New England Patriots Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

After agreeing to a new deal with Hunter Henry, the Patriots aren’t done adding to their tight ends room. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Patriots have agreed to a deal with Austin Hooper.

The veteran is inking a one-year deal with New England, per Rapoport. The contract can hit a max value of $4.25MM.

The move reunites Hooper with Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, who was Hooper’s OC during the tight end’s two years in Cleveland. Hooper had 84 catches and seven touchdowns across two seasons with the Browns.

Hooper has struggled to match his Falcons numbers in recent years. The former third-round pick topped 500 receiving yards for Atlanta each season between 2017 and 2019. He earned Pro Bowl nods in both 2018 and 2019, and he finished that latter season with career highs in receptions (75), receiving yards (787), and touchdowns (six).

That performance earned him a four-year, $44MM deal with the Browns in 2020, but Hooper only lasted two seasons in Cleveland before getting released. He hauled in 41 catches for the Titans in 2022 before catching on with the Raiders in 2023. He finished this past season with 25 catches, his lowest total since his rookie campaign. Pro Football Focus ended up ranking him 41st among 72 qualifying tight ends, although he finished second at his position for his pass-block ability.

The Patriots brought in Mike Gesicki to replace Jonnu Smith in 2023, but the former Dolphins tight end struggled during his lone season in New England. Gesicki finished the season with 29 catches for 244 yards, his lowest totals since his rookie year.

With the Patriots eyeing a new offense in 2024, there’s a chance the organization gets more out of their tight ends. Henry is still atop the depth chart in New England, but the team has leaned heavily on their backup tight end in recent years. Besides Henry and Hooper, the only other tight end currently on the roster is La’Michael Pettway, so the Patriots may not be finished adding players at the position.

Patriots Submit Offer To WR Calvin Ridley

March 12th, 2024 at 8:08pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots’ reported interest in receiver Calvin Ridley is very real. According to Josina Anderson, the Patriots have made an offer to the free agent wideout.

The organization is also opting to “keep a deal on the table” following today’s reports that focused on the interesting logistics of the previous Jaguars/Falcons trade. If Jacksonville re-signs Ridley before 2pm tomorrow, they’ll owe Atlanta a second-round pick. If they wait beyond that deadline and re-sign the receiver, the Jaguars would only owe the Falcons a third-round pick.

This led some pundits to believe that Ridley was destined to return to Jacksonville and was simply biding his time to provide his organization with better draft capital. However, it sounds like the Patriots are still very much in the hunt, and it’ll be interesting to see how negotiations progress over the next 24 hours.

New England holds more than $80MM in cap space, and with Ridley sitting atop the WR market, it only made sense that the Patriots would target the free agent for their new-look offense. The team moved on from Mac Jones and added veteran Jacoby Brissett, and the organization appears to be leaning towards selecting a QB with the third-overall pick. Ridley would represent an intriguing target for whoever is under center for the Patriots in 2024 and beyond.

The Patriots’ receivers struggled in 2023, although that was partly due to the team’s inconsistent play at quarterback. The team has already moved on from DeVante Parker and is looking to unload JuJu Smith-Schuster, leaving plenty of question marks atop the depth chart. The team did agree to new deals with Kendrick Bourne and Jalen Reagor, but the rest of their depth chart features unproven options like Demario Douglas, Tyquan Thornton, and Kayshon Boutte.

Eagles To Bring In WR DeVante Parker

March 12th, 2024 at 2:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following his Patriots release, DeVante Parker will land on his feet. The former first-round pick is heading to Philadelphia on a one-year deal.

Parker is signing a fully guaranteed contract worth $4.69MM, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes. Due to offset language in his Patriots deal, the Eagles are only picking up $1.2MM of this tab. This helps the Patriots regarding dead money, and the Eagles will take a flier on the nine-year veteran to see how he fits alongside A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.

The Patriots agreed to terms on an extension with Parker last year, but after another down aerial season in New England, the team changed course. New England dangled Parker in trades recently but found no takers. The Eagles, who were in on Parker when the Dolphins made him available in 2022, will step in with a low-risk signing.

Philly has not been able to rely on a No. 3 wide receiver since assembling its Smith-Brown duo in 2022. Quez Watkins gave way to stopgap Julio Jones, brought in during the 2023 season. The Eagles also signed Olamide Zaccheaus last year. Jones, Watkins and Zaccheaus are out of contract, giving the Birds some work to do to staff this auxiliary job.

At 31, Parker still represents a risky bet — even alongside a potent starting duo. The former Dolphins starter has one 1,000-yard season on his resume, being a perennial trade candidate in Miami, and is coming off a 394-yard showing in his second Patriots slate. That said, Parker averaged 17.4 yards per catch with the 2022 Patriots and finished with 539 yards and three TDs. The Eagles receiving that kind of production would be a boon. If nothing else, Parker could provide a possession target for Jalen Hurts — even if the big-bodied target is not an above-average separator.

Patriots, Josh Uche Agree To Terms

March 12th, 2024 at 2:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

Transition-tagging Kyle Dugger and re-signing Kendrick Bourne and Michael Onwenu, the Patriots are doing well to retain their own. Another player mentioned in 2023 trade talks is sticking around under Jerod Mayo.

Josh Uche will stay with the Patriots on a one-year deal, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo report. After breaking through for a productive 2022 season, Uche took a step back last year. But the Pats will be the team that authorizes the Michigan alum’s ‘prove it’ pact. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated adds the contract is worth $3MM but has a maximum value of $8MM via incentives.

As the NFL Network report notes, Uche had “much more on the table elsewhere” with respect to interest from outside suitors. Tom Pelissero passes along that one of those offers was worth $15MM over two years, including $11MM guaranteed. Instead, Uche decided to stick in New England on a lesser contract.

The former second-rounder showed considerable potential as a sack artist in 2022, posting 11.5 sacks. He has not developed into a regular on defense due to deficiencies against the run, but teams are regularly willing to spend for sack production.

Instead of trying to carve out a larger role with a new team, Uche will prepare for a fifth New England campaign. The 25-year-old saw his sack total drop to three in 2023, with his QB pressures also falling from 25 to 15. He was limited to 15 games last year (as was the case in 2022), and injuries were a factor taken into consideration on the trade front. In spite of that, New England came very close to working out a trade. In the end, no swap martialized, and Uche later confirmed his desire for a Patriots re-up.

The 240-pounder is undersized compared to most edge rushers, something which has been a factor in determining his playing time. Uche has seen snap shares between 30% and 38% throughout his career, and the potential classification as a part-time contributor no doubt worked against him. Nevertheless, Uche has elected to turn down more money to play under Mayo in 2024. Team and player could reap the rewards if a productive campaign ensues.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Patriots Pursuing Calvin Ridley; Jaguars Still Aiming To Retain WR

March 12th, 2024 at 2:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 12: The Pats and Jags continue to pursue Ridley, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, who notes sources around the league point to a darkhorse team being in this mix. Another deep wideout draft class is likely affecting this year’s receiver market as well, though Darnell Mooney fetched a nice haul from the Falcons earlier today.

The Jags still being in this pursuit is interesting, with the team locking in Gabe Davis on Monday. Ridley coming back alongside Davis would point to the Jags, who also have Christian Kirk and Zay Jones under contract, changing up their current WR group.

MARCH 10: Wide receiver changes are expected in New England. After the team’s JuJu Smith-Schuster signing did not produce much of consequence last year, a bigger swing is anticipated once the legal tampering period begins Monday.

The Patriots are expected to pursue Calvin Ridley in free agency, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. The cap-rich team is not known for big free agency spending, save for a few instances (largely 2021), but new faces are running the show. The Eliot Wolf-led operation appears to be aiming for a big upgrade around a to-be-determined starting quarterback.

Jacksonville is expected to try and retain Ridley, but due to the structure of the trade with Atlanta in 2022, a pre-free agency strike has not been expected. If the Jaguars re-sign Ridley after he hits free agency, they will only owe the Falcons their 2024 third-round pick. If a deal becomes official before Ridley hits the market, Jacksonville owes Atlanta its second-rounder. The team already sent the Falcons a 2022 fifth in this two-pick trade.

With Tee Higgins and Michael Pittman Jr.. tagged and Mike Evans re-signing with the Buccaneers, Ridley looks to be the top free agent wideout available. The Patriots hold more than $82MM in cap space; only the Commanders are carrying more into the tampering period. New England re-signed Hunter Henry late this week, but its pass-catching corps still features questions.

The Pats gave Smith-Schuster a three-year, $25.5MM deal that included $16MM fully guaranteed. His $7MM base salary for 2024 is locked in. DeVante Parker, however, may be less likely to be on the 2024 Patriots. The team is expected to try to unload Parker’s contract in a trade, according to MassLive.com’s Karen Guregian, Chris Mason and Mark Daniels. It would save the Pats just more than $3MM by trading Parker, who has two seasons left on the extension he signed last year. The former Dolphins first-round pick has $3.1MM remaining in guarantees on that summer 2023 re-up.

While last year did not feature a good receiver environment in New England, Parker totaled only 394 receiving yards — third-most among Pats wideouts. Smith-Schuster managed just 260 in an injury-shortened season. Despite playing in only eight games, Kendrick Bourne finished with 406 receiving yards and four TDs. The Patriots are not closing the door on keeping Bourne on a second contract.

Bourne and the Pats are still talking, per CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson, who indicates the sides have not found an acceptable middle ground. Bourne, 28, is coming off an ACL tear. That said, the ex-49er appeared back in the team’s good graces after residing in the doghouse during a 2022 season in which he came up in trade rumors. Bourne, who totaled 800 receiving yards in Mac Jones‘ rookie season, played out a three-year, $15MM deal.

Patriots To Sign LB Sione Takitaki

March 11th, 2024 at 7:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

After five seasons in Cleveland, Sione Takitaki will join the Patriots. Some familiar faces will greet the former Browns linebacker.

Takitaki will sign with the Patriots, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. In addition to OC Alex Van Pelt and QBs coach T.C. McCartney, the current top Pats decision-maker — Eliot Wolf — and the recently hired Alonzo Highsmith were in Cleveland when the Browns drafted Takitaki.

As Takitaki rejoins some key John Dorsey-era Browns brain-trust bastions in Foxborough, Pelissero adds he will do so on a two-year, $6.5MM accord. The Browns showed confidence in Takitaki under GM Andrew Berry as well, re-signing him following a 2022 injury. But the team will let the former third-round pick move on.

Takitaki was a third-round pick by the Browns back in 2019 but could never carve out a consistent role during his time in Cleveland. He started exactly half of his 72 regular-season appearances with the team, compiling 268 tackles and four sacks. That includes a 2023 campaign where he finished with 65 tackles and two sacks while ranking as Pro Football Focus’ 32nd-best linebacker among 82 qualifiers.

The Patriots do return much of their linebackers corps in 2024, but the team could be missing a chunk of snaps from departed free agents. Both Anfernee Jennings and Josh Uche are currently free agents, and the door to a potential return could be shut with Takitaki now on board.

Patriots To Sign QB Jacoby Brissett

March 11th, 2024 at 7:25pm CST by Ben Levine

As the Patriots navigate an uncertain future on offense, the team is turning to a familiar face. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the Patriots are planning to sign quarterback Jacoby Brissett.

It’ll be a one-year deal for the veteran QB, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The contract is worth $8MM and can hit a max value of $12MM.

There were recent rumors that the Patriots could be eyeing their former third-round pick. While Brissett would never be confused with a franchise QB, there was a belief that the Patriots valued the veteran’s role as a potential bridge QB. Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald echoes that sentiment, but the reporter warns that Brissett could also transition to the QB2 role in 2024. The quarterback also worked with current Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt when the two were in Cleveland together, and the former Browns OC reportedly “loved” Brissett.

The organization has since moved on from Mac Jones, which only increased the odds that the Patriots were going to opt for a QB with the third-overall pick in the draft. With Brissett now penciled in atop the depth chart, the Patriots can opt for a first-year signal caller and have them develop behind the scenes for a year.

The 31-year-old Brissett has widely been considered one of the top backup QBs in the NFL, mostly thanks to his performance while filling in for injured QB1s. After going 4-11 during his first extended opportunity to start with the Colts, Brissett has since gone 13-18 as a QB1, including a 2019 campaign where he went 7-8. Brissett didn’t have an opportunity to start in Washington in 2023, but he tossed 12 touchdowns in 11 starts with the Browns in 2022 (he added another two scores on the ground).

Brissett entered the NFL as a third-round pick by the Patriots back in 2016. Thanks to a suspension for Tom Brady and an injury to Jimmy Garoppolo, Brissett ended up getting into three games for New England, keeping the ship afloat with a 1-1 record as a starter. He’ll be eyeing a more significant role in New England this time around, although the veteran will surely know his opportunity will be short assuming the organization adds a rookie at the position.

Patriots To Re-Sign OL Michael Onwenu

March 11th, 2024 at 6:36pm CST by Ben Levine

Michael Onwenu will be back with the Patriots after all. New England has re-signed their versatile offensive lineman, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

It’s a three-year, $57MM deal for Onwenu, including $38MM in guaranteed money. The lineman also earned a $22.5MM signing bonus from the Patriots.

The organization made it clear that they wanted to retain Onwenu, although the team’s lack of free agent spending in recent years led to some doubts about the player’s future in New England. The lineman also made some headlines when he informed NFL teams that he was operating without an agent, a hint that he was simply preparing to sign with the highest bidder.

Ultimately, the Patriots stepped up and retained their lineman. Onwenu has spent his entire career in New England. The former sixth-round pick found himself in and out of the starting lineup in 2021, but he started all 32 of his appearances over the past two years. Listed as a tackle in 2023, Pro Football Focus ranked Onwenu 29th among 81 qualifiers this past season. The lineman ranked top-10 at his position in each of his first three seasons in the league.

The player engaged in negotiations with the then-Bill Belichick-led front office last offseason. However, those talks stalled, making the lineman an impending free agent. Having played both guard and tackle throughout his career, Onwenu’s versatility was expected to make him a popular name in free agency. The lineman ranked as the tenth-best free agent in our top-50 free agent rankings.

Onwenu will continue to be a reliable presence in New England, even with an uncertain offensive future. Mac Jones will no longer be under center, and there’s a good chance the Patriots snag a rookie quarterback with the third-overall pick in the draft. The team’s low-cost 2023 RT plan (Riley Reiff) lasted all of 45 snaps, and with Trent Brown all but certain to leave, it was important for the organization to retain some continuity on the OL.

Cardinals, LB Mack Wilson Agree To Deal

March 11th, 2024 at 4:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

A busy day on the defensive side of the ball continues for Arizona. The Cardinals are set to add linebacker Mack Wilson on a three-year deal worth $12.75MM with a maximum value of $15MM, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The former Browns draft pick spent the past two seasons with the Patriots, getting into all 34 games. His numbers took a step forward in 2023, with Wilson setting career highs in sacks (3.5) and forced fumbles (two). He didn’t play enough snaps to earn a spot on Pro Football Focus’ positional rankings, but he would have graded as a top-10 linebacker with a full workload.

Wilson was one of the lone bright spots in New England last season, and it sounded like the team made an effort to retain the linebacker. The front office was ultimately forced to pivot in a different direction, and Wilson’s departure likely contributed to the team’s agreement with free agent LB Sione Takitaki.

The Cardinals have been busy adding to their defense today. The team agreed to terms with cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting before adding defensive linemen Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols to the mix.

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