The NFL will officially flip its calendar to 2022 on March 16 at 4 p.m. ET, and in the process of doing so kick off this year’s free agency period. The New England Patriots, coming off a 10-7 season and return to the playoffs, are projected to be rather busy: they have a long and notable list of players headed for the open market, and also need to further build the roster around second-year quarterback Mac Jones.
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 work overtime. Things will heat up in particular after the so-called legal tampering window opens on Monday, March 14.
In order to not get lost, we our Patriots Free Agency Tracker is here to keep you up-to-date on all the latest developments, rumors and news. Welcome to free agency!
Patriots unrestricted free agents
LB Ja’Whaun Bentley: Profile | Status: Re-signed by Patriots (2 years, $6 million) | Analysis
RB Brandon Bolden: Profile | Status: Signed by Raiders (2 years, $5 million) | Analysis
OT Trent Brown: Profile | Status: Re-signed (2 years, $13 million) | Analysis
LB Jamie Collins Sr.: Profile | Status: TBD
DT Carl Davis: Profile | Status: Re-signed (1 year)
K Nick Folk: Profile | Status: Re-signed by Patriots (2 years, $5 million) | Analysis
TE Troy Fumagalli: Profile | Status: Signed by 49ers (1 year)
LB Dont’a Hightower: Profile | Status: TBD
QB Brian Hoyer: Profile | Status: Re-signed by Patriots (2 years, $4 million) | Analysis
CB J.C. Jackson: Profile | Status: Signed by Chargers (5 years, $82.5 million) | Analysis
OL Ted Karras: Profile | Status: Signed by Bengals (3 years, $18 million) | Analysis
LB Brandon King: Profile | Status: Signed by Colts (1 year)
S Devin McCourty: Profile | Status: Re-signed by Patriots (1 year, $9 million) | Analysis
WR Matthew Slater: Profile | Status: Re-signed by Patriots (1 year, $2.62 million) | Analysis
RB James White: Profile | Status: Re-signed by Patriots (2 years, $5 million) | Analysis
Patriots restricted free agents
FB Jakob Johnson: Profile | Status: Not tendered, Signed by Raiders (1 year, $1.5 million) | Analysis
WR Jakobi Meyers: Profile | Status: Tendered at second-round level
WR Gunner Olszewski: Profile | Status: Not tendered, Signed by Steelers (2 years, $4.2 million) | Analysis
Patriots acquisitions
OL James Ferentz: Signed (1 year, $1.14 million)
LB Mack Wilson: Acquired via trade from Browns | Analysis
CB Terrance Mitchell: Signed (1 year, $1.75 million) | Analysis
RB/WR Ty Montgomery: Signed (2 years, $3.6 million) | Analysis
CB Malcolm Butler: Signed (2 years, $9 million) | Analysis
S Jabrill Peppers: Signed (1 year, $2 million) | Analysis
WR DeVante Parker: Acquired via trade from Dolphins | Analysis
Patriots departures
LB Chase Winovich: Traded to Browns | Analysis
G Shaq Mason: Traded to Buccaneers | Analysis
News and rumors tracker
May 17
- NEWS: Tight end Troy Fumagalli will leave New England to join the San Francisco 49ers.
April 27
- NEWS: Defensive tackle Carl Davis has returned to the Patriots on a one-year contract. | Source
April 12
- NEWS: Patriots special teams ace Brandon King will sign a one-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts, leaving New England after seven seasons. | Source
April 6
- NEWS: The Patriots have restructured the contract of defensive lineman Deatrich Wise Jr. to create $1.9 million in salary cap space. The move was made necessary by the DeVante Parker acquisition four days earlier. | Source
April 2
- NEWS: New England has acquired wide receiver DeVante Parker in a trade with the Miami Dolphins. | Source
March 29
- NEWS: Former first-round safety Jabrill Peppers, who was visiting the Patriots on Monday, has agreed to join the team on a one-year contract. | Source
March 28
- NEWS: New England is hosting safety Jabrill Peppers on a free agency visit. | Source
March 24
- NEWS: Offensive lineman Ryan Bates, who visited the Patriots earlier in free agency, has signed an offer sheet with the Chicago Bears. With only his previous team, the Buffalo Bills, having a chance to match the offer, the Patriots are out of the running for Bates’ services. | Source
March 23
- NEWS: The Miami Dolphins have acquired star wide receiver Tyreek Hill via trade from the Kansas City Chiefs. Miami is sending multiple draft picks, including a first-rounder this year, to Kansas City.
- NEWS: The Patriots have re-signed cornerback Malcolm Butler to a reported two-year, $9 million contract. | Source
March 22
- NEWS: Leonard Fournette, who was in Foxborough the previous day for a free agency visit, has decided to re-sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. | Source
March 21
- NEWS: The Patriots are re-signing offensive tackle Trent Brown. | Source
- NEWS: The Patriots had veteran quarterback Joshua Dobbs in for a workout. | Source
- RUMOR: New England is reportedly hosting veteran running back Leonard Fournette on a visit. | Source
- RUMOR: New England is reportedly hosting veteran cornerback Malcolm Butler on a tryout. | Source
March 20
- RUMOR: New England reportedly made a “competitive offer” to offensive lineman La’el Collins before he signed with the Cincinnati Bengals. | Source
March 19
- NEWS: New England has restructured the contract of defensive lineman Henry Anderson to free up $1.25 million in salary cap space. | Source
March 18
- NEWS: Former Patriots restricted free agent Gunner Olszewski, who was not tendered by the team, is headed to Pittsburgh on a two-year, $4.2 million contract. | Source
- NEWS: As was already expected, the Patriots are bringing back linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley. The 25-year-old is signing a reported two-year deal at a maximum value of $9 million. | Source
- RUMOR: Talks between New England and veteran linebacker Jamie Collins have reportedly gone nowhere so far. | Source
- RUMOR: The Patriots are “closing in” on re-signing linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley. | Source
- NEWS: New England had been showing in interest in free agent linebacker Leigthon Vander Esch, but he will return to the Dallas Cowboys on a reported one-year contract. | Source
- RUMOR: New England is showing interest in former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leigthon Vander Esch. | Source
March 17
- NEWS: Wide receiver Allen Robinson will not come to New England and instead joins the Los Angeles Rams. | Source
- RUMOR: New England will reportedly not end up signing La’el Collins. The chances of that happening have been described as “zero.” | Source
- RUMOR: The Dallas Cowboys will release potential Patriots target La’el Collins, a versatile offensive lineman, today. New England previously expressed interest in Collins and has a need along its O-line. | Source
- NEWS: The Patriots are signing running back/wide receiver Ty Montgomery to a two-year contract with a maximum value of $4 million. | Source
- RUMOR: New England is showing interest in cornerback Justin Coleman. The 28-year-old already spent time with the Patriots in 2015 and 2016. | Source
March 16
- NEWS: The Detroit Lions have officially cut edge linebacker and potential Patriots target Trey Flowers.
- RUMOR: Despite him taking a visit with the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday, the Patriots are still “in the mix” for Trent Brown. | Source
- NEWS: After not getting tendered as a restricted free agent, fullback Jakob Johnson is headed to the Las Vegas Raiders. | Source
- NEWS: Offensive tackle Trent Brown is scheduled to take a free agency visit with the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday. | Source
- RUMOR: New England has shown interest in free agent wide receiver and return man Dede Westbrook. | Source
- NEWS: Brandon Bolden will leave New England to re-join long-time Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels with the Las Vegas Raiders. | Source
- RUMOR: New England has “inquired” about kick/punt return options such as Jakeem Grant and Travis Benjamin. | Source
- RUMOR: Patriots have emerged as a “frontrunner” to acquire offensive lineman La’el Collins from the Dallas Cowboys. | Source
- RUMOR: Even after not tendering him as a restricted free agent, the Patriots are expected to “be involved” in wide receiver Gunner Olszewski’s market. | Source
- NEWS: The New England Patriots have informed former All-Pro return man Gunner Olszewski that they will not tender him prior to the opening of the 2022 league year, making him an unrestricted free agent. | Source
- NEWS: New England has signed its first outside free agent, reaching a one-year, $3 million deal with cornerback Terrance Mitchell. | Source
March 15
- RUMOR: New England has “weighed” trading for Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman La’El Collins after moving on from long-time starter Shaq Mason. | Source
- NEWS: Patriots is trading starting right guard Shaq Mason to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. | Source
- RUMOR: New England is among a number of teams “expected to be in it with good players still available” at wide receiver. | Source
- NEWS: The Patriots have re-signed another veteran leader. Team captain James White will stay with the club on a two-year deal worth $5 million. | Source
- NEWS: The Jacksonville Jaguars are parting ways with off-the-ball linebacker Myles Jack. New England might be in the process of rebuilding its linebacker room, which means that Jack might be a player to keep an eye on. | Source
- NEWS: The Tennessee Titans are releasing cornerback Janoris Jenkins. With the Patriots in need of more outside cornerback depth after losing J.C. Jackson, Jenkins might be worth a look. | Source
- ODDS: After the first day of legal tampering, DraftKings Sportsbook has set New England’s Super Bowl odds at +3500 — just the 14th best in the NFL. | Further reading
- NEWS: New England has acquired linebacker Mack Wilson in a trade with the Cleveland Browns. The Patriots are sending fellow linebacker Chase Winovich to Cleveland as part of the move. | Source
- NEWS: Potential Patriots wide receiver target D.J. Chark has decided to join the Detroit Lions on a reported one-year contract. | Source
March 14
- NEWS: The Patriots are re-signing veteran kicker Nick Folk on a new two-year deal. | Further reading
- NEWS: J.C. Jackson signed a five-year contract with the Chargers at a total value of $82.5 million. | Further reading
- NEWS: J.C. Jackson is expected to sign with the Chargers. | Source
- RUMOR: The Los Angeles Chargers are among the teams in contact with J.C. Jackson’s camp. In fact, they have extended a formal offer to the Pro Bowl cornerback. | Source
- RUMOR: The Patriots are not among the teams initially reaching out to free agent wide receiver Jarvis Landry. | Source
- NEWS: New England’s starting left guard Ted Karras is headed elsewhere. He is reportedly signing a three-year, $18 million deal in Cincinnati. | Source
- NEWS: The Patriots are expected to retain long-time team captain Matthew Slater. | Source
- RUMOR: New England is casting a wide net at the wide receiver position this offseason, but one player the team has not shown any interest in is Adam Humphries. | Source
- RUMOR: The Patriots have shown interest in free agent wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling. | Source
- NEWS: The Cleveland Browns have released wide receiver Jarvis Landry — a move that was expected to happen after the team did not find a trade partner. It acquired Amari Cooper via trade last week. | Source
- NEWS: The Patriots have reportedly agreed to terms to re-sign quarterback Brian Hoyer and also bring back veteran offensive lineman James Ferentz. | Further reading
March 13
- NEWS: The Patriots have re-signed veteran safety and long-time team captain Devin McCourty to a one-year contract at a reported value of $9 million. | Further reading
- NEWS: The Patriots have declined to put a restricted free agency tender on fullback Jakob Johnson. If not signed to a contract extension, he will enter free agency on March 16. | Further reading
- NEWS: The Patriots have tendered wide receiver Jakobi Meyers at the second-round restricted free agency tender. The wide receiver will stay put on what is essentially a one-year contract. | Further reading
- RUMOR: The Los Angeles Chargers are reportedly expected to be heavily involved with Patriots free agent cornerback J.C. Jackson. | Further reading
March 12
- RUMOR: Wide receiver Amari Cooper, who was seen as a potential if unlikely trade target for the Patriots this year, has indeed been moved by the Dallas Cowboys. However, he will join the Cleveland Browns rather than come to New England. | Source
March 11
- RUMOR: Teams have reportedly shown interest in wide receiver N’Keal Harry. The former first-round draft pick has disappointed in his first three years in New England. | Further reading
March 10
- NEWS: The Detroit Lions have released former Patriots defensive end Trey Flowers. After three seasons in Detroit, the door appears to be open for a reunion. | Further reading
March 9
- RUMOR: The Patriots have done extensive work on multiple free agent wide receivers this offseason, including free agent-to-be Allen Robinson. | Further reading
March 8
- NEWS: The Patriots decided not to use their franchise tag, meaning that all 15 of their unrestricted free agents are set to enter the open market on March 16. | Further reading
- RUMOR: J.C. Jackson is reportedly looking for $20 million per year on a new contract. | Further reading
March 7
- NEWS: New England has released Kyle Van Noy in a cost-cutting move. Parting ways with the veteran linebacker frees up $4.2 million in salary cap space. | Further reading
Patriots salary cap space
$999,180 (per Miguel Benzan)
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