New Head Coach Mike Vrabel signings
Harold Landry III - LB
Landry agreed to a three-year, $43.5 million deal with the Patriots that includes $26 million guaranteed.
What it means: The Patriots ranked last in the NFL with 28 sacks in 2024. Under new head coach Mike Vrabel and defensive coordinator Terrell Williams, they are hoping to become a more attacking unit that plays on the opposite side of the line of scrimmage. That's Landry's game (50.5 career sacks over seven seasons).
Familiarity also is a notable part of the signing, as Landry played under Vrabel and Williams in Tennessee from 2018-23. Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf had said that the coaching staff's experience with other teams would ideally be a benefit to the Patriots in free agency because of their intimate knowledge of personnel. The team pounced quickly on Landry, who was released by the Titans on March 7.
What's the risk: Landry tore the ACL in his right knee in September of 2022, and while he has totaled 19.5 sacks since his return, some observers have questioned if he still has the same burst. The Titans could have kept him in 2025 at a base salary of $17.5 million but instead released him. Landry enters his eighth NFL season and turns 29 in June.
2025 New England Patriots
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2025 New England Patriots
Robert Spillane - LB
Spillane has agreed to a three-year, $37 million contract with the Patriots, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
What it means: The 6-foot-1, 229-pound Spillane came into his own each of the past two seasons with the Raiders, starting every game and totaling 173 tackles with 5.5 sacks and 11 passes defended. He had been mostly a backup his first five seasons in the NFL, breaking into the league as an undrafted free agent with the Titans in 2018 -- Mike Vrabel's first year as head coach there. So similar to the free-agent deal with Landry, the Patriots tap into the Vrabel pipeline again with Spillane.
He's a smaller and lighter off-the-line linebacker than the "thumpers" the Patriots have traditionally employed in the old Bill Belichick-based defensive system, which reflects how Vrabel and defensive coordinator Terrell Williams are shifting to a faster, more aggressive approach on defense.
What's the risk: They are buying high on Spillane, who had signed a two-year, $7 million deal with the Raiders in 2023. Spillane turns 30 in December.
Spillane has agreed to a three-year, $37 million contract with the Patriots, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
What it means: The 6-foot-1, 229-pound Spillane came into his own each of the past two seasons with the Raiders, starting every game and totaling 173 tackles with 5.5 sacks and 11 passes defended. He had been mostly a backup his first five seasons in the NFL, breaking into the league as an undrafted free agent with the Titans in 2018 -- Mike Vrabel's first year as head coach there. So similar to the free-agent deal with Landry, the Patriots tap into the Vrabel pipeline again with Spillane.
He's a smaller and lighter off-the-line linebacker than the "thumpers" the Patriots have traditionally employed in the old Bill Belichick-based defensive system, which reflects how Vrabel and defensive coordinator Terrell Williams are shifting to a faster, more aggressive approach on defense.
What's the risk: They are buying high on Spillane, who had signed a two-year, $7 million deal with the Raiders in 2023. Spillane turns 30 in December.
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2025 New England Patriots
Carlton Davis III - CB
Davis has agreed to a three-year, $60 million contract. The deal contains $34.5 million fully guaranteed, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
What it means: The No. 2 corner spot opposite Christian Gonzalez was among the Patriots' needs entering free agency, and the 6-foot-1, 206-pound Davis was one of the few decisive options available on the market (88 career starts). This immediately gives the Patriots a potent one-two combo on the outside that rates favorably across the league, as both Gonzalez and Davis have shown the ability to play top-level man coverage.
Davis also has a background with first-year defensive coordinator Terrell Williams, who was Lions' defensive line coach in 2024 in Davis' lone season in Detroit. That has been a familiar theme with the team's early moves in free agency.
What's the risk: Davis, 28, enters his eighth season in the NFL and has never played a full regular season. His 2024 season ended in Week 15 after he sustained a broken jaw.
Davis has agreed to a three-year, $60 million contract. The deal contains $34.5 million fully guaranteed, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
What it means: The No. 2 corner spot opposite Christian Gonzalez was among the Patriots' needs entering free agency, and the 6-foot-1, 206-pound Davis was one of the few decisive options available on the market (88 career starts). This immediately gives the Patriots a potent one-two combo on the outside that rates favorably across the league, as both Gonzalez and Davis have shown the ability to play top-level man coverage.
Davis also has a background with first-year defensive coordinator Terrell Williams, who was Lions' defensive line coach in 2024 in Davis' lone season in Detroit. That has been a familiar theme with the team's early moves in free agency.
What's the risk: Davis, 28, enters his eighth season in the NFL and has never played a full regular season. His 2024 season ended in Week 15 after he sustained a broken jaw.
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2025 New England Patriots
Morgan Moses - OT
The Patriots and Moses have agreed to a three-year, $24 million contract.
What it means: The market for offensive tackles was robust across the NFL with younger options such as Dan Moore Jr. (Steelers to Titans) and Jaylon Moore (49ers to Chiefs) landing deals averaging $20.5 million and $15 million per season, respectively. Even if the Patriots signed one of them, there would still be a question as to how strongly they solidified a top need because both are still developing players.
In the 34-year-old Moses, there are no questions about development as he's much closer to the end of his career than the beginning. He is more of a pure right tackle, so his presence potentially takes some pressure off 2024 third-round pick Caedan Wallace and his development. Moses is also considered a strong locker room presence, which likely has added value to Mike Vrabel as he works to establish a new culture.
What's the risk: Moses has played in 166 career games, with 158 career starts -- a reflection of impressive durability and also how the Patriots are banking on him still having gas left in the tank. Moses navigated his way through a sprained MCL last year with the Jets and a torn pectoral muscle with the Ravens in 2023. A three-year deal for Moses, even if it's backloaded, is a notable commitment for a player at this stage of his career.
The Patriots and Moses have agreed to a three-year, $24 million contract.
What it means: The market for offensive tackles was robust across the NFL with younger options such as Dan Moore Jr. (Steelers to Titans) and Jaylon Moore (49ers to Chiefs) landing deals averaging $20.5 million and $15 million per season, respectively. Even if the Patriots signed one of them, there would still be a question as to how strongly they solidified a top need because both are still developing players.
In the 34-year-old Moses, there are no questions about development as he's much closer to the end of his career than the beginning. He is more of a pure right tackle, so his presence potentially takes some pressure off 2024 third-round pick Caedan Wallace and his development. Moses is also considered a strong locker room presence, which likely has added value to Mike Vrabel as he works to establish a new culture.
What's the risk: Moses has played in 166 career games, with 158 career starts -- a reflection of impressive durability and also how the Patriots are banking on him still having gas left in the tank. Moses navigated his way through a sprained MCL last year with the Jets and a torn pectoral muscle with the Ravens in 2023. A three-year deal for Moses, even if it's backloaded, is a notable commitment for a player at this stage of his career.
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2025 New England Patriots
Milton Williams - DT
Williams agreed to a four-year, $104 million deal, sources told ESPN.
What it means: The Patriots are spending big and this was the bonanza of them all in terms of opening the checkbook, with Williams immediately becoming the highest-paid player on the team at $26 million per season. Williams had five sacks, 10 QB hits and 7 tackles for loss last season, which highlights his penetrating style and how he will be a centerpiece of the Patriots' new defensive scheme in creating interior disruption.
Williams, who turns 26 in April, will ideally pair with Christian Barmore at the heart of the Patriots' defense but Barmore's status remains in question as he was limited to four games last season due to blood clots. That's why defensive tackle was one of the team's top needs.
What's the risk: Williams was part of a rotation in Philadelphia (just seven starts last season) and there is a question as to how he will adapt to a larger workload. He played 48% of the defensive snaps in 2024, so the Patriots are paying a premium in projecting his growth entering his fifth NFL season. Williams played 41% of the defensive snaps as a rookie, followed by 36% and 46% in his second and third seasons, respectively. At 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds, he is on the lighter side for a D-lineman, so how he holds up against the run with a larger workload also bears watching.
Williams agreed to a four-year, $104 million deal, sources told ESPN.
What it means: The Patriots are spending big and this was the bonanza of them all in terms of opening the checkbook, with Williams immediately becoming the highest-paid player on the team at $26 million per season. Williams had five sacks, 10 QB hits and 7 tackles for loss last season, which highlights his penetrating style and how he will be a centerpiece of the Patriots' new defensive scheme in creating interior disruption.
Williams, who turns 26 in April, will ideally pair with Christian Barmore at the heart of the Patriots' defense but Barmore's status remains in question as he was limited to four games last season due to blood clots. That's why defensive tackle was one of the team's top needs.
What's the risk: Williams was part of a rotation in Philadelphia (just seven starts last season) and there is a question as to how he will adapt to a larger workload. He played 48% of the defensive snaps in 2024, so the Patriots are paying a premium in projecting his growth entering his fifth NFL season. Williams played 41% of the defensive snaps as a rookie, followed by 36% and 46% in his second and third seasons, respectively. At 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds, he is on the lighter side for a D-lineman, so how he holds up against the run with a larger workload also bears watching.
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2025 New England Patriots
Joshua Dobbs - QB
Dobbs agreed to a two-year, $8 million deal, of which $3.8 million in guaranteed.
What it means: The Patriots' agreement with Dobbs adds a third layer to the depth chart along with starter Drake Maye and 2024 sixth-round pick Joe Milton III. When Milton flashed in the 2024 season finale playing against mostly Bills backups, it sparked the thought that perhaps another team might view him as a worthy trade candidate. The addition of Dobbs provides the Patriots another option at the position should that scenario present itself with an offer that is deemed fair value (perhaps a mid-round draft pick). Dobbs also has a background with first-year Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel from their time together in Tennessee, when Dobbs started the final two games of the 2022 season and performed admirably.
What's the risk: The Patriots, similar to some of their other moves in free agency, are buying high when considering Dobbs' contract last year in San Francisco was a one-year, $2.25 million pact.
Dobbs agreed to a two-year, $8 million deal, of which $3.8 million in guaranteed.
What it means: The Patriots' agreement with Dobbs adds a third layer to the depth chart along with starter Drake Maye and 2024 sixth-round pick Joe Milton III. When Milton flashed in the 2024 season finale playing against mostly Bills backups, it sparked the thought that perhaps another team might view him as a worthy trade candidate. The addition of Dobbs provides the Patriots another option at the position should that scenario present itself with an offer that is deemed fair value (perhaps a mid-round draft pick). Dobbs also has a background with first-year Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel from their time together in Tennessee, when Dobbs started the final two games of the 2022 season and performed admirably.
What's the risk: The Patriots, similar to some of their other moves in free agency, are buying high when considering Dobbs' contract last year in San Francisco was a one-year, $2.25 million pact.
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2025 New England Patriots
Khyiris Tonga - DT
Tonga agreed to a one-year, $2.7 million deal with the Patriots.
What it means: The 6-foot-4, 338-pound Tonga fits the mold of a space-eating run-stuffer who fills a niche role. He played 27% of the defensive snaps last season for the Cardinals, totaling 22 tackles. The Patriots traded veteran run-stuffer Davon Godchaux to the Saints and Tonga could be part of the group that is part of filling his void alongside Williams.
What's the risk: This is a modest financial deal ($2.7 million), so the main risk is that Tonga's style of play will fit well in the system. New England is his fourth team in five NFL seasons.
Tonga agreed to a one-year, $2.7 million deal with the Patriots.
What it means: The 6-foot-4, 338-pound Tonga fits the mold of a space-eating run-stuffer who fills a niche role. He played 27% of the defensive snaps last season for the Cardinals, totaling 22 tackles. The Patriots traded veteran run-stuffer Davon Godchaux to the Saints and Tonga could be part of the group that is part of filling his void alongside Williams.
What's the risk: This is a modest financial deal ($2.7 million), so the main risk is that Tonga's style of play will fit well in the system. New England is his fourth team in five NFL seasons.
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2025 New England Patriots
The New England Patriots have agreed to send defensive tackle Davon Godchaux to the New Orleans Saints for a 2026 seventh-round pick, sources tell ESPN.
The Patriots had given Godchaux permission to seek a trade in February.
The 30-year-old enters his ninth season and has two years remaining on the extension he signed last July, which included $16.5 million in guaranteed money. He is scheduled to earn salaries of $4 million in 2025 and $5.5 million in 2026.
The Saints will take on salary cap hits of $5 million in 2025 and $7.5 million in 2026 if they do not restructure Godchaux's contract. They entered March needing to shed at least $40 million in cap space and potentially more to sign players in free agency, but they recently restructured the contracts of center Erik McCoy and quarterback Derek Carr to open up $38 million in 2025 space.
Godchaux, 6-foot-3 and 330 pounds, played in all 68 regular-season games over the past four years in New England, with 67 starts, mostly filling a two-down role as a run-stopping nose tackle. He spent the first four seasons of his career with the Dolphins, entering the NFL as a fifth-round draft pick out of LSU in 2017. He now returns to Louisiana once the trade can be processed this week.
The Patriots are establishing a new culture, and plan to run an aggressive defensive scheme under first-year head coach Mike Vrabel and defensive coordinator Terrell Williams, so they might not be placing as high of a value now on run-stuffing nose tackles like Godchaux.
The move could indicate a defensive shift for the Saints as well.
The Saints ran a 4-3 base defense under Dennis Allen, who took over as defensive coordinator during the 2015 season and was head coach from 2022 until he was fired midway through the 2024 season.
New Saints coach Kellen Moore hired defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, who is known for running a 3-4 base defense. The Saints also hired former defensive tackle Bo Davis away from LSU to coach the defensive line
The Patriots had given Godchaux permission to seek a trade in February.
The 30-year-old enters his ninth season and has two years remaining on the extension he signed last July, which included $16.5 million in guaranteed money. He is scheduled to earn salaries of $4 million in 2025 and $5.5 million in 2026.
The Saints will take on salary cap hits of $5 million in 2025 and $7.5 million in 2026 if they do not restructure Godchaux's contract. They entered March needing to shed at least $40 million in cap space and potentially more to sign players in free agency, but they recently restructured the contracts of center Erik McCoy and quarterback Derek Carr to open up $38 million in 2025 space.
Godchaux, 6-foot-3 and 330 pounds, played in all 68 regular-season games over the past four years in New England, with 67 starts, mostly filling a two-down role as a run-stopping nose tackle. He spent the first four seasons of his career with the Dolphins, entering the NFL as a fifth-round draft pick out of LSU in 2017. He now returns to Louisiana once the trade can be processed this week.
The Patriots are establishing a new culture, and plan to run an aggressive defensive scheme under first-year head coach Mike Vrabel and defensive coordinator Terrell Williams, so they might not be placing as high of a value now on run-stuffing nose tackles like Godchaux.
The move could indicate a defensive shift for the Saints as well.
The Saints ran a 4-3 base defense under Dennis Allen, who took over as defensive coordinator during the 2015 season and was head coach from 2022 until he was fired midway through the 2024 season.
New Saints coach Kellen Moore hired defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, who is known for running a 3-4 base defense. The Saints also hired former defensive tackle Bo Davis away from LSU to coach the defensive line
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2025 New England Patriots
WR - Mack Hollins
Hollins agreed to a two-year deal worth $8.4 million.
What it means: The 6-foot-4, 221-pound Hollins is a depth option at receiver (31 catches for 378 yards and 5 TDs last season) who also plays special teams. He isn't the high-end pass-catcher that the team covets (they couldn't lure Chris Godwin away from Tampa Bay), but his physical style of play reflects Mike Vrabel's vision for the Patriots. Entering his ninth NFL season, he also had his most productive pro season playing for Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas in 2022, with 57 catches for 690 yards and four touchdowns. With McDaniels returning to New England to serve as offensive coordinator, the two are reunited again.
What's the risk: Hollins joins his fifth team over the last five seasons, and the Patriots are paying a premium. Last year, Hollins had signed a one-year, $2.6 million deal in Buffalo. The year before in Atlanta, he had signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract, and his pact in Las Vegas was for one year and worth $2 million.
Hollins agreed to a two-year deal worth $8.4 million.
What it means: The 6-foot-4, 221-pound Hollins is a depth option at receiver (31 catches for 378 yards and 5 TDs last season) who also plays special teams. He isn't the high-end pass-catcher that the team covets (they couldn't lure Chris Godwin away from Tampa Bay), but his physical style of play reflects Mike Vrabel's vision for the Patriots. Entering his ninth NFL season, he also had his most productive pro season playing for Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas in 2022, with 57 catches for 690 yards and four touchdowns. With McDaniels returning to New England to serve as offensive coordinator, the two are reunited again.
What's the risk: Hollins joins his fifth team over the last five seasons, and the Patriots are paying a premium. Last year, Hollins had signed a one-year, $2.6 million deal in Buffalo. The year before in Atlanta, he had signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract, and his pact in Las Vegas was for one year and worth $2 million.
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2025 New England Patriots
Patriots reach 2-year deal with center Garrett Bradbury.
The New England Patriots took what they hope is an important step toward solidifying their offensive line in front of quarterback Drake Maye by agreeing to a two-year contract with free agent center Garrett Bradbury, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday.
Bradbury was released by the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, and the Patriots pounced quickly with a deal worth up to $12 million that includes $3.8 million guaranteed, the sources told Schefter.
Bradbury will be a top candidate to fill the void created when the Patriots released veteran center David Andrews last Thursday. The Patriots still have uncertainty on the left side of their offensive line, but with Bradbury at center, Mike Onwenu at right guard and free agent signee Morgan Moses at right tackle, they appear to have three key players in place in front of Maye, arguably their top asset.
The New England Patriots took what they hope is an important step toward solidifying their offensive line in front of quarterback Drake Maye by agreeing to a two-year contract with free agent center Garrett Bradbury, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday.
Bradbury was released by the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, and the Patriots pounced quickly with a deal worth up to $12 million that includes $3.8 million guaranteed, the sources told Schefter.
Bradbury will be a top candidate to fill the void created when the Patriots released veteran center David Andrews last Thursday. The Patriots still have uncertainty on the left side of their offensive line, but with Bradbury at center, Mike Onwenu at right guard and free agent signee Morgan Moses at right tackle, they appear to have three key players in place in front of Maye, arguably their top asset.
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