It was a busy day in Foxborough for Eliot Wolf, Mike Vrabel, and the New England Patriots organization.
The first day of free agency did not disappoint, and the Patriots made some very important signings that will help improve their roster after last season’s struggles. While there is still work to do, it’s a great start and gives fans hope once again.
It’s only fair to give the Patriots a grade for their efforts on the first day, so let’s get into it.
Patriots Day 1 Grade: A-
The Patriots did what they needed to do. They went out there and were aggressive, targeting players that could help them get back to their winning ways.
Of course, the biggest signing of the day was former Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams. He was the best free agent on the board, and at first, signs were not pointing to the Patriots landing him. It actually seemed that he was headed to the Carolina Panthers. However, New England swooped in and made sure that he would be in Foxborough for the foreseeable future.
Defensive tackle was one of the biggest needs for the Patriots considering the uncertainty surrounding Christian Barmore. Plus, they traded Davon Godchaux to the Saints just before the legal tampering period began.
So, they swung big and it worked.
Most of the moves mainly centered around the defense, also bringing in cornerback Carlton Davis, linebacker Robert Spillane and defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga.
There really isn’t a bad signing in this group. Yes, the argument can be made that they overpaid some of these guys, but it was known that they were going to have to do that to get talent. And they had the money to use, with plenty still left to spare.
As for the offense, the Patriots biggest signing on that side of the ball was right tackle Morgan Moses. He’s a reliable veteran who has a lot of experience, which is exactly what New England needs. Plus, they got him on a very team friendly deal.
In the quarterback room, Josh Dobbs will join Drake Maye and Joe Milton III, providing a veteran voice who has experience playing for Josh McDaniels. The same can be said about Mack Hollins in the wide receiver room.
However, they weren’t able to land a top wide receiver which is one of the biggest needs on offense. They have their quarterback, but they need to surround him with the right guys.
Overall, this is the start the Patriots needed, and now they just need to maintain it.