A Brief History of Patriots Free Agents Who Left

It’s going to be a fascinating March for the Patriots. With a number of significant free agents, the 2017 Patriots will likely look significantly different from the Super Bowl 51-winning version, especially on defense.

Each free agency period with the Patriots is a roller coaster. Guys we love often walk a year too soon, but the Patriots know how to make moves that also keep the fan base satisfied while also keeping the team from getting stale.

Over the years there haven’t been a ton of mistakes made by Bill Belichick when it comes to letting players walk. Plenty lamented the departures of Wes Welker, Vince Wilfork and Darrelle Revis in recent years, but all turned out to be the correct moves, even if those players might’ve been useful the year after they left.

Let’s take a look at some of the players that Belichick got rid of or didn’t re-sign and what kind of success they went on to outside of New England.

Here’s a list of some notable Patriots players who walked early and how it ended up for them. This doesn’t include the end-of-the-liners like Welker and Wilfork, and obviously we all know what a mistake giving Revis the keys to the city would’ve been.

Probably Could’ve Helped, But Oh Well

• Asante Samuel – played out his rookie deal then under the franchise tag in 2007. Signed a six-year, $57 million deal with the Eagles, giving them three solid years (20 interception) before he began to decline. He finished the last two years of his career in Atlanta. Verdict: Pats were never giving him $20 million guaranteed, but he could’ve helped bridge the gap during the defensive reset of 2008/2009. Certainly could’ve used him in 2010 when the Pats had one of the worst pass defenses in the league.
• Richard Seymour – played eight great seasons in New England, was traded over Labor Day Weekend in 2009 in one of the most shocking moves of the Belichick regime, garnering a first-round pick that would turn into left tackle Nate Solder. Seymour played four seasons in Oakland, putting up 18.5 sacks but never reaching the level of dominance he had in New England. Verdict: It’s hard to imagine how the Pats win their last two Super Bowls without Solder. Not having Seymour certainly hurt in 2009 and 2010, but it’s hard to say how much difference he would’ve made for those two defenses.
• Deion Branch – Branch had immediate synergy with Tom Brady, culminating in his Super Bowl 39 MVP performance. Branch held out in 2006’s training camp, prompting a trade to the Seahawks for a first-round pick, which ended up being Brandon Meriweather. Branch never topped 50 catches in his four-plus seasons in Seattle before returning to New England. Verdict: It’s not too much of a stretch to say the Patriots would’ve won Super Bowl 41 if they had made it work with Branch. They came within a second-half meltdown in Indy from going back to the Super Bowl against Rex Grossman and the Bears, who they had already beaten once. Of all these, Branch hurts the most.

Right Call

• Darius Butler – The Patriots gave Butler just two seasons after taking him in the second round. That was surprising, especially with how bad their secondary was in 2011 when they released him at the end of training camp. After one year in Carolina, Butler found a home in Indy where he’s been with the Colts since 2012. Verdict: Butler has been a solid average pro, but clearly didn’t match the direction the Patriots wanted to go in the secondary.
• David Givens – Givens signed a five-year, $24 million deal with the Titans in 2006 after breaking the Patriots record for playoff receptions. Givens tore his ACL early in the 2006 season and complications from that injury would force him into retirement. Verdict: Unfortunate injury case that makes it look okay for the Pats, but they sure could’ve used a healthy Givens in 2006.
• Ellis Hobbs – Hobbs started for four years in New England, but might’ve been best known for helplessly watching Plaxico Burress catch the Super Bowl 42-winning touchdown. The Patriots surprisingly traded Hobbs in spring 2009 as he was entering the final year of his rookie deal for two fifth-round picks. Hobbs would last just two seasons in Philly before injuries forced an early end to his career. Verdict: Hobbs probably wouldn’t have helped that much in 2009, and it’s doubtful the Pats would’ve re-signed him in 2010, when they probably could’ve used him. He’s a curious case, his durability kept him in the Patriots lineup but overall they didn’t seem that enamored with the undersized corner.
• Laurence Maroney – Maroney is one of the stranger case studies. He was, in spurts, dominant (see 2007 AFC Championship), but his injuries and inconsistency seemed to drive Belichick bonkers. Maroney made the team in 2010, but another injury popped up and Belichick traded him to Josh McDaniels in Denver for a fourth-round pick. Verdict: Benjarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead made the 2010 rushing attack just fine without Maroney.
• Brandon Meriweather – Meriweather is another defensive back sent packing a year before his contract expired. He went on to start 40 more games for three other teams, but was better known for his headshots than anything else. Verdict: The Patriots got killed through the air in 2010, Meriweather would’ve helped, but it’s easy to see why the Pats wanted to move on to someone more in the Devin McCourty mold.

Surprises

• Jeremy Mincey – The Patriots drafted Mincey in the sixth round of the 2006 draft but cut him at the end of training camp. He caught on with the Jaguars and put together a nice career, including 26 sacks. Mincey is one of the rare times the Pats cut someone who went on to have some success. Verdict: Mincey didn’t fit the scheme in 2006, but the Pats sure could’ve used him in 2010 and 2011 when he put up 13 combined sacks. He would’ve fit the scheme at that point too.
• Ted Larsen – The Patriots drafted Larsen in the sixth round of the 2010 draft but cut him at the end of training camp. Tampa picked him up and he’s gone on to a solid career with 65 career starts with three teams. Verdict: Had the timing been different Larsen might’ve stuck in New England, but he arrived behind Mankins and Neal and that lineup was near-impossible to crack.

Jury’s Still Out

• Tavon Wilson – Wilson followed former Patriot Bob Quinn to Detroit on a two-year deal and he ended up starting 14 games with two interceptions with 87 tackles. Wilson was buried on the safety depth chart in New England, but certainly had his issues when he was thrust into a starting role in 2012 (see the Seahawks game). Verdict: Wilson’s success was a bit surprising, we’ll see if he can maintain it, but the Patriots are well-stocked at safety for the foreseeable future.
• Shane Vereen – Vereen left the Pats in 2015, signing with the Giants on a three-year, $12.75 million deal. He had career highs in receptions, yards and touchdowns in 2015, but his 2016 was marred with injury issues, including lingering triceps injury that landed him on IR after playing just five games. Verdict: Pats could’ve definitely used Vereen in 2015 after injuries leveled their running backs. He enters the last year of his contract with the Giants facing a make-or-break year.

 

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Outside of Deion Branch, it’s hard to really find fault with most of the decisions. That’s the only one that really felt like it came back to bite the Patriots in the ass and truly cost them a Super Bowl. Had Branch been there in 2006 the Patriots likely could’ve gotten that one last score they needed in Indy, and there’s little doubt they would’ve handled the Bears. His performance in 2010 when he returned only cemented what he might’ve meant to the Pats while he was gone. Imagine him with Moss and Welker in 2007, or even better, imagine how much he would’ve helped the stale 2009 Patriots offense.

The only other interesting time frame to look at is 2009-2011. The Patriots allowed their secondary to be taken apart during that time. They let Asante walk, traded Hobbs, and jettisoned Eugene Wilson (2008), James Sanders (2011) and Randall Gay (2008). Combine that with the retirement of Rodney Harrison in 2009 and they lost all continuity they had been building since 2004.

None of these guys would’ve given the Pats another Super Bowl by themselves, but the Patriots pass defense of 2010 and 2011 was epically bad. Maybe one or two of them could’ve gotten them past the Jets in 2010 or helped make that last needed stop in Super Bowl 46. Instead the secondary was a patchwork combination of guys like McCourty playing out of position and street free agents like Sterling Moore.