The New England Patriots opened up the 2021 NFL free agency (well, the legal tampering period, at least) by dominating the market with a flurry of deals.
It was an uncharacteristic spending spree for a normally thrifty Bill Belichick as the Patriots opened things up with seven major acquisitions.
Will they continue to spend big as the legal tampering period heads into Day 2? Here’s a rundown of all the deals, rumors and rumblings from Day 2, followed by a recap of Day 1:
SIGNING: Former Patriots QB Jacoby Brissett heads to Dolphins (Adam Schefter)
SIGNING: Jaguars agree to deal with former Lions WR Marvin Jones (Ian Rapoport)
TRADE: Saints send DL Malcom Brown to Jaguars (Ian Rapoport)
SIGNING: Texans sign Tyrod Taylor to 1-year, $12.5 million deal (Adam Schefter)
SIGNING: QB Andy Dalton to Bears (Ian Rapoport)
CONTRACTS: Patriots new signings have lower-than-expected salary cap hits
RELEASE: Chiefs let go RB Damien Williams (Ian Rapoport)
RELEASE: Titans cut CB Adoree Jackson and OT Dennis Kelly (Tom Pelissero)
SIGNING: Giants bring in WR John Ross on one-year deal (Mike Garafolo)
SIGNING: Steelers bring back OL Zach Banner (Aaron Wilson)
SIGNING: Giants bring back DL Leonard Williams (Ian Rapoport)
SIGNING: Cowboys agree to deal with OL Ty Nskehe (Ian Rapoport)
SIGNING: Browns bringing in EDGE Takk McKinley (Jonathan Jones)
SIGNING: CB Mike Hilton heads to Bengals (Ian Rapoport)
SURPRISE CUT: Raiders release C Rodney Hudson (Ian Rapoport)
RUMOR: The wide receiver market “is really bad right now” (Dianna Russini)
CONTRACT: RB Carlos Hyde’s deal with the Jaguars is worth $4.5 million over two seasons (Albert Breer)
SIGNING: Former Patriots pass rusher Derek Rivers signs with Texans (Michael Perrett)
SIGNING: CB Shaquill Griffin to Jaguars (Mike Dugar)
SIGNING: Ravens bringing back LB Tyus Bowser (Adam Caplan)
SIGNING: DE Taco Charlton re-signs with Chiefs (NFL Network)
RUMOR: Dolphins are “squarely in on” David Andrews. As multiple reporters have ported out, if Andrews signs with Miami, the Patriots could bring back Ted Karras, who is also a free agent. (Joe Schad)
SIGNING: DL Jihad Ward signs with Jaguars (Ian Rapoport)
RELEASE: Saints cut LB Kwon Alexander (Adam Schefter)
SIGNING: Jaguars sign former Panthers TE Chris Manhertz (Adam Schefter)
SIGNING: Bengals sign CB Chidobe Awuzie (Mike Garafolo)
RUMOR: Patriots interested in RBs Leonard Fournette and Chris Carson (Michael Giardi)
RUMOR: Patriots remain in the mix for David Andrews, with Dolphins making a push (Jeff Howe)
RUMOR: Trade rumblings getting louder around N’Keal Harry (Josh Weinfuss)
RUMOR: Buccaneers linked to Patriots free agent RB James White (Adam Schefter)
SIGNING: Patriots sign TE Hunter Henry to three-year, $37.5 million deal (Adam Schefter)
SIGNING: Jaguars re-sign CB Sidney Jones (Ian Rapoport)
CONTRACT: Broncos execute option on OLB Von Miller’s contract (Ian Rapoport)
RUMOR: Patriots are “lurking” as an option for RB Leonard Fournette (Albert Breer)
SIGNING: Ryan Fitzpatrick signs 2-year, deal with the Washington Football team (Adam Schefter)
SIGNING: DL Dalvin Tomlinson signs with Vikings (Ian Rapoport)
SIGNING: LB Kevin Pierre-Louis signs with Texans (Jeremy Fowler)
SIGNING: Bengals sign DE Trey Hendrickson to four-year, $60 million deal (Ian Rapoport)
SIGNING: QB Jameis Winston returns to Saints on one-year, $5.5 million deal (Tom Pelissero)
SIGNING: Jets sign pass rusher Carl Lawson (Ian Rapoport)
SIGNING: Titans sign OLB Bud Dupree (Ian Rapoport)
SIGNING: Chargers sign formers Steelers OL Matt Feiler (Adam Schefter)
Here’s a rundown of everything the Patriots did yesterday:
- Patriots make seventh new signing, Jets DL Henry Anderson (report)
- Patriots sign veteran WR Nelson Agholor to two-year, $26 million deal (report)
- WR Kendrick Bourne signs 3-year, $22.5 million deal with New England (report)
- Deatrich Wise re-signs with Patriots: Free agent frenzy includes holding onto DE (report)
- Patriots sign DB Jalen Mills: Free agency splurge continues to secondary (report)
- Patriots sign Pro Bowl pass rusher Matt Judon four-year, $56 million deal (report)
- Patriots sign DT Davon Godchaux to 2-year deal (report)
- Patriots sign Jonnu Smith to massive four-year, $50 million deal (report)
Here’s the full rundown from Day 1:
SIGNING: Former Patriots DB Terrence Brooks signs with Texans (Adam Schefter)
SIGNING: DE Yannick Ngakoue signs with Raiders (Ian Rapoport)
SIGNING: Giants re-sign DT Austin Johnson (Dan Graziano)
RUMOR: The Athletic’s Jeff Howe is confident the Patriots are talking to more than one receiver
RUMOR: Patriots working on a deal for WR Kendrick Bourne (Jeremy Fowler)
SIGNING: DE Deatrich Wise re-signs with Patriots (Mike Reiss)
SIGNING: DT Maliek Collins signs with Texans (Adam Schefter)
SIGNING: OL Corey Linsley signs with Chargers (Mike Garafolo)
SIGNING: Browns sign former Rams safety John Johnson III (Ian Rapoport)
SIGNING: Chiefs sign Joe Thuney to massive five-year deal
RUMOR: Patriots are “active in the wide receiver market” (Michael Giardi)
SIGNING: Patriots sign former Eagles DB Jalen Mills
SIGNING: Patriots sign former Ravens OLB Matthew Judon to four-year, $56 million deal (Ian Rapoport)
RUMOR: Patriots “close” to signing Matthew Judon (Josina Anderson)
RUMOR: Patriots have made an aggressive push for former Ravens OLB Matthew Judon (Jeff Howe)
SIGNING: CB Jason Verrett back to 49ers (Ian Rapoport)
RUMOR: Rob Gronkowski wants to dip his toe into free agency
SIGNING: OT Cam Erving to Panthers (Jeremy Fowler)
PATRIOTS SIGNING: Patriots sign DT Davon Godchaux to 2-year deal (report)
PATRIOTS SIGNING: Patriots sign Jonnu Smith to massive four-year, $50 million deal (report)
RUMOR: Patriots have contacted free agent WR Curtis Samuel, but the receiver is still looking elsewehere. (Michael Giardi)
SIGNING: OL Pat Elflein going to Panthers (Adam Schefter)
RUMOR/BETTING: Patriots the betting favorites to land TE Hunter Henry in free agency (BetOnline.ag)
RUMOR: Patriots reaching out to free-agent running backs (Andrew Callahan)
SIGNING: Lions re-sign pass rusher Romeo Okwara (Ian Rapoport)
SIGNING: OLB Shaq Barrett returns to Tampa Bay (Josina Anderson)
SIGNING: OLB Markus Golden signs with Cardinals (Field Yates)
SIGNING: Cardinals bring back punder Andy Lee (Ian Rapoport)
RUMOR: 49ers will not tender QB Nick Mullens as a free agent. (Matt Maiocco)
RUMOR: Bucs EDGE Shaq Barrett says returning to Tampa Bay is “Option A” (Josina Anderson)
RUMOR: SI’s Albert Breer says tight end Jonnu Smith, formerly of the Titans, is a name to “keep and eye on” as the Patriots prep for free agency. (98.5 The Sports Hub)
RUMOR: The Jets are high on Joe Thuney, but are worried a “bidding war” over him. (New York Post)
CONTRACT: Vikings re-do LB Anthony Barr’s deal (Ian Rapoport)
RUMOR: WR Corey Davis and TE Jonnu Smith both expect not to return to Titans (Dianna Russini)
RUMOR: Seahawks not engaging in Russell Wilson trade rumors (Ian Rapoport)
RUMOR: OL Kyle Long coming out of retirement, going on free agent visits (Adam Schefter)
RUMOR: Jets expected to chase after Joe Thuney (Connor Hughes, The Athletic)
SIGNING: Ravens sign OL Kevin Zeitler (Ian Rapoport)
CONTRACT: Jaguars G Andrew Norwell restructures to stay in Jacksonville (Rapoport)
CONTRACT: Saints sign QB Taysom Hill to voidable four-year extension (Adam Schefter)
RUMOR: Patriots interested in bringing back Joe Thuney
Per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer: “the lines of communication have reopened, and the Patriots have expressed that they’d like to keep Thuney.
SIGNING: 49ers re-sign FB Kyle Juszczyk (Ian Rapoport)
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