We continue the Patriots biggest needs series highlighting the safety position. With Devin McCourty retiring on Friday, safety now becomes a priority position in free agency and the draft. Replacing McCourty is virtually impossible but the Patriots are well positioned to address the position in both free agency and the the draft. They have $32 million dollars in cap space and the 14th and 46th pick in the first two…
Image courtesy of USA Today The Patriots have released punter Jake Bailey, seven months after giving him a contract extension. The news is not surprising given the fact that Bailey was suspended to end the 2022 season after filing a grievance against the team for how they handled his back injury. After an all-pro season in 2020, Bailey began to decline the past two seasons. So the question now is,…
Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images Devin McCourty announced his retirement on Friday after 13 seasons with the Patriots. McCourty won three Super Bowls and was a two-time Pro Bowler. McCourty’s loss on the field will be felt. During his career he intercepted 35 passes and was one of the best free safeties in the game. Perhaps McCourty’s greatest contribution in recent years however was his leadership as he became one…
The Patriots were awarded two compensatory picks yesterday by the NFL. They picked up a third 4th round pick (#135) and an additional 6th round pick (#210). They were given the picks after losing cornerback J.C Jackson and offensive lineman Ted Karras in free agency last off-season. Here are the Patriots up to date draft picks. They now have a total of ten picks in April’s draft. Round 1, Pick…
The Patriots have several significant needs this offseason and the New England Football Journal is breaking down each one. This installment is about wide receiver, a position that has some strong internal candidates, but could use an addition in at least one key spot. At present, the Patriots receiving corps consists of Kendrick Bourne, DeVante Parker, Tyquan Thornton and practice squad receiver Raleigh Webb. Matthew Slater is listed as a…
One could argue that cornerback is perhaps the Patriots biggest need this off-season. With Jonathan Jones and JoeJuan Williams free agents, the Patriots currently have Marcus Jones, Jack Jones, Jalen Mills and Shaun Wade on the roster. Myles Bryant is a restricted free agent. The Patriots need a true boundary corner. A player with length that can cover X receivers on the backside. With just under $32 million to play…
The Patriots have several significant needs this offseason and the New England Football Journal is breaking down each one. This installment is about cornerback, a position that has traditionally been strong for New England but that currently has a missing piece. The Patriots have a strong defensive back group overall. Kyle Dugger is an emerging star at safety and Jack Jones and Marcus Jones made an impact as rookies. If……
The Patriots have a glaring need at offensive tackle. I still maintain cornerback is a bigger need but they need to address both the left and right tackle spots. The Patriots currently have Trent Brown, Conor McDermott and Andrew Stueber under contract on the active roster. The only other offensive lineman who could play tackle is Michael Onwenu. With Isaiah Wynn and Yodny Cajuste free agents, the Patriots are fully……
The Patriots have several significant needs this offseason and the New England Football Journal is breaking down each one. This installment is arguably about the biggest need of all: offensive tackle. The Patriots offensive line was wildly inconsistent in 2022. New England had a sack rate of 7.06%, which was 19th in the NFL. Rhamondre Stevenson is a star, but he often did not have sizable running lanes and had…
The Patriots have decided not to place the franchise tag on any of their unrestricted free agents. They are letting them hit the open market when free agency opens on Monday. The most notable free agents include wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, cornerback Jonathan Jones, offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn and running back Damien Harris. All four of these players were developed by the Patriots. The team is reportedly interested in bringing…