Special teams ace Board, Dolphins TE Gesicki added
The Patriots have signed ex-lions linebacker Chris Board, according to reports.
The deal was for two years, with a maximum value of $6.7 million.
While listed as a linebacker, Board is more known as being a core special teamer, one Patriots head coach Bill Belichick praised to the hilt last season.
Prior to the Pats hosting Detroit in Week 5, Belichick said of the 27-year-old: “Board, that’s the best special teams player we’ll play against all year. He’s a great player.”
Board, a part-time, off-the-ball linebacker, recorded 21 tackles and a forced fumble last season, largely on special teams. He started his career with a four-year stint in Baltimore, where he played from 20182021 and started two games. Gesicki comes to terms: In another move, the Patriots are signing former Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki to a free-agent deal, a source confirmed to the Herald.
Gesicki played on the franchise tag last season in Miami, a down year when his numbers fell to 32 catches for 362 yards and five touchdowns under new coach Mike Mcdaniel. In each of the previous two seasons Gesicki topped 700 receiving yards.
The 27-year-old is a receiving tight end who can run routes out of the slot and out wide but has rarely been used as an in-line blocker.
Gesicki confirmed the signing in a text message to CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson writing: “Ready to get back to work.”
Surprise release: The Patriots intend to release veteran cornerback Jalen Mills, according to reports.
Mills’ release comes as a surprise considering he started all 26 games he appeared in the past two seasons. Cutting Mills will create roughly $5 million in cap space for the Patriots, who started the day with roughly $21 million in room, per Over the Cap, ninthmost in the league.
Mills recorded 31 tackles, five pass deflections and two interceptions last season, when he also missed seven games due to injury.
He’s been the Patriots’ No. 2 corner the past two years, first working opposite J.C. Jackson and then Jonathan Jones. The Pats re-signed Jones to a two-year, $19 million contract this week.
Without Mills, the Patriots’ corner depth is down to Jones, 2022 draft picks Jack Jones and Marcus Jones, Shaun Wade and tendered restricted free agent Myles Bryant.
Other news: The team reached terms with backup defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale on Friday morning, per the NFL Network.
Ekuale is the 10th Patriots player to re-sign this offseason and the seventh defender. Last season he tallied two sacks, three quarterback hits and 14 tackles.