On March 17, the NFL’s new league year will officially begin and with it the 2021 free agency period. The New England Patriots, coming off a 7-9 season that saw them miss the playoffs, are projected to be rather busy given their long list of players headed for the open market as well as the need to infuse youth and talent into a roster that has numerous holes across the board.
Expect quite a lot to be going on the next few days as reports will start to come in and the rumor mill begin to wok overtime. Especially after the legal tampering window opens on Monday, March 15, things will start to heat up around the league.
In order to not get lost, we have created the Patriots Free Agency Tracker to keep you up-to-date on all the latest developments, rumors and news.
Patriots unrestricted free agents
C David Andrews: Profile | Status: Re-signed to a 4-year, $18.9 million deal
CB Justin Bethel: Profile | Status: Re-signed to a 3-year, $6 million deal
S Terrence Brooks: Profile | Status: Signed by the Houston Texans (1-year, $2 million)
RB Rex Burkhead: Profile | Status: TBD
DT Adam Butler: Profile | Status: Signed by the Miami Dolphins (2-year, $9 million)
WR Damiere Byrd: Profile | Status: TBD
LB Shilique Calhoun: Profile | Status: TBD
LB Brandon Copeland: Profile | Status: Signed by the Atlanta Falcons (1-year)
DT Carl Davis: Profile | Status: Re-signed to 1-year, $1.1 million deal
S Cody Davis: Profile | Status: Re-signed to a 2-year, $4.3 million deal
OT Jermaine Eluemunor: Profile | Status: TBD
C James Ferentz: Profile | Status: TBD
K Nick Folk: Profile | Status: Re-signed to a 1-year, $1.2 million deal
DT Lawrence Guy: Profile | Status: Re-signed to a 4-year, $11.5 million deal
QB Brian Hoyer: Profile | Status: TBD
CB Jason McCourty: Profile | Status: TBD
WR Donte Moncrief: Profile | Status: Signed by the Houston Texans (1-year deal)
QB Cam Newton: Profile | Status: Re-signed to a 1-year, $5 million deal
LB John Simon: Profile | Status: TBD
G Joe Thuney: Profile | Status: Signed by the Kansas City Chiefs (5-year, $80 million)
RB James White: Profile | Status: Re-signed to a 1-year, $2.5 million deal
DE Deatrich Wise Jr: Profile | Status: Re-signed to a 4-year, $22 million deal
Patriots restricted free agents
CB J.C. Jackson: Profile | Status: Tendered at second-round level
Patriots exclusive-rights free agents
WR Quincy Adeboyejo: Profile | Status: Did not receive ERFA offer sheet
FB Jakob Johnson: Profile | Status: Received ERFA offer sheet
Patriots acquisitions
OT Trent Brown: Acquired via trade from the Las Vegas Raiders | Analysis
TE Jonnu Smith: Signed to a 4-year, $50 million deal | Analysis
DT Davon Godchaux: Signed to a 2-year, $16 million deal | Analysis
LB Matthew Judon: Signed to 4-year, $56 million deal | Analysis
CB Jalen Mills: Signed to 4-year, $23.9 million deal | Analysis
WR Nelson Agholor: Signed to 2-year, $22 million deal | Analysis
WR Kendrick Bourne: Signed to 3-year, $15 million deal | Analysis
DT Henry Anderson: Signed to a 2-year, $7 million deal | Analysis
TE Hunter Henry: Signed to a 3-year, $37.5 million deal | Analysis
C Ted Karras: Signed to a 1-year, $4 million deal | Analysis
LB Kyle Van Noy: Signed to a 2-year, $13.2 million deal | Analysis
DL Montravius Adams: Signed to a 1-year, $2.5 million deal | Analysis
LB Raekwon McMillan: Signed to a 1-year, $1.2 million deal | Analysis
LB LaRoy Reynolds: Signed to a 1-year deal, $1 million deal | Analysis
News and rumors tracker
March 24
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England will reportedly re-sign defensive tackle Lawrence Guy on a four-year contract. | Further reading
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England has added special teams linebacker LaRoy Reynolds, according to his own social media. | Further reading
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: James White is set to return to New England. | Further reading
March 23
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: Former fifth-round draft pick Justin Rohrwasser has been released. With him gone, the Patriots have Nick Folk and Roberto Aguayo remaining at the place kicker position. | Report
March 22
- Lawrence Guy is reportedly holding a free agent visit with the Miami Dolphins. | Report
March 19
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England is reportedly adding linebacker Raekwon McMillan. The former second-round draft pick started his career in Miami and most recently spent time in Las Vegas. | Further reading
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England is losing linebacker Brandon Copeland to the Atlanta Falcons. Copeland spent one year with the Patriots but ended the season on injured reserve. | Further reading
March 18
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: Four-time captain David Andrews has reportedly reached a four-year deal to remain in the middle of New England’s offensive line. | Further reading
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: Former Patriots wide receiver Donte Moncrief has agreed to terms with the Houston Texans on a reported one-year contract. | Further reading
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: Nick Folk will return to New England on a one-year contract. | Report
- Patriots free agent linebacker Brandon Copeland visited the New York Giants on Thursday. | Report
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England has signed defensive lineman Montravius Adams to a reported one-year deal. | Further reading
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England has traded tight end Ryan Izzo to Houston for a seventh-round draft pick. | Further reading
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: Safety Patrick Chung announces his retirement from the NFL after 11 seasons. Chung, a former second-round draft pick, won three Super Bowls during his time in New England. | Further reading
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England has parted ways with wide receiver Marqise Lee and defensive tackle Beau Allen. The two first arrived last year, but never actually played in a game for the Patriots due to the Covid-19 opt-out (Lee) and injury (Allen). | Further reading
March 17
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: In a video posted to his Twitter account, Kyle Van Noy announced he would be returning to the Patriots’ defense after a 2020 spent with the Miami Dolphins. | Further reading
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: Via the NFL Transactions Wire, the Patriots will keep only one of their exclusive-rights free agents: Jakob Johnson was extended an offer sheet, while Quincy Adeboyejo has entered unrestricted free agency.
- Brandon Copeland is expected to visit the Atlanta Falcons on a free agency visit later this week. | Report
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: As he announced himself on social media, Cody Davis has re-signed with the Patriots on a two-year contract. | Further reading
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England will use the second-round tender on restricted free agent J.C. Jackson. | Report
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England loses defensive tackle Adam Butler to the Miami Dolphins on a reported two-year pact. | Further reading
- David Andrews is reportedly not expected to return to New England. | Report
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England will bring back offensive lineman Ted Karras after his one-year stint in Miami. | Further reading
- The Patriots have not yet extended a restricted free agency offer to cornerback J.C. Jackson as of Wednesday morning. They have until the official start of the 2021 league year at 4 pm to do so. | Report
March 16
- David Andrews is expected to hit the open market. He will “look at offers from the rest of the league” before making a decision. | Report
- The Miami Dolphins are “squared in” on Patriots center David Andrews. | Report
- New England has reportedly been in contact with running back Chris Carson. | Report
- At least three teams are rumored to be involved in trade talks about wide receiver N’Keal Harry. | Report
- “Several teams” including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are inquiring about James White. | Report
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England will sign tight end Hunter Henry to a three-year, $37.5 million deal. | Further reading
- The Patriots are reportedly “lurking” as an option for free agent running back Leonard Fournette. | Report
March 15
- Deatrich Wise Jr’s new deal with the Patriots is for four years and a maximum value of $30 million. | Report
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England will sign defensive tackle Henry Anderson to a two-year deal. | Further reading
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England will sign wide receiver Kendrick Bourne to a three-year contract. | Further reading
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England has re-signed defensive tackle Carl Davis.
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England will add Nelson Agholor to its wide receiver group. | Further reading
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England will lose Terrence Brooks to the Houston Texans. | Further reading
- New England is working on a contract with San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne. | Report
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: Deatrich Wise Jr. will stay in New England. | Further reading
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England will lose Joe Thuney to the Kansas City Chiefs on a five-year contract. | Further reading
- New England is reported to be “active in the wide receiver market.” | Report
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England will sign Jalen Mills to a four-year contract. | Further reading
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England will sign Matthew Judon to bolster its linebacker position. | Further reading
- New England is reportedly feeling “close” to signing Matthew Judon. | Report
- New England is reportedly making a major push to add Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Matt Judon to its defensive front seven. | Report
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England will sign Davon Godchaux to a two-year, $16 million contract. | Further reading
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England will sign Jonnu Smith to a four-year, $50 million contract. | Further reading
- Two of the “bigger-name” running backs were reportedly contacted by New England but are looking elsewhere for an opportunity. | Report
- The New York Giants are reported to have “some level of interest” in Jason McCourty. New York is obviously led by long-time Patriots assistant Joe Judge, who took over as the team’s head coach last year. | Report
- The Patriots have reportedly re-opened contracts talks with Joe Thuney after very limited conversation over the last year. | Further reading
March 14
- The New York Jets are expected to pursue Joe Thuney in free agency. | Report
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: New England has traded Marcus Cannon the Houston Texans for an exchange of picks in the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds of this year’s draft. | Further reading
March 12
- Cam Newton’s contract details show that his new deal will count only $4.91 million against the Patriots’ 2021 salary cap. | Further reading
- Lawrence Guy is expected to enter free agency, and no new deal between him and the team is imminent. | Report
- Jason McCourty is expected to enter free agency next week. | Report
- Adam Butler is expected to enter free agency next week. | Report
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: The Patriots will re-sign special teams ace Justin Bethel to a multi-year contract, further solidifying one of the best kicking game units in the NFL. | Further reading
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: The Patriots will re-sign their starting quarterback from the 2020 season, Cam Newton, to a one-year contract. | Further reading
- The Miami Dolphins are expected to pursue multiple Patriots in free agency, including team captains David Andrews and Lawrence Guy as well as defensive tackle Adam Butler. Miami head coach Brian Flores spent considerable time in New England before leaving for the Dolphins after the 2018 season. Last year, his team signed ex-Patriots Kyle Van Noy, Ted Karras and Elandon Roberts in free agency. | Further reading
March 10
- The NFL has set the salary cap for the 2021 season at $182.5 million, a decrease of $15.7 million compared to last year. | Further reading
March 9
- The Patriots did not use the franchise tag to keep one of their 22 unrestricted free agents from entering the open market. | Further reading
- PATRIOTS TRANSACTION: The Patriots will acquire offensive tackle Trent Brown via trade from the Raiders. New England is sending a fifth-round pick in the 2022 draft to Las Vegas in return for Brown and a seventh-rounder. | Further reading
March 8
- The uncertain salary cap situation might force the NFL to extend the franchise tag window. | Further reading
March 3
- Free agent tight end Kyle Rudolph is reportedly interested in joining the Patriots. | Further reading
March 2
- The Dolphins are planning to release former Patriots linebacker Kyle Van Noy after just one season. | Further reading
Patriots salary cap space
$12,616,098 (per Miguel Benzan)
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