NFL free agency: Patriots add Hunter Henry, Broncos keep Von Miller
The New England Patriots are not exactly known to be lavish spenders in free agency. Coach Bill Belichick built a reputation for being thrifty and searching for free agent bargains during the team’s dynastic run of six Super Bowl titles over two decades with Tom Brady at quarterback.
But the Patriots are coming off a 7-9 season in which they missed the AFC playoffs in the first season since Brady’s departure to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency, resulting in his seventh career Super Bowl triumph last month. And on this first day on which NFL free agents can negotiate with other teams, the Patriots are far busier than any other franchise.
They have added to their free agent haul Monday by agreeing to contract terms with wide receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne. That came after they struck deals earlier in the day with tight end Jonnu Smith, pass rusher Matthew Judon, defensive tackle Davon Godchaux and defensive back Jalen Mills. The agreements were confirmed by people familiar with the deals. The signings cannot become official until Wednesday, when the NFL’s free agent market opens.
Agholor agreed to a two-year, $26 million deal with the Patriots after having a career-reviving 2020 season with the Las Vegas Raiders, with 48 catches for 896 yards and eight touchdowns. Judon agreed to a four-year, $56 million contract that includes $32 million in guaranteed money. He was a two-time Pro Bowl selection in five seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, and totaled 34.5 sacks, including six last season.
Bourne is coming off a 49-catch, 667-yard, two-touchdown season with the San Francisco 49ers. He agreed to a three-year, $22.5 million deal with the Patriots. The arrivals of Agholor, Bourne and Smith significantly upgrade a New England pass-catching corps that was considered substandard last season.
Smith’s four-year deal is worth $50 million and includes $31.25 million fully guaranteed, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus. Smith had 41 catches for 448 yards and eight touchdowns last season for the Tennessee Titans.
Mills played cornerback and safety while spending his first five NFL seasons with the Eagles. He made 49 starts over that span, including 15 last season. Mills’s four-year deal with the Patriots is worth $24 million and includes $9 million in guaranteed money, according to Rosenhaus.
The first four free agent contracts the Patriots lined up Monday — before those for Agholor and Bourne — include more than $81 million in guaranteed money. That came after the Patriots agreed to a one-year deal last week to re-sign quarterback Cam Newton, without necessarily locking themselves in to Newton being their starter at the position.
“One thing these moves mean by the [Patriots] … they knew they needed help badly and it’s time to pay for it,” former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi wrote on Twitter.
