The New England Patriots are a football team known for its sense of urgency. After the regular season, they’re typically aggressive in free agency and have made big splashes with big names like Tom Brady. But this offseason has been different from what fans might be used to seeing out of Bill Belichick and company – so far, no splashy signings or acquisitions at all..
The “espn” is a sports news website that covers the NFL and other leagues. The article discusses how the New England Patriots’ quiet start to free agency has led to speculation that they may be holding out for a trade.
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS — Quick thoughts/notes about the New England Patriots and the National Football League:
1. Rob Ninkovich’s perspective: Rob Ninkovich, who played for the Patriots from 2009 to 2016 and won two Super Bowls, now resides in New England and has been following Bill Belichick’s cautious approach to free agency with interest. He compares himself to someone who is about to leap off a diving board.
While other AFC teams such as the Raiders (Davante Adams, Chandler Jones), Bills (Von Miller), Chargers (Khalil Mack, J.C. Jackson), and Broncos (Russell Wilson) are going cannonball-style, Ninkovich defined the Patriots’ strategy in a different way.
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“They haven’t made any noise. Like a pencil, they’re straight in “With a laugh, he remarked. “It makes me scratch my brain a little. ‘What are they doing here?’ you ask. You’re seeing folks depart, but there’s nothing equivalent coming in. You didn’t get where you wanted to go last year, and now you’re wondering, “How are you going to go back there this year?””
But Ninkovich exemplifies what Belichick has long said: acquiring talent can be done in a variety of ways, including free agency, trades, and the draft, and it’s a year-round process.
Ninkovich didn’t join the Patriots until early in training camp in 2009, after being released by the New Orleans Saints, a move that former coach Sean Payton still considers one of his worst.
And that’s what Ninkovich, who is in his fourth season as an ESPN football pundit, sees as the Patriots’ best chance to improve on their 10-8 finish last year.
“Perhaps they acquire some functioning critical elements in the draft,” he speculated. “My main fear is that getting oneself ready to play at a good level in the NFL for a full 17-game season normally takes a year or two.”
One of the exceptions, according to Ninkovich, is quarterback Mac Jones, who is a bright spot in any Patriots discussion.
“With the steps he made in his first year in the NFL, you’re going into the second year with a quarterback who you have to be optimistic about. And based on what I observed of Rhamondre Stevenson’s power, explosion, and catch-and-run skills, I believe he will be one of the better, if not one of the top three, running backs in the league. That, I believe, will be a significant part of their identity “He cautioned, though, about the need to replace significant deficiencies in the offensive line.
With big-money 2021 additions Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry, Ninkovich feels the Patriots might benefit from using more two-tight-end setups. Surprisingly, this was not a large component of the strategy previous season.
In terms of defense, Ninkovich emphasizes his previous position.
“What they do at linebacker will have a significant impact. They had a tougher difficulty when they faced quick teams or teams with a big catch-and-run player out of the backfield because they are bigger-bodied men who have always wanted to be more physical “he said
“The game is evolving at a breakneck pace, and it’s softer than it’s ever been. As a result, you may be able to get away with a lighter linebacker corps while still playing strong, competitive football.”
And, of course, Jackson’s departure leaves a significant void at cornerback to fill.
That’s a lot of uncertainty at a crucial moment for the franchise, according to Ninkovich.
“I believe this is a critical, critical, critical offseason for them to stay up,” he added.
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3. Draft chips: The Patriots have seven selections in this year’s draft (one in each of the first five rounds and two in the sixth), and given their early start to free agency, I believe Belichick will be encouraged to trade down and acquire additional chips. Daniel Jeremiah, a draft analyst for NFL Network, described it as “awesome.” “It’s a great depth draft, particularly in the second, third, and fourth rounds. There’s a lot of starters and a lot of talent.”
4. Jonnu for Jakob: Last season, fullback Jakob Johnson played 27.9% of the plays, while tight end Jonnu Smith played 46.8%. That’s not enough for Smith, who inked a four-year, $50 million deal with a guaranteed $31.25 million. With Johnson joining the Raiders, it would make sense for Smith to take on some of Johnson’s responsibilities, despite the fact that their playing styles are so unlike. The Patriots could have easily re-signed Johnson (whose contract contained a minimum salary of $200,000 with just $200,000 guaranteed), and their unwillingness to do so brings us back to the concept of getting more out of Smith as a complement to Henry (68.5 percent playing time). As a result, it wouldn’t be surprising if the conventional fullback isn’t as important in 2022.
5. Cash for Karras: The Patriots’ signing of center/guard Ted Karras to a three-year, $18 million contract with the Bengals exemplified the team’s financial discipline, which has been a hallmark of Belichick’s approach. Karras earned $3 million in 2021, and New England has offered him a contract for an average of $5 million this summer. With Karras due to make $7 million in 2022, the Bengals pushed the market beyond the Patriots’ comfort zone, and Belichick walked away, despite the fact that the offensive line is now a major necessity.
6. Trent Brown’s status: Unlike Karras, the Patriots didn’t appear to put much effort into re-signing tackle Trent Brown, despite the offensive line’s uncertainty. Brown’s recent injury history loomed big in my mind, so any return would have had to be on a market-friendly contract.
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9. Punt protection turnover: The Patriots’ punt protection unit includes running back Brandon Bolden, snapper Joe Cardona, Johnson, personal protector Cody Davis, and linebackers Jamie Collins, Jahlani Tavai, Kyle Van Noy, and Brandon King the previous time they played a game. Only Tavai, Cardona, and Davis remain on the roster, and Tavai may not be available when it matters most.
In 2021, the Patriots had three punts blocked as part of an overall special teams performance that fell well short of expectations, and the squad is undergoing an offseason renovation. Another punt-pro contributor, linebacker Chase Winovich, was also moved.
Returning coordinator Cam Achord has pinpointed the unit’s weaknesses from 2021, according to longtime special teams captain Matthew Slater “It’s all about the little stuff: technique, footwork, and communication. I believe we’re all sure that we’ll be able to solve that problem.”
Mack Wilson, a new linebacker, seems to be one such acquisition. The Patriots are hoping Wilson can make an impact on defense like he did as a rookie in Cleveland in 2019, but he should be a force in the kicking game at the very least.
Did you know that? The Patriots have selected in that spot six times, with their best selection being No. 21 overall. It is tied for the most often placement among the top 32 choices with No. 32. OLB Chandler Jones (Syracuse, 2012), RB Laurence Maroney (Minnesota, 2006), DT Vince Wilfork (Miami, 2004), TE Daniel Graham (Colorado, 2002), S Tim Fox (Ohio State, 1976), DB John Charles (Miami, 2004), DT Vince Wilfork (Miami, 2004), TE Daniel Graham (Colorado, 2002), S Tim Fox (Ohio State, 1976), DB John Charles (Purdue, 1967).
The “nfl offseason moves 2021” is the beginning of the NFL offseason, which means that teams are now allowed to sign players in free agency. The Patriots have been quiet so far this offseason, but they still have a lot of work to do.
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