stid the Kid isn’t fully developed, but I know many disagree and that the very reasonable argument is if they thought he was good he would have played more…. that’s fair, still subject to argument that Cam Newton was an opportunity they just didn’t want to pass up. Ifs buts and candy and nuts I guess.

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