Patriots Start Free Agency Hot for the Second Year in a Row

For anyone who anticipated that the Patriots would not be willing to spend in 2026 Free Agency after what they did in 2025, they would be proven wrong relatively early in the league's legal tampering period on Monday. Through around 8 EST on Wednesday night, Eliot Wolf has dished out the fifth most money in terms of total contract value around the league in new deals, with $50,100,000 in guarantees, which is fourth most.

There's certainly a frustration over the fact that the Patriots still don't have a true No. 1 wideout, as A.J. Brown trade talks appear to have either grinded to a halt or fallen apart, but for the most part, this is another free agent class that I'm a fan of. The offensive line is once again situated, we have a real purpose-built fullback in the fold, and the theme of bringing in players Mike Vrabel is familiar with persists into this year.

Offensive Additions

If you are not the type of person who can get up for a fullback signing, then you aren't a football fan in my book. Unironically, the Reggie Gilliam pickup might be my favorite of the bunch so far for the fact that A) you sniped away a big part of the Bills running game away from them at just $12,000,000 total, and B) the Patriots absolutely needed a real, live, fullback and not a tight end who can moonlight there, and Gilliam is almost certainly one of the five best in the sport. I give it until Week 7 for him to become a cult hero in New England—a very unselfish player who can make a huge impact.

The interior offensive line market so far has been red hot over the last several days, with guys like Tyler Linderbaum, David Edwards, and Issac Seumalo getting some huge deals elsewhere, and as expected, the Patriots did in fact get themselves a new left guard, and an interesting one at that, in now ex-New York Jet Alijah Vera-Tucker, who's the 17th highest paid guard in football at the moment with his three-year, $42,000,000 deal.

I'd imagine some know by now of the injury history with AVT, having missed all of last season with a triceps tear days before Week 1, and then an Achilles rupture and biceps tear that cost him the back half of the 2023 and 2022 seasons, respectively, which certainly leaves me a tad bit skeptical. That said, Vera-Tucker's contract has some decent money tied into incentives, and the Patriots have some natural outs in his deal from a cap standpoint these next two offseasons. The obvious hope here is that you're getting AVT at the level he was at in 2024 (elite) and he can hold up physically. Ben Brown still being on the team does ease me a bit as a backup option, and admittedly, this is a calculated gamble I can get behind, even if some of the other guard options would've been better for my money (Seumalo speciffically).

Lastly, we get to the Stefon Diggs replacement at the Z receiver spot in Romeo Doubs. Reporting on the contract number was all over the place once this was initially reported, but it appears the four-year $68,000,000 figure is the correct one; much better than the $80,000,000 number, and on AAV, it is identical to what Seattle is paying Rashid Shaheed and Tennessee is paying Wan'Dale Robinson. Do I "love" this signing? No, but it's hard not to mention that Doubs is cheaper than Diggs was last year, only 25 years old at the moment, can realistically do a lot of what Diggs did, was very good as a red zone target last year, and, by all accounts, was a good player for the Green Bay Packers. By no means, though, should this be it for the Patriots at receiver, though, and by all indications, it won't be a lack of effort if so.

Defensive Additions

How things started for the Patriots chronologically was by bringing in EDGE/IDL Dre'Mont Jones, whom they had some interest in at the trade deadline. A pretty good piece of business at three years and $39,000,000, which is just a tick higher annually than what now ex-Patriot K'Lavon Chaisson got from Washington, and Jones has the ability to kick inside when asked at 6'3" and around 280 lbs. There were certainly better EDGE guys available, but I don't hate the Patriots not overextending for EDGE help like the Panthers did with Jaelen Phillips (30 mill AAV), and the Ravens with Trey Hendrickson (28 mill AAV). Jones is probably going to be around what he's been for most of his career, a 4-6.5 sack per year guy, but for the money they paid him, I like it. High motor player who was one of just eight EDGEs last year with at least seven sacks, 55 pressures, and 24 QB hits. Feel safe in assuming this isn't all they plan to do at EDGE; they should have some options in the top 60 or so picks in this year's draft.

While Jones was an ex-Titan, he has no overlap/connection with Mike Vrabel beyond the fact that he's an Ohio State alum. That isn't the case with new safety Kevin Byard, who was a staple on those Vrabel Tennessee Teams, and is coming to the Patriots off of his third First-Team All-Pro season in which he led the NFL in interceptions with seven. Not a move that I'd say I'm in love with, given he'll be 33 by the end of the summer, but it's a one-year deal for $9,000,000 for a guy Vrabel relied on a ton in Tennessee and was a big piece for Chicago last year. Can't be too mad, all things considered, but safety is another position I'd like to see the Patriots attack in the draft, and the earlier the better with some good options in this class. Craig Woodson is a natural breakout candidate for this year, but the Patriots are pretty thin in the defensive backfield at this point.

What Now?

Now, on Thursday, Patriot fans should ultimately feel good about the fact that the situation in the offensive trenches is crystal clear, and they did a pretty good job of swapping out some defensive pieces at relatively good value. If you're in the camp that's not satisfied with what the Patriots have done to help out at receiver, I won't hold you on that, but I don't blame them for not wanting to bite on A.J. Brown when his price is currently a first-rounder and then some, for instance, and I honestly don't understand why teams like the Jags or Saints would entertain offers for guys like Brian Thomas and Chris Olave, and by all accounts they aren't. Might be frustrating, but don't be surprised if they wait until after June 1 to circle back on adding another pass catcher via trade.

Oddly enough, though, thanks to what's ultimately been a good opening salvo of free agent adds, the Patriots have some options at 31st overall come next month. A "best player available" scenario wouldn't stun me at this juncture, nor would trading out of round one, but I'd be circling EDGE, safety, wide receiver, and linebacker as the most likely directions should they stick there. Would also not rule out going for a 0-2 tech IDL, with a pair of them potentially being available at 31 with Ohio State's Kayden McDonald and Texas Tech's Lee Hunter, or going with a future option at right tackle; I like ASU's Max Iheanachor there. Not always a bad thing to have options, and the Patriots ultimately did themselves very well there through this opening free agency window.

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