The Patriots spent $137 million on the opening day of free agency in an eyebrow-raising bonanza
- The New England Patriots committed over $137 million in the first 24 hours of free agency.
- The signings looked like a direct response to a lackluster 7-9 season in 2020.
- Few in the NFL world were blown away by the big money the Patriots spent.
The New England Patriots have shocked the NFL world by diving head-first into free agency.
The Patriots have long been one of the most conservative teams with offseason spending, but after a disappointing 7-9 season that saw them miss the postseason, Bill Belichick and Co. are spending big to rebuild the roster.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Patriots have guaranteed $137.5 million in contracts over the first 24 hours of free agency. According to Schefter, it's the second-highest spending total ever - and they may not be done.
Some of the more noteworthy deals include:
- Jonnu Smith, TE: 4 years, $52 million, $31 million guaranteed
- Hunter Henry, TE: 3 years, $37.5 million, $25 million guaranteed
- Matthew Judon, LB: 4 years, $56 million, $32 million guaranteed
- Nelson Agholor, WR: 2 years, $26 million
- Kendrick Bourne, WR: 4 years, $22.5 million
- Jalen Mills, DB: 4 years, $22 million, $9 million guaranteed
These signings don't include re-signing Cam Newton and trading for offensive lineman Trent Brown. The Patriots also made signings on Wednesday to fortify their defensive line.
Some believe this is a revenge campaign from Belichick
The Patriots roster has been in a state of disrepair. The Patriots had no backup plan when Tom Brady left in 2019. They signed Cam Newton, who played well to begin the season but tailed off quickly.
Their defense still had solid pieces, but key players like Dont'a Hightower and safety Brandon Chung opted out of the 2020 season.
Many noted the Patriots' recent draft history didn't look good - no team had gone longer without drafting a player that made the Pro Bowl.
The result was an ugly season that saw the Patriots eke out some wins but lose plenty of others in embarrassing fashion. The Patriots lost five games by double-digits in 2020.
This has led many in the NFL world to believe Belichick and the Patriots are engaging in a revenge campaign.
Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr wrote: "The Evil Empire is back. Belichick saw Tom Brady win a Super Bowl and got so mad he whipped a Sam Adams at an old oak tree, then called up Drew Rosenhaus and said 'I'll take one of everything on the menu because Billy's back baby.'"
The Boston Globe's Ben Volin wrote: "Monday was a fun day for Patriots fans as the team spent a wad of cash and brought new faces to Foxborough. The spending splurge brings hope that 2021 won't be a reprise of 2020 ... But Belichick had no choice. The 2020 Patriots weren't up to standards and didn't have the answers internally. So he went out and bought a new team."
As Volin noted, the signings also had a "whiff of desperation." The Patriots have drafted and developed poorly in recent years. Belichick defended his record during the 2020 season by saying the Patriots had gone all-in for so long around Brady that the roster was depleted.
The Patriots could have torn down the roster to do a proper rebuild. Instead, they've led the NFL in free agency spending in an attempt to get back in the playoff mix.
The moves don't have unanimous approval
The Patriots' free agency moves all address needs; they should help the Patriots be better in 2021.
But the NFL world also isn't falling over to compliment the Patriots' signings.
As ESPN's Bill Barnwell noted, the Patriots' free-agency signings cover up areas they have missed in the draft.
ESPN's Mina Kimes echoed Barnwell's point, noting that the Patriots committed nearly $90 million to two tight ends after drafting a tight end in the third round of the 2020 draft.
Likewise, CBS's Will Brinson noted that most other teams would be skewered if their big wide receiver signings consisted of Agholor and Bourne. Neither receiver has a 1,000-yard season under their belt. Agholor is known for having an issue with drops, yet his salary will rival the $14 million Stefon Diggs earns per season.
Judon, arguably their biggest signing, is a Pro Bowl pass rusher but was ranked just 84th of free agents by Pro Football Focus. He hasn't accrued 10 sacks in a season.
However, this is the position the Patriots are in, however - overpaying for good, but perhaps not great free agents to bolster their roster. It's a departure from how they've done business in the past, but this is, of course, an entirely new Patriots area than the past two decades.