New England Patriots News & Rumors

Titans’ Trade For CB L’Jarius Sneed Falls Through; League Interest Cooling

March 22nd, 2024 at 8:13pm CST by Ely Allen

Two weeks ago, we went into some detail on the list of teams interested in trading for Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. The Titans were one of those teams, and it appears the team was all but set to trade for Kansas City’s top cornerback before one detail sank the deal. According to Nate Taylor of The Athletic, the inability of Tennessee to reach an agreement on a multi-year extension for Sneed kept the trade from going through.

The Chiefs avoided allowing Sneed to test unrestricted free agency by applying the franchise tag on him earlier this month. While every now and then, a franchise tag application can be the end of the story, keeping a key player under contract for one additional, high-paying year, often times, the tag is meant to buy time as the player continues to seek a long-term contract. With Sneed, that meant two options: seeking a long-term contract with Kansas City or getting traded to another team that may be more open to giving him the deal he desires.

The Chiefs are very familiar with the tag-and-trade maneuver. They have utilized it themselves to send Dee Ford to the 49ers while also taking advantage of it to bring Frank Clark from Seattle. Right now, it appears that Kansas City is unwilling to meet Sneed where he’s wanting to be in terms of a contract extension. As a result, they have essentially informed every team in the NFL that Sneed is available for a trade.

With the Chiefs hearing offers on Sneed, a number of teams reached out to express interest. We noted the Vikings, Colts, Titans, Patriots, Lions, Falcons, Jaguars, and Dolphins as teams looking to acquire the 27-year-old. While all these teams showed initial interest, it was never clear how many had the intentions of trading for Sneed then extending him.

Sneed has made it clear that he is seeking a three- or four-year contract with an average annual value of at least $20MM, a salary that would make him the league’s third-highest-paid cornerback. While Tennessee was ready to part ways with whatever Kansas City wanted in exchange for Sneed, the Titans were apparently not ready to hand Sneed a new contract. Without a new contract, Sneed is set to play with a one-year salary of $19.8MM on the franchise tag, with every penny counting towards his team’s cap space. This provides incentive for the Chiefs or whatever team trades for him to use a new deal to lessen his salary cap impact.

The Titans apparently pivoted from the Sneed-trade to sign cornerback Chidobe Awuzie and use the extra money to sign wide receiver Calvin Ridley. The Lions traded instead for cornerback Carlton Davis. Additionally, Taylor informs that the Patriots, Vikings, and Falcons have ceased engagements with Kansas City concerning Sneed. So who else is left to vie for his services?

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini names Indianapolis as the most likely destination for Sneed at this time. The Chiefs will be wanting at least a second-round pick for Sneed, but if they can’t reach that value, they’re going to want two picks, with one of them being a third-rounder. She identifies the Colts‘ 46th, 82nd, and 117th overall picks as the ones that could entice Kansas City. On the Pat McAfee Show, ESPN’s Adam Schefter disputed Russini’s opinion, claiming that “the Colts and the Chiefs haven’t had any conversations” about a trade taking place. Stephen Holder of ESPN delved deeper claiming that, after contemplating the idea of a Sneed-trade, Indianapolis instead opted to re-sign its own players, like cornerback Kenny Moore.

As for the Chiefs, the relative inactivity around Sneed could allow them to lower Sneed’s asking price on a new deal. Sneed has expressed interest in remaining with the Chiefs multiple times. He doesn’t seem too eager to give a hometown discount, as he realizes that this is likely his best opportunity to maximize on his value, but he likes the idea of a Super Bowl three-peat and enjoyed his role as the team’s shadow corner.

Kansas City is in no rush to overpay, though. They are currently ranked 28th in cap space, according to OverTheCap.com, and they are confident in their ability to identify cornerback talent through the draft. Without Sneed, the Chiefs will return Trent McDuffie, Joshua Williams, and Jaylen Watson, three players they believe to be starting-caliber.

As the draft inches closer and closer, it’s starting to seem like one of two things will need to happen: either Kansas City is going to need to lower their asking price for Sneed in order to move him, or Sneed will need to lower his asking price for a new extension. It doesn’t sound like the Chiefs are interested in keeping Sneed on the roster in 2024, but someone will need to bend in order for him to move. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, for one, expects the team to move on from Sneed before the draft.

Patriots To Sign S Jaylinn Hawkins

March 21st, 2024 at 10:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Patriots are adding some experienced safety depth to go along with Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers. Jerod Mayo‘s team is bringing in Jaylinn Hawkins, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets.

A former full-time Falcons starter, Hawkins appears on track to back up Dugger and Peppers in New England. He is signing a one-year contract, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss adds. Hawkins, 26, split last season in Atlanta and Los Angeles.

In between their Ricardo Allen–Keanu Neal tandem and the Jessie Bates signing, the Falcons turned to Hawkins as a full-time starter for a season. They used the former fourth-round pick as a 16-game starter alongside Richie Grant in 2022, but Bates’ arrival on a $16MM-per-year contract led to a 2023 Hawkins demotion. The Falcons waived Hawkins in October, preceding a Chargers claim.

The Cal product intercepted four passes from 2021-22; he forced a fumble and totaled 84 tackles during the ’22 season. Pro Football Focus slotted Hawkins just outside the top 60 that season, leading to Atlanta’s Bates move under one-and-done DC Ryan Nielsen. Hawkins started three Chargers games last season.

As they transition to Mayo and DC DeMarcus Covington, the Patriots moved on from multiyear contributor Adrian Phillips. They slapped the transition tag on Dugger, and no offer sheet has emerged. Peppers is attached to a two-year, $9MM contract that expires after the 2024 season.

Jaguars QB Mac Jones Addresses Patriots Trade

March 21st, 2024 at 2:24pm CST by Adam La Rose

Free agency saw several veteran quarterbacks find new homes. A number of trades took place involving signal-callers as well, though, including the one which ended Mac Jones‘ Patriots tenure.

The 2021 first-rounder was dealt to the Jaguars last week in return for a sixth-round pick. The move will allow Jones to play for his hometown team while getting a fresh start following his underwhelming run in New England. He will serve as Trevor Lawrence‘s backup for at least one season, while the Patriots will reset under center. Jones recently spoke about the trade.

“We kind of just decided the mutual parting of ways was the best decision for both of us,” the 25-year-old said, via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. “For me, it was just about moving on and getting back home, and I couldn’t be more excited. And for them, it’s about moving forward and turning the page. So really, that’s what we decided, and I think it’s a great decision.”

Jones had an encouraging rookie season, but his struggles the following year under Matt Patricia and Joe Judge led to questions about his long-term viability as a starter. A coaching change led to Bill O’Brien taking charge of the Patriots’ offense in 2023, but Jones did not rebound as hoped. The Alabama product was benched in favor of Bailey Zappe to close out the campaign, furthering the expectation he would be dealt during the offseason.

The Patriots have indeed moved on, with Zappe, former Jaguars addition Nathan Rourke and veteran Jacoby Brissett on the QB depth chart. New England is widely expected to draft a signal-caller third overall, and the understanding of that plan lends credence to Jones’ assertion the trade was a mutual parting of ways. The latter will compete for the QB2 job in Jacksonville with veteran C.J. Beathard.

One year remains on Jones’ rookie contract; the Jaguars will surely decline his 2025 fifth-year option (valued at $25.66MM). His free agent stock will thus depend on his play over the coming season, something which will not involve much in the way of opportunities if Lawrence remains healthy. Jones’ value and the performance of his replacement will be worth monitoring in 2024.

Patriots Talking Extension With OLB Matt Judon, DT Christian Barmore

March 17th, 2024 at 7:31pm CST by Ely Allen

In the summer, the Patriots started discussions with star pass rusher Matt Judon concerning a new contract as he headed into the second-to-last season of his current deal. With talks of a new contract on the horizon, Judon agreed to a restructured deal that included several incentives he would miss out on due to injury this year. Still, the deal was made with the expectation that both sides would return to the table in the offseason. With the first wave of free agency over, those talks have resumed, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

Judon’s biceps injury ended up being a season-ending ailment. Though, it seemed at times there was a possibility for him to return, Judon missed every remaining game after his injury. As a result, Reiss believes that any future extension offer the Patriots may draft up will be incentive-heavy, to protect them in the case of another long-term injury.

While that makes sense for New England, Judon has already experienced the loss of income as a result of a contract that fails to protect him from injury. As a player with star talent who missed extended time for the first time in his career in 2023 and lost money as a result, Judon will likely be seeking a deal high in guarantees. Perhaps a middle ground can be reached on a deal that both delivers a large guaranteed sum to Judon while still leaving a bit of achievable additional income through incentives.

The Patriots are also expected to begin extension talks with defensive tackle Christian Barmore. The former second-round pick out of Alabama is heading into the final year of his rookie contract and had a career year in a breakout season. In six starts in 2023, Barmore led a team missing Judon in sacks with 8.5, more than tripling his previous career high. His exceptional pass rushing metrics graded out seventh in the NFL for interior defenders, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), and he graded out as the eighth-best overall interior defender as a result.

With Barmore showing the promise that helped him get drafted in the second round, the Patriots will try to get a jump on signing him to an extension. They’ll want to avoid a situation in which he continues to excel during a contract year in 2024 and prices himself out of New England.

Patriots To Sign WR K.J. Osborn

March 17th, 2024 at 6:41pm CST by Adam La Rose

6:41PM: We have a value on Osborn’s new contract, thanks to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. The former fifth-round pick out of Miami (FL) will have a base salary of $4MM in his new contract with the Patriots. Osborn will be able to earn an additional $2MM on the deal through incentives, per Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. After his time in Minnesota, the former 2-star recruit who transferred from Buffalo has come a long way and continues to impress.

3:12PM: The Patriots have retained multiple in-house receivers this offseason, but the team is set to make an outside addition at the position. K.J. Osborn has a deal in place with New England, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. This will be a one-year agreement, ESPN’s Mike Reiss adds.

Help at the receiver spot was an apparent priority for New England in free agency given the team’s struggles on offense in 2023. Heading into Sunday, however, the Patriots had elected to re-sign Kendrick Bourne on a three-year deal worth up to $33MM. The team also re-upped Jalen Reagor, who occupied a much smaller role on offense in his debut New England campaign. Prior to his free agent decision, Calvin Ridley was known to be on the Patriots’ radar.

New England made an offer to the former first-rounder, but he ultimately joined the Titans on a four-year, $92MM agreement. Losing out on Ridley (and seeing Marquise Brown head to the Chiefs) left the Patriots in need of a different target at the WR spot. Osborn was among the best options still on the market, having proven himself as a consistent complementary receiving option during his time with the Vikings.

The 26-year-old was limited to nine games as a rookie; he did not see a single target during that time. Since then, however, Osborn has seen incremental increases in his offensive snap share with each passing season while becoming a secondary target opposite Justin Jefferson. Osborn has made 50, 60 and 48 catches between 2021-23 while posting between 540 and 655 yards in that span. The former fifth-rounder has totaled 15 touchdowns in his career.

Osborn saw tight end T.J. Hockenson acquired via trade in 2022 (and subsequently extended) as well as the Vikings’ decision to select Jordan Addison in the first round of last year’s draft. That pair – along with Jefferson – will comprise the nucleus of Minnesota’s pass-catching corps for years to come, presuming the latter works out what will be a monster extension with the team. With that trio in place, Osborn will depart in search of a larger workload in New England.

The Patriots were led in receiving last season by sixth-round rookie Demario Douglas (561). Tight end Hunter Henry was also a key member of the team’s skill position corps, and he has landed a new deal as well. With fellow tight and Mike Gesicki departing in free agency and wideout DeVante Parker having been released (and signed by the Eagles), though, plenty of snaps and targets will be available for new pass-catchers in 2024.

Osborn has seen time both in the slot and on the perimeter, and he will provide a starting-caliber option for New England’s revised offense. The draft looms as another avenue to add weapons for the quarterback presumed to be added with the No. 3 pick, but even with a rookie addition Osborn will likely have a notable role on his new team.

Titans To Sign WR Calvin Ridley

March 13th, 2024 at 11:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a Jaguars-Patriots duel formed in the Calvin Ridley sweepstakes, a mystery suitor revealed itself. The Titans are swooping in with a big offer to land the former first-round pick.

Ridley will commit to Tennessee on a four-year, $92MM deal, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. The Titans are giving Ridley $50MM fully guaranteed. A year after winning a lower-priced DeAndre Hopkins pursuit, Tennessee will pair him with Ridley.

This marks a windfall for Ridley, who will cash in despite missing the 2022 season due to a gambling suspension and leaving the Falcons early in the 2021 slate. After Atlanta traded Ridley to Jacksonville during his suspension, the former Alabama standout posted his second 1,000-yard year. Although the Jaguars wanted to retain Ridley, they may have stopped short of this price point.

As of Wednesday afternoon, however, the Titans checked in with the NFL’s most cap space. Ran Carthon‘s team carried $72MM before the Ridley agreement. While the Patriots and Jaguars both made offers, a stealth suitor may have topped them both. The Jags had been viewed as likely to retain Ridley, but they already have three veteran contracts at receiver (Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, Gabe Davis) and another at tight end (Evan Engram). Tennessee has Hopkins on a relatively low-cost accord, after beating out the Patriots in that race as well, giving the team a clearer path to pursue this year’s top free agent wideout. Indeed, in a piece written by Jeff Howe, Larry Holder, and Randy Mueller of The Athletic (subscription required), we learned that while the Jags’ and Pats’ offers were in the same ballpark, the Titans’ proposal was significantly higher.

At $23MM per year, Ridley checks in as the NFL’s ninth-highest-paid receiver; the $50MM guaranteed at signing, however, is the more important number. Only Tyreek Hill‘s 2022 Dolphins deal carried more locked in at signing. That illustrates where this market went and the aggressive pushes teams were making to bring in this market’s top receiver.

Ridley, 29, will also reunite with the Jaguars’ 2023 pass-game coordinator, Nick Holz, who landed the Titans’ OC job earlier this offseason. Holz was on-hand for a rather uneven Jaguars offensive season, with Press Taylor calling plays. Ridley, however, used the 2023 slate to rebound after effectively two years away. The 2018 first-round pick left the Falcons in October 2021, and while the team helped him find a desired trade destination — Ridley picked Jacksonville — money may well be talking for the Florida native.

PFR’s top 50 free agent ranks listed the Titans as a potential Ridley suitor — largely due to cap space and what has transpired since the A.J. Brown trade. The Titans have not seen Brown’s immediate replacement — 2022 first-rounder Treylon Burks — become a difference-maker. And less than two years after the ill-fated Brown move, the Titans ditched their GM (Jon Robinson) and HC (Mike Vrabel). The Titans were not offering Brown a deal in this ballpark; two years later, and with the cap exploding to $255.4MM, a new GM will sign off on this money for Ridley, whose career has been much rockier than the current Eagles WR1’s.

As Julio Jones‘ hamstring trouble — which helped lead the Falcons to trade him to the Titans the following year — produced a 2020 shutdown in Atlanta, his younger sidekick broke through. Ridley’s 90-catch, 1,374-yard, nine-TD season placed him on the All-Pro second team. Ridley said he played most of the 2020 season on a broken foot, but he was not informed of the break until June 2021. He underwent surgery, which was described as a minor procedure, but said he was not close to 100% by Week 1. This preceded Ridley leaving the Falcons, citing mental health reasons.

Ridley’s rookie contract tolled to 2023 due to the subsequent gambling ban, which will add more risk to this Titans bet. Although Ridley produced in spurts for the Jags in a 1,016-yard season, he will turn 30 before the 2024 season ends. Two of Ridley’s four 100-yard showings came against a struggling Titans team, though, and Carthon will place a big bet on Ridley having plenty left in the tank to help Levis. This contract will pair with Levis’ rookie deal, which runs through 2026.

Patriots To Sign DT Armon Watts, G Nick Leverett

March 13th, 2024 at 9:08pm CST by Ben Levine

Armon Watts is heading to New England. The veteran defensive tackle is signing with the Patriots, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

It’s a one-year for Watts, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston. The contract is worth $3MM.

The former sixth-round pick spent the 2023 campaign in Pittsburgh, collecting 15 tackles in 15 games. He had plenty of starting experience in his prior stops, including a career-high 12 starts with the Bears in 2022.

Watts has shown some ability to get after the QB, as he finished the 2021 campaign with a career-high five sacks while playing for the Vikings. The Patriots moved on from Lawrence Guy earlier this offseason, so there could be an opportunity for some snaps on the Patriots defensive line. Still, the 27-year-old Watts probably profiles as more of a backup piece on New England’s depth chart.

The Patriots also added some reinforcement on the offensive line today. Josina Anderson reports that the Patriots are signing offensive lineman Nick Leverett. The guard spent the past three seasons in Tampa Bay, appearing in 16 games. 11 of those appearances came during the 2022 campaign when he started a career-high 10 games.

Leverett will be hard pressed to carve out a starting role in New England, but his ability to play center and both guard spots could afford him a backup spot. He’ll compete with the likes of Jake Andrews, Michael Jordan, and Atonio Mafi for reps.

Jaguars Likely To Re-Sign WR Calvin Ridley?

March 13th, 2024 at 3:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

3:00pm: With the new league year starting, the second part of the Ridley trade is locked in. The Falcons will receive the Jaguars’ 2024 third-round pick (No. 79). Had Ridley re-signed earlier, Atlanta would have ended up with Jacksonville’s No. 48 selection. The Jags already sent the Falcons their fifth-round choice last year. Now, the team awaits word on if it will keep the wide receiver.

2:47pm: We are minutes from the 2024 league year, which matters significantly in this particular free agency pursuit. Only the Jaguars and Patriots have been closely connected to Ridley, and Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz labels this a two-horse race. Despite Ridley’s 2021 hiatus and 2022 gambling suspension, he is expected to land a big number in free agency.

Continuing to make it clear to their 2022 trade pickup they view him as a long-term option rather than a rental, the Jags can re-sign him after 3pm CT and only send a third-round pick to the Falcons. At this point, it appears Atlanta will not be in play to collect Jacksonville’s second-rounder.

11:07am: Calvin Ridley‘s free agency has presented one of the more complex markets in recent memory, with the 2022 Jaguars-Falcons trade significantly impacting its composition. As the Patriots try to poach the former first-round pick, the Jags are not giving up.

Despite the Jags having agreed to terms with Gabe Davis, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes they have made an offer to retain Ridley. This comes after a report indicated the Patriots have made an offer to Ridley, who looms as the top wideout available after Mike Evans, Tee Higgins and Michael Pittman Jr. did not end up hitting the market.

Ridley, 29, is the only one of PFR’s top 11 free agents not to have chosen a destination yet. A wink-wink agreement between Ridley and the Jags could conceivably be in place. If Jacksonville signs Ridley before 3pm CT today — the start of the 2024 league year — it goes down as an extension, meaning the team will send Atlanta its 2024 second-round pick. If Ridley re-signs with the Jags after 3pm, the Falcons will obtain the AFC South team’s third-rounder.

On that note, Jones adds the Jaguars are viewed as the more likely winner of these sweepstakes. The 2022 trade pickup is weighing the cost of living, and Florida’s lack of a state income tax has always represented an advantage against most other states housing NFL franchises. A Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native, Ridley also chose to be traded to the Jags in 2022; the Falcons discussed the 2018 first-round pick with several teams but worked with him to find an acceptable destination. Ridley having picked the Jags 17 months ago figures to matter now as well.

Ridley returning to Jacksonville would create a crowded receiver room. The Jags already featured an unusually constructed skill-position group, one that featured four players on either veteran contracts or a fifth-year option, in 2023. With Davis coming in, the team would seemingly need to move on from either Zay Jones or Christian Kirk to avoid the stranger scenario of five veteran deals — all north of $8MM per year — being allocated to pass catchers. With Kirk working as Trevor Lawrence‘s top target for most of his tenure, Jones may be the one on the chopping block. The slot player is due a $7MM base salary and is on the Jags’ cap at $10.75MM.

The Jags will need to backload Ridley’s contract or make more moves to clear cap space, as they hold just more than $5MM. The Patriots are in much better shape, sitting with nearly $60MM despite making several moves to retain their own UFAs. Ridley staying in Jacksonville would move the focus to other available wideouts — perhaps the Chargers’ Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, who have been connected to the Pats — as New England attempts to land a No. 1-caliber target.

Patriots Inquire About Chargers’ Trade Candidates; Latest On Bolts’ Plans

March 13th, 2024 at 10:45am CST by Sam Robinson

The Chargers sit in their own space regarding cap room. As of Wednesday morning, only three teams are over the cap. But only the Bolts are more than $2MM over. Jim Harbaugh‘s team remains $25.2MM over the cap, and the deadline for cap compliance looms in less then five hours.

The team has not made a move involving the contracts of Joey Bosa, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams or Khalil Mack. These four pillars double as the Chargers’ top cap hits, with 2023 restructures creating big 2024 numbers. All four check in beyond the $32MM place, putting the Chargers in crunch time as they begin the Harbaugh era.

The team has until 3pm CT to move under the $255.4MM cap, creating one of the more interesting salary situations in years. As OverTheCap’s Jason Fitzgerald points out, the Bolts have four of the top 12 cap hits in the NFL.

Conversations about trades have taken place, and the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed notes the Patriots have discussed at least some of these trade candidates with the Bolts. New England features needs at both receiver and edge defender, though the team has done some work on those fronts in free agency. Kendrick Bourne and Josh Uche are returning for the Pats, but neither player’s resume comes particularly close to any of the Bolts’ trade chips.

This Pats news comes as they are pursuing Calvin Ridley. The team has made an offer to the recent Jaguars 1,000-yard receiver. A Ridley pickup would seemingly move an Allen or Williams acquisition off the table. The Pats still have Matt Judon under contract, with Uche back as a sidekick — albeit one on the inconsistent side — for at least the 2024 season. If the Patriots were to acquire Bosa or Mack, the team would certainly not run out a Judon-Uche starting duo.

New England still holds more than $59MM in cap space, leaving the team capable of absorbing one of the Los Angeles contracts. The Bolts are widely expected to trade at least one of these contracts (possibly more) today, the Washington Post’s Mark Maske tweets. A trade or release transaction involving one of this foursome should be expected, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes.

The Chargers’ cap situation will make teams less inclined to fork over major assets here, as the league knows the Bolts will have to cut a player or two if no trade can come to pass. That said, a team that does not like its chances of landing one of these players on the open market could be well served to make a trade, and the Bolts have been open to that for a bit now.

All four players are tied to deals at or north of $20MM per year. Allen, 31, has been with the Chargers since 2013. Bosa, 28, has spent eight seasons with the team. Both are among the top players at their respective positions. Mack, 33, qualifies for such a classification as well; he bounced back in a big way last season, totaling a career-high 17 sacks. Williams, 29, missed most of last season with an ACL tear. The former top-10 pick’s injury history will certainly limit his trade appeal. One season remains on Mack, Williams and Allen’s contracts; Bosa is signed through 2025.

Patriots Re-Sign LB Anfernee Jennings

March 13th, 2024 at 8:44am CST by Adam La Rose

Despite the Patriots finishing below .500 in each of the past two seasons and changing head coaches for the first time in 24 years, they are making a concerted effort to retain their free agents.

New England has re-signed Michael Onwenu, Josh Uche and Kendrick Bourne, doing so after transition-tagging Kyle Dugger. The team will continue down this path, giving Anfernee Jennings a three-year contract to stick around. The four-year veteran linebacker agreed to a three-year, $12MM deal, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who adds the contract can max out at $24MM.

The former third-rounder entered the league with questions about his fit with respect to playing as an inside or outside linebacker. Jennings was primarily used on the inside as a rookie before being forced to miss the 2021 season due to injury. Since then, he has grown into a notable role on the Pats’ defense.

Jennings was moved to his more familiar edge rush role in 2022, a season in which he remained a rotational contributor. He logged a defensive snap share of 32% and chipped in with 1.5 sacks and 27 tackles. The 26-year-old then became a starter this past campaign, seeing a major increase in playing time partially due to the absence of Matt Judon.

The latter’s injury did not yield an uptick in the way of pass-rush production – Jennings still only recorded 1.5 sacks – but he proved to be a stout player against the run. The Alabama product recorded 66 stops (including 14 tackles for loss) and drew a stellar PFF grade of 85.9 against the run. New England will be counting on more of the same moving forward, especially given the short-term investment made in Uche (known as a sack artist who struggles against the run).

New England ranked 27th in the league in sacks last season. Improvement in that regard could come about with Judon returning to health and an impactful addition being made in free agency and/or the draft. As things stand, though, the team’s edge contingent will look familiar in 2024.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

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