National Football League

New England Patriots, Bill Belichick going all-in on free agents

Published Mar. 16, 2021 2:21 p.m. ET

Bill Belichick appears to be a man on a mission.

After the 2020 New England Patriots missed the postseason for the first since 2008, Belichick & Co. are breaking the bank, hoping to ensure they aren't on the outside looking in this upcoming postseason.

Monday marked the soft launch, of sorts, of free agency, which officially begins Wednesday. Teams and players can arrange deals during the three-day window known as the "legal tampering period."

And boy, did the Patriots strike early and often.

On Monday, New England lined up deals with tight end Jonnu Smith, pass-rushing linebacker Matt Judon, defensive back Jalen Mills, nose tackle Davon Godchaux, defensive end Henry Anderson and wide receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne.

Smith (four years, $50 million) and Agholor (two years, $26 million) caught the biggest checks on offense ⁠— until Tuesday's action, but more on that in a bit ⁠— while Judon (four years, $56 million) and Mills (four years, $24 million) commanded the largest outlays on defense.

As a member of the Tennessee Titans, Smith caught 32 passes for 358 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 starts in 2020. After five up-and-down seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, Agholor broke out with 896 yards and eight touchdowns on 48 receptions with the Las Vegas Raiders this past season.

Judon scored the bag after back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, bringing a total of 34.5 sacks, 103 quarterback hits and 236 tackles in his five-year career to his new club.

As for Mills, he played all over the defensive backfield in his five years with the Eagles, setting a career high in total tackles (74), sacks (1.5) and tackles for loss in 2020.

After Monday's flurry of moves, the message from New England seemed to be clear: The 7-9 Patriots of 2020 weren't going to be the new norm.

At the very least, the organization signaled its intent to be a challenger in the AFC East after relinquishing the crown for the first time since 2008 to the Buffalo Bills.

As ESPN's Adam Schefter recapped Monday: "They spent more money in the first few hours of free agency today than they have in any other year of free agency."

Then Tuesday arrived, and another big-money move came with it.

The Pats went a step beyond adding Smith to recently re-signed quarterback Cam Newton's arsenal, agreeing to a three-year, $37.5 million deal with former Los Angeles Chargers TE Hunter Henry.

In Henry and Smith, the Patriots scooped up the two tight ends widely considered the leaders at the position among those available in free agency.

En route to New England, Henry brings 196 career receptions, 2,322 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns in 55 games played.

The question is: Will Belichick's maneuvering be enough to put the six-time Super Bowl champions back in contention?

On "Undisputed," Skip Bayless billed the acquisitions at tight end as a throwback to 2010-13, when New England had two dominant players at the position in Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez

"This [Henry signing]? This is great. ... Now you're back to Gronk/Hernandez style. I'm not saying they're Gronk and Hernandez, but you have that ability to attack that same way. ... Annihilation. That's what you can do when you have that kind of firepower, where [it's] pick your poison."

Kyle Brandt echoed those thoughts on "Good Morning Football," seeing the moves as a boon to help New England's floundering red-zone offense, which finished tied for 23rd in the league in 2020, with a 54.2% conversion rate.

"I'm thinking of the Patriots in the red zone, with Jonnu and Henry and [a] 6-foot-5, 250-[pound] quarterback. They're going to be unstoppable. This changes things. ... Now I think they have the Bills' attention."

As Colin Cowherd put it on "The Herd," New England's dealings have the Patriots well-positioned to be a playoff team in 2020, especially when taking into account the adjustment period necessary following Tom Brady's departure.

"They still have the best coach in football, a top-five offensive line, and they'll have a top-five/six defense. This morning, they feel like a playoff team — not a Super Bowl team, but a playoff team."

Will making the postseason be enough for a franchise that has won six Super Bowls and 72.6% of its regular-season games in the Belichick era?

It might not be enough for Pats fans, but it would certainly be a start.

With about six months to go before the 2021 season kicks off, it's likely that Belichick still has more than a few moves up his sleeve.