The New England Patriots entered the period of legal adulteration with many resources available and maneuvered accordingly. The Patriots brought in seven free external agents and rehired two internal players on Monday, spending more than $ 200 million in reported contract value and reinforcing depth in some key squad positions.
But what do these plays mean to players who are already on the team? Let’s find out quickly who may or may not have benefited.
Winner: QB Cam Newton
Although Newton’s move itself was a disappointment in 2020, it cannot be seen in a vacuum: the Patriots’ pass-catching talent was also not up to the task. Going into the next season, it looks like the team is actively trying to resolve this issue.
After making the signing of tight end Jonnu Smith the opening play of the legal breach period, New England later also added Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne to improve his wide receiver position. Needless to say, the two positions are stronger now than they entered this week, which in turn should also give Newton – if he returns as a full-back – a more favorable environment in which to work.
Winners: G Michael Onwenu and OT Isaiah Wynn
The Patriots’ offensive line lost its most consistent player of the 2020 season to a record contract – Joe Thuney will join the Kansas City Chiefs in a five-year, $ 80 million deal – but two players can be seen as winners in the aftermath. On the one hand, Thuney’s departure frees Michael Onwenu to return to his more natural guard position and possibly reach a higher ceiling than he would at the right tackle point he played for most of his debut campaign this year. past.
Isaiah Wynn, on the other hand, is a benefactor of Thuney’s departure, which should increase his chances of being in the 2021 Patriots squad. There were rumors about the Patriots possibly bringing his longtime left guard back into the fold, which in turn may have created a scenario in which Wynn would end up as the strange man along the offensive line. This never materialized, however.
Losers: TE Dalton Keene, TE Ryan Izzo and TE Matt LaCosse
Considering that Devin Asiasi’s duty station must still be safe, despite the addition of the new number one Jonnu Smith, the depth options in the tight end position seem to be on thin ice now and fighting for a maximum of one duty place – if no additional moves are made in the coming days and weeks. This means that Dalton Keene, Ryan Izzo and Matt LaCosse’s chances of returning in 2021 have just suffered a major blow.
While Izzo and LaCosse have shown little during their time in New England so far, and lack an advantage, Keene is coming out of a challenging debut year. While he was chosen in the third round, the Virginia Tech product struggled to stay healthy and adapt to the Patriots’ system. He needs to make a huge leap and improve his availability to join the team.
Loser: CB Joejuan Williams
With veteran cornerback Jason McCourty headed for the unrestricted free agency, the path seemed to be open for former runoff contender Joejuan Williams to take over and gain more playing time in defense. The Patriots adding the slightly smaller but even more versatile Jalen Mills could end these plans: Mills must be used in a variety of ways, while Williams’ path to defensive opportunities is more uncertain at this point.
Winner: DT Byron Cowart
New England signed four internal defense attackers on the first day of the legal tampering window – Davon Godchaux and Henry Anderson were added, Deatrich Wise Jr. and Carl Davis were hired again – which creates some additional competition up front. However, Byron Cowart can be one of the big winners of that.
After all, the old draft of the fifth round was forced to play out of position a few times during the 2020 season. With New England not having a consistent nose mark game, they were forced to move the small-sized Cowart to there every now and then. Adding Godchaux to the mix and keeping Davis around should help you get back to your most natural final position on the team’s 3-4 fronts.
Loser: DT Beau Allen
While one defensive tackle may be a benefactor of bodies added along the defensive line, another is not. Beau Allen was hired to be the big nose last spring after Danny Shelton left, but he never took the field due to a mysterious illness. The addition of Godchaux and Davis returning could also spell doom for the 29-year-old, unless he can return to the field soon and is able to live up to his $ 3.1 million salary limit this season.
Winners: LB Josh Uche and LB Anfernee Jennings
The Patriots added a prominent player to their defensive advantage in the form of Matthew Judon, but his two young linebackers could still be better off for that. Both Uche and Jennings were used regularly during their debut seasons in 2020, but this was mainly the result of necessity. With Judon projecting to fill Kyle Van Noy’s old role as number one in all three defensive runs, the two could be used in more favorable situations in the future.
While Uche may become a passing racing expert alongside Judon and Chase Winovich, the team can deliver Jennings more snaps off the ball in the first few downs. Anyway, the addition of the longtime Baltimore Ravens defender gives New England some flexibility with regard to them.