Opt-outs return: 5
Coming off a 7-9 season in which they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008, the Patriots needed an upgrade. Their financial flexibility (and aggressiveness) helped them do it. One team official opined that the result should allow the franchise to get back to a foundational principle of competition at all spots, which wasn t the case last season.
Here is a position-by-position snapshot of the roster:
Belichick made it clear, before he was even asked, that Newton is the starting quarterback. That doesn t mean Jones, the 15th overall pick, can t make a legitimate run for the job. It just seemed to be Belichick s way of taking some pressure off him. It shouldn t take long in training camp from the standpoint of the football coming out on time and in rhythm to see if Jones has a realistic chance to be a Day 1 starter.
Center David Andrews excited about possibilities of Pats’ new-look roster
Andrews thought his time in New England was coming to an end, but he s glad to stick around and play with all the new additions.
By Kyle HightowerAssociated Press
Elise Amendola/Associated Press
BOSTON When free agency opened last month, there was a moment it seemed center David Andrews would be adding his name to the key Patriots offensive linemen joining new teams in 2021.
The frenzied offseason opened with left guard Joe Thuney signing a five-year $80 million deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, followed by right tackle Marcus Cannon being traded to Houston.
Eric J. Adler/New England Patriots
For a brief moment during the first week of free agency it looked like David Andrews was on his way out of Foxborough. After the Patriots signed Ted Karras early on, it seemed to be a signal that Andrews might be following fellow teammate Joe Thuney to a new team. Comments from teammates on social media all seemed to point to his departure, until suddenly, Andrews was back in the mix with New England, assuring the team captain and key cog would remain the man in the middle upfront for the Pats. We re super excited to be back, super excited to see all the new faces we ve added, especially now that the draft just ended, said Andrews on Tuesday morning, meeting with the media via Webex. This is home, it s a special place to me.
Meet the Patriots’ 2021 draft class: A QB of the future, rebuilding the defense
Updated 7:40 AM;
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The New England Patriots finally went ahead and did it in the 2021 NFL Draft. They drafted a new franchise quarterback in the form of Alabama’s Mac Jones.
Following months of speculation over whether Bill Belichick would sell the Patriots’ draft future (or at least a future first-round pick) for a big-name quarterback, the team stayed back, waited and still landed a quarterback they hope can be the franchise’s future long-time starter.
After using their best draft pick since 2008 on a QB of the future, the Patriots went back to old friend Nick Saban’s Alabama team, trading up to grab top-rated defensive lineman Christian Barmore in the second round to help rebuild their run defense.
By Syndicated Content
May 3, 2021 2:38 PM
The New England Patriots will pick up the fifth-year option on offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn, according to multiple reports Monday.
The Patriots selected Wynn with the No. 23 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and he moved into the starting spot at left tackle the following season. A slew of injuries â a torn Achilles that cost him his rookie season, turf toe in 2019 and a knee injury in 2020 â have limited him to just 18 regular-season games in his first three seasons in the league.
The cost of the fifth-year option for Wynn, 25, is $10.41 million.
NFL Network reported that the Patriots are likely to decline the option on running back Sony Michel, Wynnâs teammate at Georgia who was selected No. 31 overall in 2018. His option is $4.52 million.