Patriots steamrolling free agency
The Patriots have been on a roll since their dramatic overtime comeback victory in Super Bowl LI, dominating the offseason as well.
Headlining some of the Patriots’ moves so far was the trade for wide receiver Brandin Cooks. Bill Belichick gave up picks No. 32 and 103 in exchange for Cooks and the New Orleans Saints’ pick No. 118.
The Patriots also traded for red zone threat, tight end Dwayne Allen, by merely giving up a fourth-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts. Also acquired on offense was running back Rex Burkhead, who should thrive on both special teams and as a situational rusher.
On the defensive side the Patriots traded a second-round pick to receive 25 year-old defensive end Kony Ealy and a third-round pick from the Carolina Panthers. They also signed former Baltimore Ravens defensive end Lawrence Guy and former Buffalo Bills cornerback Stephon Gilmore.
Lastly, the Patriots managed to re-sign their 2012 first-round draft pick, linebacker D’onta Hightower.
As it stands, the Patriots also could potentially move cornerback Malcolm Butler and backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in a trade. A first-round pick appears to be the minimum ransom required for Garoppolo. Although, the Patriots are downplaying any possible Garoppolo trade scenarios at this time.