New York Post

Pats’ ‘O’ poised to Cook with gas

- Mark Cannizzaro mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com

TWO days of NFL free agency have passed and already there are clear-cut winners and losers.

Unfortunat­ely for the Jets and the rest of the AFC, among the early leaders in the clubhouse are the Patriots, who have made themselves markedly better despite having just won another Super Bowl last month.

Here’s a look at The Post’s winners and losers and other storylines to watch from the first 48 hours of the NFL’s 2017 new league year:

Winners

Patriots: For a team that usually stays away from expensive big-ticket-item free agents, the Patriots pounced on former Bills cornerback Stephon Gilmore (five-years, $65 million, $40 million guaranteed). They also pulled off a trade with the Colts for Dwayne Allen, whom Bill Belichick once called one of the “best’’ in-line blocking tight ends in the game.

The Patriots put a cherry on the week’s work Friday night when they traded for Saints big-play receiver Brandin Cooks for a firstand third-round picks in the upcoming draft, according to ESPN. The Patriots also received the Saints fourth-round pick in the deal. Jaguars: The Jags signed defensive end Calais Campbell, coming off productive seasons with the Cardinals, former Texan A.J. Bouye, who was considered the top cornerback on the market, and safety Barry Church. With these additions, the Jags figure to have pushed themselves into a contender in an AFC South division that is not stout to begin with.

49ers: New head coach Kyle Shanahan has wasted little time putting his stamp on the woeful 49ers, who have been perhaps the most active team this offseason, adding both quality and volume to their roster.

They signed quarter-- backs Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley. The exit of Colin Kaepernick, who had simply worn out his welcome in the Bay Area, is addition by subtractio­n. The 49ers also added receivers Pierre Garcon and speedster Marquise Goodwin to the mix for Hoyer, the presumed starter (unless the 49ers can somehow pry Kirk Cousins from the Redskins).

Quietly, the best signing by the 49ers might be former Ravens Pro Bowl fullback Kyle Juszczyk. They, too, added solid, consistent kicker Robbie Gould, defensive tackle Earl Mitchell, linebacker Malcolm Smith and tight end Logan Paulsen. Eagles: There cannot be a happier quarterbac­k in free agency so far than Eagles second-year man Carson Wentz, who watched his team sign topnotch receivers Torrey Smith and Alshon Jeffery. The Eagles, too, signed former Alabama guard Chance Warmack to strengthen their offensive line.

Losers

Jets: They began free agency with no veteran quarterbac­k on their roster and have watched as Tampa Bay backup Mike Glennon went to Chicago and Hoyer went to San Francisco. The remaining options are grim, with all signs pointing to Jay Cutler, who was cut by the Bears. A Cutler signing will go over in New York about as well as news of increased tolls and subway fares. Redskins: They’ve lost their top receivers in Garcon and Jackson to free agency. They fired their GM and their quarterbac­k wants out. Other than that, all is well in the Nation’s Capitol.

Tony Romo: So much for Cowboys owner Jerry Jones doing right by his favorite quarterbac­k. Romo supposedly was going to be released as soon as the clock struck 4 p.m. Thursday to start free agency so he could sign wherever he wants (likely Denver or Houston). Instead, he remains in no control of his destiny for the moment. Adrian Peterson: The Vikings running back, despite his past greatness, has not exactly had teams pounding on his door with free agent offers so far. Jimmy Garoppolo’s Instagram account: It was apparently hacked early Friday morning with a bizarre farewell to New England message from him that ended in, “Peace out.’’ Not long after it spread like wildfire over social media, sources close to the Patriots backup quarterbac­k said the message did not come from him and he wasn’t going anywhere.

Storylines to watch

What’s going to happen with Brock Osweiler? The most curious transactio­n of the week, hands down, was the Texans trading Osweiler to the Browns along with a second-round draft pick. The trade was a salary dump of the $16 million Houston owes Osweiler in 2017 from that ridiculous $72 million contract they signed him to a year ago.

The Browns are expected to trade or release Osweiler, who would be considered at the top of the loser category here, except for the fact he has become wealthy beyond his imaginatio­n the past year — regardless of his pedestrian performanc­e on the field.

Clearly, the move to watch is the Bears vast overpaying of Glennon ($45 million over three years). Glennon, who has thrown just 11 passes since 2014, always has lived on his potential. Now we get to see if he fulfills it.

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