Patriots Rumor Tracker / FA Signings (Updated: Signings in OP - 4/7)

Huckleberry1 · Mar 9, 2026

scott99 said:
How did the Pats lose the Super Bowl ? Honestly, I’d like to hear people’s responses.

Me personally, I think we lost the Super Bowl because our offense couldn’t do ****, and our defense was on the field all day. Our QB didn’t have time because of a porous Oline. Our receivers & TEs disappeared in the playoffs. Our offense averaged 14 points in the playoffs.

They cut their best WR, so now their WR room is bottom 5 in the NFL. They need to fix the Oline. They have ONE NFL tight end. The offense needs serious help. There needed to be more urgency in day 1 of Free Agency, I’m not seeing a front offense trying to fix problems. Unless our new Fullback is gonna also play LG, WR & TE, I have every reason to be extremely concerned about their lack of urgency.

Yet somehow they made the Super Bowl . Go figure ?

But I get your pointy, the Patriots haven't won anything in the past 2 days, so they totally suck.

Wozzy · Mar 9, 2026

I love the "Pats can't draft WR's" take, like it's an incurable venerial disease or something.

Vrabel and Cowden have drafted one, and he looks pretty good so far. What am I missing?

Huckleberry1 · Mar 9, 2026

I think the greatest thing about some Patriot fans. is how much they appreciate the team.

It's not like they are unappreciative ignorant assholes.

UGAPatsfan · Mar 9, 2026

Joey007 said:
Little unhappy now. Guard market is dry besides older stop gap kinda guys. Would be a little confused if we sit on our hands and do nothing there.

I think a Bitonio type was always the plan there vs a big ticket. Also some pretty good guards in the draft. Dunker from Iowa is a binky.

slash83 · Mar 9, 2026

Hugepatsfan · Mar 9, 2026

Wozzy said:
I love the "Pats can't draft WR's" take, like it's a incurable venerial disease or something.

Vrabel and Cowden have drafted one, and he looks pretty good so far. What am I missing?

I like Kyle Williams and see signs that he can be good, but he had 10 catches as a rookie. If we’re going to grade their WR drafting ability on just him you have to give them a negative mark at this point. You’d have to be a pretty outrageous homer to be arguing they’re good at drafting receivers based off of his rookie year.

Mack Herron · Mar 9, 2026

BennyBledsoe · Mar 9, 2026

The loss in the Super Bowl had more than a few factors. If there was anything I'd point to, it was lack of OL play. By that point, you had two starters coming off injuries that were rookies in Campbell and Wilson and two stopgap starters in Bradbury and Moses (who was also coming off injury).

The WR corps, even as is, is perfectly fine, assuming the continued development of players like Boutte, Williams, and Chism. The one area you absolutely need help in is at TE when it comes to receiving options.

But the area of most concern is starting OL and OL depth. I would throw most of the draft at the OL and see what sticks. I'd add some midrange free agents, too. Just like with DL and DL depth, it is really helpful to be able to at least get average play out of your backups.

long distance · Mar 9, 2026

FA is not as unimportant as kraft gang here would want you to believe all of a sudden.
Its the easiest job of the year for FO sitting on loads of cap.
Everything else will be tougher: drafting from the bottom positions, trading with low draft capital, playing the top schedule etc.

Normally you want to sit out “Day1“ and thats how BB Dynasty worked for the most part, but lets not forget that the one time he had a bit more cap space he went quite strong early.

Trades are usually best value deals for top players so hopefully they can get something there even with less draft $..

_

btw - good/bad deals are not showing in “per year“ category but in length of the deal and guarantees.
fe - The “bad“ part of Linderbaum deal is not 81M or 27 AAV (he was always going to reset the market) but in relative shortness of the deal (only 3y) and high % guarantees (depending on how much is fully guaranteed).
The good part of course is proven top player at key position that is often overlooked by all.

Joey007 · Mar 9, 2026

UGAPatsfan said:
I think a Bitonio type was always the plan there vs a big ticket. Also some pretty good guards in the draft. Dunker from Iowa is a binky.

I’ve just never seen us actually sign a veteran guard over the last several years. It’s always been a neglected position.

Hugepatsfan · Mar 9, 2026

Joey007 said:
Little unhappy now. Guard market is dry besides older stop gap kinda guys. Would be a little confused if we sit on our hands and do nothing there.

The guard market was pretty dry before it even got started. Edwards from BUF is only OK. Seumalo isn’t a pure stop gap but he’s an older guy too.

People can pound the table that we should address the OL above all else but you can’t make players appear. This OL class in FA sucks. Linderbaum and McGovern were the only particularly interesting guys as far as real multi year solutions go. A stop gap like Bitonio always made most sense to me.

Wozzy · Mar 9, 2026

Hugepatsfan said:
I like Kyle Williams and see signs that he can be good, but he had 10 catches as a rookie. If we’re going to grade their WR drafting ability on just him you have to give them a negative mark at this point. You’d have to be a pretty outrageous homer to be arguing they’re good at drafting receivers based off of his rookie year.

I didn't say they were good at it. I said they drafted one and he looks pretty good.

Rookies who don't play a lot because there are vets ahead of them on the depth chart don't stink because of it. They're waiting their turn and learning their craft.

If Williams continues to work hard, his opportunities will increase. And "can't draft WR's" isn't a curse that follows franchises around. This is a whole new regime, what they do or don't do well will be determined in time.

UGAPatsfan · Mar 9, 2026

Wozzy said:
I didn't say they were good at it. I said they drafted one and he looks pretty good.

Rookies who don't play a lot because there are vets ahead of them on the depth chart don't stink because of it. They're waiting their turn and learning their craft.

If Williams continues to work hard, his opportunities will increase. And "can't draft WR's" isn't a curse that follows franchises around. This is a whole new regime, what they do or don't do well will be determined in time.

Logical point in a vacuum BUT they have sucked for 20 years at drafting WR and 2024 regime didn’t improve that with Polk and Mr Popcorn.

Williams…jury is out.

Free_Pacman · Mar 9, 2026

Cardona was the last player to win a Super Bowl, right?

End of an era.

Ross12 · Mar 9, 2026

Hugepatsfan said:
The guard market was pretty dry before it even got started. Edwards from BUF is only OK. Seumalo isn’t a pure stop gap but he’s an older guy too.

People can pound the table that we should address the OL above all else but you can’t make players appear. This OL class in FA sucks. Linderbaum and McGovern were the only particularly interesting guys as far as real multi year solutions go. A stop gap like Bitonio always made most sense to me.

I would probably rather have a quality player at the end of his career over a slightly above average guy in the middle of his career. Just need to draft and develop the replacement player.

Wozzy · Mar 9, 2026

UGAPatsfan said:
Logical point in a vacuum BUT they have sucked for 20 years at drafting WR and 2024 regime didn’t improve that with Polk and Mr Popcorn.

Williams…jury is out.

So you think the franchise is cursed? Should they change the logo again, do a seance, perhaps burn some sage?

Nonsense... Vrabel/Cowden have been here one season.

On Williams the jury is still out, but he looked pretty good in limited snaps. He's trending in the right direction.

Ross12 · Mar 9, 2026

UGAPatsfan said:
I think “cheaper” did.

Considering most deals today were massive, it definitely wasn’t the day to look for “cheaper”. Their contract for Jones definitely looks very valuable in hindsight after all the other edge guys signed later.

Hugepatsfan · Mar 9, 2026

BennyBledsoe said:
The loss in the Super Bowl had more than a few factors. If there was anything I'd point to, it was lack of OL play. By that point, you had two starters coming off injuries that were rookies in Campbell and Wilson and two stopgap starters in Bradbury and Moses (who was also coming off injury).

The WR corps, even as is, is perfectly fine, assuming the continued development of players like Boutte, Williams, and Chism. The one area you absolutely need help in is at TE when it comes to receiving options.

But the area of most concern is starting OL and OL depth. I would throw most of the draft at the OL and see what sticks. I'd add some midrange free agents, too. Just like with DL and DL depth, it is really helpful to be able to at least get average play out of your backups.

You’re lying to yourself if you think this WR depth chart is good enough. It would be a disgrace if they open the season with this and not making one significant addition capable of playing starter snaps. Mack Hollins was our #1 WR in play time last year which isn’t really close to acceptable and then on top of that we let go our most productive guy in Diggs. The position was already lacking before that and in need of guys like KWilliams stepping up and Boutte making another leap so Mack Hollins wasn’t Wr1 for us in playing time, now they have to replace Diggs too. That’s just to get to an even level as last year which was already lacking.

dliverey44 · Mar 9, 2026

scott99 said:
Their job is to make the team better, not worse. Our best receiver is gone, and I’m thinking their idea was that they will get a better WR, didn’t happen, and nobody left is better. Hooper is gone, and though I wasn’t a fan of 2025 Hooper, they literally have ZERO NFL TEs except and aging Henry. They need someone better than Hooper, and ideally better than Henry. Oline is a disaster.

Gotta be honest its these reactions that keep coming back here.

UGAPatsfan · Mar 9, 2026

Wozzy said:
So you think the franchise is cursed? Should they change the logo again, do a seance, perhaps burn some sage?

Nonsense... Vrabel/Cowden have been here one season.

On Williams the jury is still out, but he looked pretty good in limited snaps. He's trending in the right direction.

No, nothing that dramatic but there is definitely something amiss with how the team evaluates them. I believe they only changed the grading system prior to last year’s draft. We took one WR. Hopefully it’s fixed. I want them to take at least 2 WR this year.

I actually believe the issue is they just haven’t taken enough swings historically.

And when they did, it seemed obvious they F’d up. Chad Jackson, N’Keal, etc.

There’s depth this year…and all sorts of body types.

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