Welcome to NFL free agency!
NFL teams can officially negotiate with free agents and agree to terms on new contracts during the league’s “legal tampering” period. The Patriots are expected to be heavily involved in the wide receiver and offensive tackle markets, and sources have told the Herald their front office is also targeting elite players on defense.
The Patriots held $82.79 million in cap space prior to re-signing wide receiver Kendrick Bourne on Sunday night, good for second-most in the league, per Over The Cap.
Find every Patriots signing, rumor and breaking news story here with the Herald’s free agency tracker:
Monday
Source: Patriots re-signing WR Jalen Reagor
9:30 p.m. The Patriots are re-signing wide receiver Jalen Reagor on a 1-year deal, per source.
Reagor caught seven passes for 138 yards and no touchdowns last year in 11 games. He also returned a kickoff for a touchdown in the Pats’ regular-season road finale at Buffalo. The former first-round pick projects as a training camp body next season, his first full year in New England. Reagor signed to the Patriots’ practice squad at the end of August and was promoted to their active roster in late October.
Bleacher Report first reported Reagor’s return.
Grade: B-
Re-signing Reagor is a low-cost, no-risk move. His plus physical tools — namely long speed and play strength — are evident, but the 25-year-old has never been able to put it all together. Another summer in Foxboro could give him a fair chance to make the 53-man roster outright, so long as he doesn’t take snaps away from a drafted rookie.
Source: Patriots signing LB Sione Takitaki
9 p.m. After losing free-agent linebacker Mack Wilson to the Cardinals, the Patriots are bringing in linebacker Sione Takitaki, according to a source.
It’s a two-year, $6.645 million contract with a $2 million signing bonus worth a maximum of $10.245 million, per a source. Each season has $1.8 million worth of playing-time incentives.
The deal comes with $510,000 in per-game roster bonuses and $150,000 in workout bonuses each year. He’ll make a $1.125 million salary in 2024 and $2.2 million in 2025. His cap hits are as follows: $2.725 million in 2024 and $3.86 million in 2025.
Takitaki was selected by the Browns in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of BYU when Patriots de facto GM Eliot Wolf was on staff.
Takitaki has 268 career tackles, four sacks, 14 tackles for loss, eight QB hits, two interceptions, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in five seasons.
Grade: B
Takitaki wasn’t an every-down player for the Browns, but he was a consistent contributor who can play on special teams.
Sources: Patriots signing QB Jacoby Brissett
8:10 p.m. The Patriots are bringing back veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett, sources told the Herald.
Brissett is signing for one year, $8 million and up to $12 million, NFL Media reported.
The Patriots 2016 third-round pick played under new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt in 2022 with the Browns. Since being traded from the Patriots to the Colts in 2017, he’s also spent time with the Dolphins and Commanders.
Ideally, Brissett will serve as a veteran bridge/backup in New England, per a source.
Grade: B+
Brissett has been a quality backup in the NFL since departing New England. Should the Patriots draft a quarterback at No. 3 overall, he’ll serve in that capacity again in 2024.
Source: Patriots re-signing OL Mike Onwenu
7:35 p.m. The Patriots are re-signing offensive lineman Mike Onwenu, a source told the Herald.
It’s a three-year contract worth $57 million with $38 million guaranteed and a $22.5 million signing bonus, NFL Media reported.
Onwenu has played left guard, right guard and right tackle during his Patriots career, but the current coaching staff believes he can stick at tackle.
The Patriots also signed offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor last week. Ideally, Okorafor would be the team’s swing tackle, Onwenu would play right tackle, and they’d still find a left tackle. But there’s a belief from the team that Okorafor could play left tackle if needed.
Grade: A-
The Patriots knew they needed Onwenu back, but it did cost them at $19 million per year. The old regime could have saved the 2024 Patriots money if they had extended Onwenu before the 2023 season. The guard and tackle market also exploded this offseason. But that’s not new de facto GM Eliot Wolf’s fault.
Source: Patriots losing LB Mack Wilson to Cardinals
5:40 p.m. The Patriots have lost their first impending free agent. Linebacker Mack Wilson has agreed to sign a three-year deal with the Cardinals, a source confirmed to the Herald.
Wilson, who first joined the Patriots in 2022, emerged as a pass rusher for the Patriots last season. The Patriots expected to be able to retain Wilson but lose out on a versatile role player.
The Patriots still have Ja’Whaun Bentley, Matthew Judon, Raekwon McMillan and Jahlani Tavai under contract at linebacker. Josh Uche and Anfernee Jennings are still available as free agents.
Patriots inform WR DeVante Parker of imminent release
3:40 p.m. The Patriots informed veteran wide receiver DeVante Parker they intend to release him on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The team has also granted Parker permission to speak with other teams.
Parker’s anticipated release comes just eight months after the team extended his contract. The 31-year-old disappointed last season, catching 33 passes for 394 yards and zero touchdowns in 13 games. The Patriots reportedly are also looking to part with JuJu Smith-Schuster, whose worse production and more sizable contract is expected to make him more difficult to move.
If the Patriots cut Parker, he will incur a $6.33 million dead cap hit, per Over The Cap.
Source: Patriots signing RB Antonio Gibson
2:44 p.m. The Patriots have reached their first deal, adding former Commanders running back Antonio Gibson on a 3-year contract.
Gibson, 25, rushed for 265 yards on 65 carries with a touchdown last season, and added 389 yards and two touchdowns on 48 catches. The former college wideout has 172 career receptions for 1,283 yards with seven touchdowns in four seasons. He’s carried the ball 642 times for 2,643 yards with 22 touchdowns.
His new deal is worth $11.25 million and carries a maximum value of $17.25 million. He’ll receive a $3 million signing bonus. Gibson also has a fully guaranteed salary in 2024 at $1.25 million and a partial guarantee in 2025 ($1.175 million out of $2.35 million).
Gibson, a 2020 third-round pick out of Memphis, is expected split running back duties with starter Rhamondre Stevenson. Both backs are adept at running the ball and catching out of the backfield. Gibson fell into a rotational role the past two years, but has a 1,000-yard season to his resume from 2021, which followed an 11-touchdown rookie campaign in 2020.
Gibson joins Stevenson, Kevin Harris and JaMycal Hasty on the Patriots’ current roster. The Patriots also signed Ke’Shawn Vaughn, another 2020 third-round pick, to a futures contract.
Grade: B
It’s a moderate contract for Gibson, but he had his role reduced last season. He should pair well as a complement to Stevenson, however, and adds a pass-catching threat to the backfield.
Sources: Pats interested in WR Calvin Ridley
12:20 p.m. The Patriots are pursuing free-agent wide receiver Calvin Ridley, one of their top targets, according to sources. The 29-year-old wideout led Jacksonville in receiving last year with 76 catches, 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns. The Pats are expected to have competition from the Jags, who want to retain Ridley, and recently inked ex-Bills receiver Gabriel Davis to a 3-year, $39 million deal, per reports.
“Legal tampering” period opens
12 p.m. Let the games begin!
Source: Patriots releasing LB Chris Board
9:45 a.m. The Patriots are expected to release linebacker/special teamer Chris Board this week, a source tells the Herald’s Doug Kyed. Board signed with the team last year as a free agent, and his release will create more than $1 million in room when it becomes official with the start of the new league year Wednesday at 4 p.m. The 28-year-old finished with just 10 tackles, despite playing 89% of the team’s special teams snaps and one on defense.
Sources: Patriots re-sign Bourne, Henry
9 a.m. The Patriots have already re-signed tight end Hunter Henry and wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, per sources. Bourne reached terms on a 3-year, $19.5 million deal late Sunday night, two days after Henry returned on a 3-year, $27 million deal. Bourne, 28, is coming off an ACL tear, but expects to be healthy in time for the start of next season.
