Pro Football Focus, the digital scouting service, thinks the New England Patriots are going to be bold in free agency this offseason. With quarterback Tom Brady apparently awaiting a better supporting cast after a rough 2019 season, Bill Belichick may take an aggressive approach in surrounding the quarterback with talent.
Not only does PFF see the Patriots bringing Brady back in 2020, but it also sees the team signing a top receiver and tight end. No doubt, these signings would come hand-in-hand, with the two skill players contributing to this hypothetical scenario in which Brady elects not to leave New England.
As PFF ranked its top 50 free agents, it also picked each player’s landing spot. Here’s a look at which players PFF projects the Patriots to land.
Tom Brady, QB
“Let’s be sensible here and consider that this is likely just a hell of a marketing ploy and an attempt to scare Bill Belichick into getting Brady some receiving weapons. His time has passed from elevating a group of no-name receivers, but he’s still a top quarterback in this league.”
If the quarterback makes it to free agency, a deal becomes increasingly less likely. His contract voids on March 16, the same day the legal tampering period begins. That leaves New England with a $13 million cap hit, one which would be lessened in the event of an extension before that date. That would hinder New England’s ability to surround Brady with weapons, and that would make the signings below into a salary cap puzzle that would challenge Belichick.
Hunter Henry, TE
“The first domino of getting TB12 back to New England might just be bringing in one of the league’s most underrated tight ends, Hunter Henry. In his first two seasons in the NFL back in 2016 and 2017, Henry produced a two-year receiving grade that trailed only Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce.”
He may not hit free agency. The Chargers can place the franchise tag on Henry, which may be a fairly team-friendly number for L.A. If the Chargers do that — and they probably should as they transition away from Philip Rivers — then New England won’t even get a shot at Henry. But if Brady returns to the Patriots, then Belichick may make quick work of getting Henry on a prove-it deal with the Patriots to set the tight end up for a huge free agency in 2021.
Emmanuel Sanders, WR
“With Amari Cooper and A.J. Green likely to return to their respective teams, domino number two to woo Brady back to New England is signing veteran receiver Emmanuel Sanders. With San Francisco’s cap situation, a Sanders departure is likely and would be one of the few weapons Brady needs in New England to succeed.”
New England passed on the opportunity to trade for Sanders this season, with the 49ers placing a better bid. Instead, the Patriots got Mohamed Sanu. If free agency goes well for New England, it could put Sanders and Sanu on the same team for 2020. Sanders and the Patriots have had a number of close misses, which had him wondering what-if in the days leading up to the Super Bowl. Perhaps he’s interested in finally joining New England.
Jamie Collins, LB
“Collins then returned to New England in 2019 and got back to form, being the 12th most valuable linebacker in the league. Needless to say, Collins might want to find a way to stay with Belichick, who has brought the most out of him.”
The linebacker looked like he might be in the mix for a Defensive Player of the Year award after the first half of the 2019 season. His play declined slightly in the second half of the season, but he was still a crucial part of the defense when he was on the field. Considering his struggles in Cleveland, his free agency prospects may be limited, which could lead to another year with the Patriots.