Last season, the New England Patriots and Bill Belichick acted like they did not like the composition of their roster. They spent big money — at an unprecedented clip — to build a new team around a crop of expensive free agents. Their success was mixed, as it goes with free agents.
This year, the Patriots have taken a quiet approach to free agency. Belichick has not added a single free agent, instead electing to re-sign his important veterans. Safety Devin McCourty, running back James White, receiver Matthew Slater, quarterback Brian Hoyer and kicker Nick Folk are headed back to New England — with each of them making relatively small sums except for, perhaps, McCourty, who will have a $5.75 million cap charge. For a starting safety (and one who is arguably one of the best in the league), that’s an incredibly reasonable price. The only splash Belichick has made was a trade for linebacker Mack Wilson (sending away OLB Chase Winovich).
It has been quiet — not unlike the days of old when Belichick assembled his roster around Tom Brady with castoffs and players in need of career rejuvenation. And the Patriots are actually over the salary cap with their deals as they’re constructed right now.
