(Photo By Shealah Craighead)
With the frantic first week of free agency winding down, it’s time to consider the Patriots’ additions and departures as the team looks to construct its roster for the 2018 season.
A music critic would never judge a song after hearing only the chorus, and an art critic would never look over the artist’s shoulder while he was still in the midst of his creative process. Similarly, I have no intention of grading the Patriots’ offseason as a whole before the draft, especially considering that the Patriots have a great set of picks this year. However, we can still take a look at the additions and departures for the Patriots thus far without levying a final grade.
In the “additions” section, I am including players that were both signed and traded for, while the “departures” section will not include any players that were released (such as Martellus Bennett or Shea McClellin). I am also omitting re-signings such as Rex Burkhead and Brandon Bolden.
Additions:
So far, the Patriots have added DT Danny Shelton, DE Adrian Clayborn, RB Jeremy Hill, CB Jason McCourty, WR Cordarrelle Patterson, and OT Matt Tobin. Unlike last offseason, in which the Patriots signed Stephon Gilmore to a lucrative long-term deal, the Patriots have not committed a large amount of money to any free agent addition this year. Instead, the team has been conservative, protecting its future cap room and refusing to overpay for talent that Belichick feels is replaceable. Trade acquisitions Shelton, McCourty, and Patterson will all play under very affordable contracts, and Adrian Clayborn is the only signing who will receive as much as $5 million annually.
Shelton and Clayborn are both talented players--Shelton a first round talent and Clayborn coming off a 9.5 sack season-- who will provide much needed depth and ability to the front seven. Shelton should help in the run game, and Clayborn should add a little more bite to the pass rush; expect this weakness to be addressed early in the draft as well. Jason McCourty will be reunited with twin brother Devin and will help replace Malcolm Butler, while Matt Tobin is a tackle with good size and decent experience who will serve as insurance if the team can’t find a better replacement for Nate Solder. Patterson should take over Amendola’s returning duties while also finding a new role as an all-around special teamer, and Hill will have an opportunity to serve as the team’s “3 yards and a cloud of dust” back. I actually highlighted Hill as a free agent target a few weeks ago, and his talent is certainly intriguing.
At the end of the day, some of the best additions for the Patriots will actually be players who are returning from injury, like Julian Edelman, Dont’a Hightower, Marcus Cannon, and Derek Rivers.
Departures:
The Patriots have lost OT Nate Solder, WR Danny Amendola, CB Malcolm Butler, RB Dion Lewis, and CB Johnson Bademosi. Butler was gone the second the Super Bowl went down the way it did (more on Butler here), and I say good riddance to Bademosi after Nick Foles and the Eagles receiving corps humiliated him consistently in the big game. Dion Lewis feels expendable given that the team has James White and Rex Burkhead (who have similar skill sets), so his departure is unsurprising and replaceable.
The two departures that hurt are Nate Solder and Danny Amendola. It’s hard to forget postseason heroics, especially in the Super Bowl. Danny’s touchdown in the 4th quarter of Super Bowl 49 and his touchdown and 2-point conversion in the historic Super Bowl 51 comeback are immortalized in legend, and his valiant efforts in the ultimately fruitless 2017 postseason will be remembered fondly as well. Clutchness aside, the team is well-equipped to deal with the loss of Amendola given its stable of receivers that will include Julian Edelman, Brandin Cooks, Chris Hogan, and Malcolm Mitchell. From a practical standpoint, Solder’s departure will be the hardest to replace. Reliable tackle play is hard to find in the NFL, and the Patriots are left with only one sure-fire starter with Marcus Cannon. Expect the team to shore up this weakness in the draft as well.
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