There were expectations that the New England Patriots would make a splash in this year’s free agency, and so far, they haven’t disappointed.
No, they haven’t pulled off a blockbuster move for an elite receiver to take over the No. 1 role, but they have added legitimate offensive playmakers that already has the unit looking much better on paper than it did in 2022.
And even more importantly, they managed to keep their defense mostly intact from a season ago.
ESPN’s Seth Walder and NFL draft analysts worked on a piece putting together the biggest free agency moves throughout the league and grading teams on them.
Here are the four Patriots moves that made the list.
Patriots trade Jonnu Smith to Falcons for 2023 seventh-round draft pick
ESPN Grade: A-
New England couldn’t pass on the opportunity to move tight end Jonnu Smith for a seventh-round pick from the Atlanta Falcons.
Smith’s overall talent doesn’t match the compensation in return for his services, but then again, he wasn’t a great fit for the Patriots. We aren’t going to take this time to play the blame game on either side.
The Patriots could have done a better job of carving out a more defined role for the veteran tight end, and Smith could have made more of the opportunities he did have on the field.
But at the end of the day, coach Bill Belichick and company were able to cut their losses, free up some salary cap room down the line and recoup a draft pick. That’s what winning looks like in today’s NFL.
CB Jonathan Jones re-signs with the Patriots for two years and $19 million
ESPN grade: B+
Getting Jonathan Jones back in the defensive backfield was a priority for the Patriots in the offseason.
Yes, he was a bit overmatched against some opponents last season, but people tend to forget he was playing out of position for a lot of those match-ups.
Jones’ best work for the Patriots has come in the slot, but when the team needed him to accept challenges on the outside, he stepped up and gave a valiant effort against some truly elite receivers in the league, including Minnesota Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson and Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill.
Walder wrote:
Cornerback is a valuable position, so this is more than a reasonable price to pay Jones. Maybe last season signaled more of what is to come. Even if not, though, he’ll still be a useful starter.
Jones being back in the fold cuts down on the sense of urgency the team would have faced otherwise at the cornerback position.
Patriots sign wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster on three-year, $33 million deal
ESPN grade: B
A previous rival will now be catching passes in a Patriots jersey.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, a former Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers receiver, agreed to a three-year, $33 million deal with the Patriots. There are plenty of differing opinions regarding the signing.
Some believe the Patriots would have been better off bringing back Jakobi Meyers on a new deal because not everyone views Smith-Schuster as a significant upgrade at receiver for the team.
Meanwhile, others are enamored with the explosive playmaking potential of Smith-Schuster in place of Meyers. When it came to choosing between the two receivers, Walder wrote:
I think New England would have been better off keeping Meyers, but once he was out the door, Smith-Schuster was a decent option to fill a major need in a thin free agent wide receiver market.
Smith-Schuster certainly fills the Meyers role, but he also gives the Patriots a player capable of being productive after the catch. He’s a solid addition for a team that desperately lacked playmakers last season.
Mike Gesicki signs one-year deal with Patriots worth $9 million
ESPN grade: B
The Patriots made sure to get offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien his two tight ends after trading Jonnu Smith away to the Falcons. Mike Gesicki is another talented pass-catcher capable of sharing the field with Hunter Henry and causing problems for opposing defenses.
He isn’t going to make waves as a blocker, but he could quickly emerge as another reliable receiving target for Mac Jones on the field.
The goal should be getting Jones as many offensive weapons as possible, and the Patriots doubled down on that being the case by going out and signing another talented playmaker like Gesicki.
