18 best defensive fits in free agency
From Kyle Dugger to Josh Uche, the Patriots’ young talent may be enough to ensure another top-10 defensive ranking next season.
But if Bill Belichick wants his pride and joy to crack the top five, and join the ranks of the NFL’s elite, it’s time to spend some money.
The Patriots have a pending hole at outside cornerback, where Jonathan Jones is set to hit the market entering his age-30 season. Jones is versatile, tough, quick and generally sticky in man coverage. He also struggled against elite competition down the stretch last season, and won’t solve the Pats’ lack of size, with only Jalen Mills standing six-foot or taller among corners.
If the Pats move on from Jones, who reportedly has several suitors, upgrades are available. Specifically, bigger and younger upgrades. The Patriots might also finally invest in an athletic, starting-caliber inside linebacker, with only Ja’Whaun Bentley and Jahlani Tavai under contract for next season. And what about safety?
The positional muscle behind Belichick’s defense last season could lose Devin McCourty and Jabrill Peppers to retirement and free agency, respectively. Even if McCourty does return, shouldn’t the Patriots be on the hunt for his eventual replacement?
With days left until Monday’s kickoff to free agency, here are 18 potential Patriots targets to know on the open market.
Cornerback
Meet Jamel Dean. The 26-year-old Buccaneer is the top corner in free agency and a match for the Pats’ man-to-man scheme. He’s averaged more than 10 pass breakups per season over his four-year career and blossomed into one of the better big corners in the league. At 6-foot-1 and 206 pounds, he would solve the Patriots’ size issues and be a staple of their secondary for years to come.
Over the past two seasons, opposing quarterbacks have completed just 51% of their passes in Dean’s direction, and he’s picked off four passes.
Philadelphia’s James Bradberry, 29, would offer a cheaper, more experienced option. Bradberry forced 19 incompletions last year, while opponents completed just 46% of passes thrown at him, per Pro Football Focus. He’s an extremely durable, high-end man-to-man corner, but it’s possible his best football is behind him.
If Dean and Bradberry are off the board, the Steelers’ Cam Sutton is a scheme-versatile corner in the prime of his career. He’s big enough at 5-foot11 and 188 pounds with improving ball skills. Last season, Sutton snatched three interceptions and denied 15 passes. The 28-year-old can also play both inside the slot and outside.
Raiders’ corner Rock YaSin is a mid-tier free agent with experience in a similar defense after playing under Las Vegas defensive coordinator and former Patriots assistant Patrick Graham in 2022. Ya-Sin is the last healthy, starting-caliber outside corner in his mid20s expected to be available. Older options include Ravens ballhawk Marcus Peters, Rams cornerback Troy Hill and the Cowboys’ Anthony Brown.
Linebacker
If the Patriots make a surprise splash in free agency, they don’t have to look far. Bills linebacker Tremaine Edmunds is expected to have a new home next week, and what better place to land than in the middle of Belichick’s defense.
The 24-year-old is already a two-time Pro Bowler who made major strides last season with his only weaknesses: coverage and tackling. Edmunds made 102 tackles last season and whiffed once. He also finished as the NFL’s thirdbest off-ball linebacker in coverage, per PFF grades, having finally weaponized his rare speed (Edmunds runs a 4.5) and athleticism at 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds.
Paired next to the runstuffing Bentley, Edmunds could blanket tight ends and running backs for the Patriots. In two games against them last season, he allowed just 19 receiving yards on seven targets and grabbed an interception.
If not Edmunds, the undersized David Long thrived in Tennessee under coach and old friend of the franchise Mike Vrabel. Long recently had 86 tackles, two interceptions and three QB hits over a dozen games played. Eagles linebacker T.J. Edwards thrived in 2022, a contract year when he played at a high level against the run and pass at 6-foot-1 and 242 pounds.
If the Pats miss on the best available ‘backers, Dallas’ Leighton Vander Esch, the Colts’ Bobby Okereke and Cincinnati’s Germaine Pratt are all 26 years old with plus coverage skills and the requisite size to play in New England.
Safety
Last up, the last line of defense.
Dugger and Adrian Phillips can safely be projected as key cogs of the Patriots’ next defense. After them, and after next season (when Dugger is scheduled to hit free agency), it’s unclear.
Therefore, it would behoove the Patriots to explore the safety market. There, they can be expected to target surefire, do-it-all fits in their defense — like Buffalo’s Jordan Poyer — or younger players with the capability of playing the deep middle, like McCourty has for a decade-plus.
The Giants’ Julian Love is among those players, a 24-year-old who was named a captain in New York last season. Prior to that, he played under Pats assistant Joe Judge. He’s a sure tackler and versatile player who would be a seamless fit in New England.
Aside from Love, Chiefs safety Juan Thornhill might appeal coming off his best season, the Rams’ Nick Scott could be a depth piece/special teamer and former Patriots and Raiders safety Duron Harmon will also be available.