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2020 NFL free agency tracker: Patriots rumors, news, signings, instant analysis

Related: Patriots free agency hub

By Bernd Buchmasser and Oliver Thomas Updated

On March 18, the NFL’s new league year will officially begin and with it the 2020 free agency period. The New England Patriots project to be rather busy given a) their lengthy list of players headed for the open market and, b) the ever-present need to infuse youth and talent into a roster that failed to defend its Super Bowl title during the 2019 season. Expect quite a lot to be going on the next few days as reports will start to come in.

Especially after the legal tampering window opens on Monday, March 16, things will start to heat up around the league — and in order to not get lost, we have created this tracker to keep you up-to-date on all the latest developments, rumors and news.

Patriots unrestricted free agents

QB Tom Brady: Profile | Status: Signed by Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-year, $50MM)

LB Shilique Calhoun: Profile | Status: Re-signed

LB Jamie Collins Sr: Profile | Status: Signed by Detroit Lions (3-year, $30MM)

WR Phillip Dorsett II: Profile | Status: Signed by Seattle Seahawks (1-year)

SS Nate Ebner: Profile | Status: Signed by New York Giants (1-year, $2MM)

OG James Ferentz: Profile | Status: TBD

K Nick Folk: Profile | Status: TBD

OC Ted Karras: Profile | Status: Signed by Miami Dolphins (1-year, $4MM)

FS Devin McCourty: Profile | Status: Signed to 2-year, $23MM extension

OT Marshall Newhouse: Profile | Status: TBD

LB Elandon Roberts: Profile | Status: Signed by Miami Dolphins (1-year, $2MM)

DT Danny Shelton: Profile | Status: Signed by Detroit Lions (2-year, $8MM)

WR Matthew Slater: Profile | Status: Signed to 2-year, $5.3MM extension

OG Joe Thuney: Profile | Status: Franchise-tagged

LB Kyle Van Noy: Profile | Status: Signed by Miami Dolphins (4-year, $51MM)

TE Benjamin Watson: Profile | Status: Retired

Patriots restricted free agents

DT Adam Butler: Profile | Status: Tendered at second-round level

OG Jermaine Eluemunor: Profile | Status: Tendered at original-round level

Patriots exclusive rights free agents

DE Keionta Davis: Profile | Status: Re-signed

Patriots acquisitions

CB Lenzy Pipkins: Signed to 1-year, $665K free agency contract

WR Damiere Byrd: Signed to 1-year, $1.35MM free agency contract

DT Beau Allen: Signed to 2-year, $7MM free agency contract

SS Adrian Phillips: Signed to 2-year, $7.5MM free agency contract

FB Danny Vitale: Signed to 1-year, $1.3MM free agency contract

QB Brian Hoyer: Signed to 1-year, $1.05 million free agency contract

LB Brandon Copeland: Signed to 1-year, $1.05MM free agency contract

SS Cody Davis: Signed to 1-year, $1.5MM free agency contract

News and rumors

April 1

  • PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: The Patriots are reportedly releasing Cody Kessler, leaving the quarterback depth chart with two. (link)

March 24

  • PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England has re-signed outside linebacker and core special-teamer Shilique Calhoun. (link)
  • Patriots free agent wide receiver Phillip Dorsett has reportedly signed a one-year deal in Seattle. (link)

March 23

  • PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England has released its long-time kicker, Stephen Gostkowski. (link)
  • PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England has signed veteran safety/special teamer Cody Davis, according to his agent. He will add depth to a kicking game unit that lost Nate Ebner in free agency. (link)
  • PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: The Patriots are reportedly releasing kicker and all-time scoring leader Stephen Gostkowski, whose tenure dates back to 2006. (link)

March 22

  • PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: The Patriots are reportedly bringing Brian Hoyer back to the quarterback room, and signing recent New York Jets outside linebacker Brandon Copeland. (link)

March 21

  • Recently released Brian Hoyer is reportedly open to re-joining the Patriots as a backup quarterback. (link)

March 20

  • Potential Patriots free agency target Emmanuel Sanders has joined the New Orleans Saints. (link)
  • PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England is signing fullback Danny Vitale. (link)
  • Tom Brady’s deal in Tampa Bay is reportedly for two years and an estimated $60 million. (link)
  • Tom Brady has officially signed a deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (link)

March 19

  • PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England has reportedly signed former All-Pro safety Adrian Phillips, previously a member of the Los Angeles Chargers. (link)
  • New England is still “showing interest” in Phillip Dorsett. (link)
  • Joe Thuney has officially signed his franchise tag tender sheet. (link)
  • Details from the Duron Harmon trade have been reported: New England has sent the veteran safety and a seventh-round draft pick (No. 235) to the Detroit Lions for a fifth-round selection (No. 172). (link)
  • Patriots special teamer Nate Ebner is reportedly set to join the New York Giants, a team led by former New England kicking game coach Joe Judge. (link)

March 18

  • PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: The Patriots are reportedly signing former Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers nose tackle Beau Allen to a two-year deal. (link)
  • Elandon Roberts will leave New England to sign a free agency contract with the Miami Dolphins. (link)
  • Ted Karras will leave New England on a one-year, $4 million contract offer from the Miami Dolphins. (link)
  • PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England has reportedly traded safety Duron Harmon to the Detroit Lions. (link)
  • Danny Shelton will leave New England on a two-year, $8 million contract offer from the Detroit Lions. (link)
  • Tom Brady’s deal with the Buccaneers is reportedly agreed to. (link)

March 17

  • PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: The Patriots have reportedly re-signed defensive end Keionta Davis, an exclusive-rights free agent who spent 2019 on injured reserve. (link)
  • PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England has reportedly reached a one-year deal with former Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers wide receiver Damiere Byrd. (link)
  • Tom Brady is expected to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers once free agency opens on Wednesday. (link)
  • Tom Brady took to social media on Tuesday morning to announce that he will leave New England. (link)
  • New England gets a $3.25 million salary cap benefit from the Aaron Hernandez grievance. (link)

March 16

  • PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: The Patriots are officially tendering restricted free agent Adam Butler, a former undrafted addition, at the second-round level. (link)
  • Head coach Matt Patricia’s Detroit Lions are signing Jamie Collins to a reported three-year deal. (link)
  • The Miami Dolphins have reportedly agreed to terms with Kyle Van Noy, reuniting the 28-year-old free agent with his former linebackers coach, Brian Flores. (link)
  • The New Orleans Saints have reportedly made an initial offer to Jamie Collins. (link)
  • The Miami Dolphins “checked in” on Ted Karras today, and while no offer was extended the two sides are expected to continue talking. (link)
  • The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have made their intentions to Tom Brady “loud and clear.” (link)
  • The Cleveland Browns are closing in on a contract with free-agent tight end Austin Hooper, a potential free agency target for New England. (link)
  • PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: Benjamin Watson announces his retirement from football. (link)
  • Five teams have expressed early interest in Phillip Dorsett: the New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Chargers, San Francisco 49ers and Las Vegas Raiders. (link)
  • PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: Patriots place the franchise tag on starting left guard Joe Thuney. (link)
  • The market for Tom Brady appears to be down to three teams: the Los Angeles Chargers, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Patriots. (link)
  • New England and Tom Brady do “not have anything close to a deal” yet. (link)

March 15

  • The San Francisco 49ers will reportedly not pursue Tom Brady in free agency, leaving the Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the favorites to sign the future Hall of Famer. (link)
  • The Patriots are reportedly “working hard” on keeping Devin McCourty for the rest of his career. (link)
  • The NFL Players Association has voted to ratify the proposed collective bargaining agreement, meaning that the league will no longer operate under the “Final League Year” rules. (link)
  • The NFL has set the 2020 salary cap at $198.2 million (link)
  • The Tennessee Titans are reportedly not interested in Tom Brady and instead focused on re-signing Ryan Tannehill. (link)
  • PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England has reportedly tendered guard Jermaine Eluemunor, a former Baltimore Ravens fifth-round pick, at the original-round restricted level. (link)
  • PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: Safety and team captain Devin McCourty will be returning to the Patriots on a two-year contract extension worth a reported $23 million. (link)
  • Nearly “a dozen-plus NFL execs” believe that Tom Brady will end up in New England after all. (link)

March 14

  • The Patriots are expected to place the second-round tender on restricted free agent Adam Butler. (link)

March 13

  • The Baltimore Ravens have placed the franchise tag on outside linebacker Matt Judon, keeping a potential Patriots free agency target off the market. (link)
  • The Los Angeles Chargers franchise-tagged tight end Hunter Henry. (link)
  • PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England has reportedly reached a two-year contract extension with impending free agent Matthew Slater, whose tenure in the kicking game dates back to 2008. (link)

March 12

  • New England is reportedly “expected to make a run” at free agent tight end Eric Ebron. (link)
  • The Patriots have officially exercised Jason McCourty’s contract option for the 2020 season. (link)

March 11

  • The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are reportedly “all in” on Tom Brady. (link)
  • The Miami Dolphins have released two-time Pro Bowl safety Reshad Jones. (link)
  • Kyle Van Noy does not see himself “waiting around” for the Patriots in free agency. (link)
  • The Tennessee Titans are reportedly “more focused on keeping Ryan Tannehill” than going after Tom Brady. (link)

March 10

  • The NFL will extend the franchise tag period to March 16 due to an uncertain labor situation. (link)
  • Potential Patriots target Darren Fells will not hit the open market: the tight end was re-signed by the Houston Texans on a two-year deal. (link)
  • Patriots wide receiver Phillip Dorsett will enter free agency “with an open mind.” (link)

March 9

  • A new report suggests the Patriots are waiting on Tom Brady to make a move. (link)

March 6

  • The Miami Dolphins are rumored to have their eyes on multiple Patriots free agents. (link)

March 4

  • The Patriots are reportedly set to pick up cornerback Jason McCourty’s contract option for 2020. (link)
  • Tom Brady preaches patience when discussing his free agency status. (link)

March 2

February 28

  • The Tennessee Titans reportedly plan to re-sign quarterback Ryan Tannehill before the franchise tag deadline, a move that would effectively eliminate them from the Tom Brady sweepstakes. (link)
  • Joe Thuney and Ted Karras might both generate solid markets in free agency. (link)

February 27

  • The latest Tom Brady rumors paint a bleak picture, but should not necessarily be taken at face value. (link)
  • The Patriots will reportedly start talks with Devin McCourty and Phillip Dorsett at the scouting combine. (link)

February 25

  • The Patriots and Tom Brady’s camp are expected to start “real dialogue” during the scouting combine. (link)

February 24

  • The NFL’s franchise tag window has been pushed back due to the league’s unclear CBA situation. (link)

February 22

  • Potential Patriots target Danny Amendola is re-signing with the Detroit Lions. (link)

February 21

  • The Patriots should not expect to get a salary benefit from wide receiver Antonio Brown’s grievance before the start of free agency on March 18. (link)

February 20

  • Nate Ebner thinks returning to the Patriots “would be the best thing.” (link)

February 14

February 12

  • The Patriots and Tom Brady are reportedly not yet engaged in contract negotiations. (link)

February 11

  • PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England has signed cornerback Lenzy Pipkins. (link)

February 3

  • Elandon Roberts thinks it would be “great” if he returned to the Patriots. (link)

February 2

  • The Patriots are reportedly willing to pay Tom Brady more than $30 million per year, but he prioritizes better weapons around him. (link)
  • The Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers are reportedly expected to pursue Tom Brady in free agency. (link)

January 14

  • PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England has allowed defensive end Eric Lee to enter free agency after letting his practice squad contract expire. (link)

January 8

  • Kyle Van Noy is looking to get paid in free agency. (link)
  • Tom Brady takes to social media to let the world known that he “still has more to prove.” (link)

January 5

  • Benjamin Watson hints at an offseason departure from New England. (link)

Patriots salary cap space

$2,397,584 (per Miguel Benzan)

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