Grading Patriots’ biggest free agency moves so far
Things are finally beginning to calm down after the initial surge of 2023 NFL free agency.
When the Patriots entered this offseason, there was a clear need to improve the roster and coaching structure offensively, and by all accounts, that has happened.
The Patriots made some major moves that we will go over and grade here, but it certainly doesn’t rule out any future major additions (or subtractions). The upcoming 2023 NFL draft could determine the impact of some of these signings.
Let’s take a look at some of the bigger moves so far for the Patriots and where they stack up.
Patriots re-sign CB Jonathan Jones to two-year, $19 million deal
Jeff Bottari/Getty Images
Jonathan Jones was one of the Patriots’ best internal free agents and retaining him only took a few hours into the start of the legal tampering period.
Ultimately, Jones is a high-end starting corner who can play every position in the secondary, and he took team-friendly money to return.
With a huge void left by Devin McCourty’s retirement, Jones should at least take the edge off for a few years while the team tries to replicate similar production in a committee.
Grade: A
Patriots Trade TE Jonnu Smith to Atlanta for 2023 seventh-round draft pick (No. 245)
Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports
Jonnu Smith was one of the more disappointing signings in recent memory, and the Patriots were able to offload his heavy contract by trading him to the Atlanta Falcons. That move enabled the team to free up cap space in the process and retain a late draft selection, which makes up for them missing out on a compensatory pick for running back Brandon Bolden.
It also allowed the Patriots to target Mike Gesicki in free agency, and it now gives them the flexibility to take a tight end in the deepest tight end draft class in years.
It would have been okay to see Smith for one more season with Bill O’Brien, but I think this is a move he greenlit, especially considering his love for 12 personnel packages, meaning Smith would have likely never worked out in New England.
Grade: B-
Patriots sign WR JuJu Smith-Schuster to a three-year, $25.5 million contract
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Letting Jakobi Meyers walk for essentially the same contract may be a bit puzzling, but when you look at the real contracts of both, even the Raiders weren’t going to overextend themselves for Meyers.
The Patriots put up the money to bring in JuJu Smith-Schuster for a multi-year contract. In a vacuum Smith-Schuster is a better receiver with a higher upside when it comes to yards after the catch, which is something the Patriots offense definitely needs.
Contracts aside, Smith-Schuster should fit nicely with this team, and I feel it was an upgrade over Meyers at the position.
Grade: A-
Patriots sign OT Riley Reiff to one-year, $5 million contract
Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
Reiff doesn’t move the needle long-term, but he provides an upgrade over Isaiah Wynn and can play left tackle in a pinch. This move, paired with the signings of Calvin Anderson and Connor McDermott for depth, allows the Patriots to have some flexibility with how they address the offensive tackle position.
Reiff and Brown can be a stop gap for the Patriots as they look to the draft to fulfill the position long-term, while Anderson and McDermott give them depth so they won’t have to look to the street for emergency tackle help. They’ll have plenty of depth at an uber important position now.
Grade: C+
Patriots re-sign S Jabrill Peppers to two-year, $11 million contract
Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
It may have been seen as a minor move, but with Devin McCourty now retired, the Patriots will likely seek a committee approach. They need versatile athletic defenders like Jabrill Peppers, Kyle Dugger and Adrian Phillips.
Peppers is back on decent money after a solid prove-it year with the Patriots. He is still young enough that he could earn a healthy extension, if he looks like an answer long-term. But for now, a chess piece remains on the Patriots defense, which has done a great job at retaining most of the defenders from last year.
Grade: B-
Patriots sign RB James Robinson to two-year, $8 million contract
Justin Casterline/Getty Images
James Robinson had an incredible rookie season, but he has had a tough time battling back from injuries. Still, he’ll only be 25 years old when the season starts, and he adds high upside and pass-catching ability to the offense.
This move is about confidence in Rhamondre Stevenson, who could be used similarly to how Jahmyr Gibbs was used in Bill O’Brien’s Alabama offense in 2022, which is being moved around the formation as both a runner and receiver.
Stevenson is the clear lead back with Robinson adding to the one-two punch. They both have the upside to be a dangerous combo, and the Patriots can have some fun moving them around. Injuries aside, this is a great move considering the price.
Grade: B+
Patriots add ST Chris Board on two-year, $6.7 million deal
Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Chris Board fixes an immediate problem, as the Patriots had a terrible special teams performance last season. Part of that was due to coaching, but the other part was the lack of personnel.
Typically the Patriots like to draft players who are capable special teamers, but this time, they opted to go the more explosive route with players who rarely played special teams, outside of Marcus Jones, and it sort of backfired.
Retaining Joe Cardona, Matthew Slater and Cody Davis, while adding Board, who is regarded as one of the best special teams players in the game, will make this unit much more dependable. Board is also a decent depth linebacker the Patriots could get some solid reps out of in games. So this signing isn’t just adding someone to the special teams unit. It’s about adding good depth where needed.
Grade: A
[lawrence-auto-related count=3]
