“I started off as a d-tackle, lost weight, and now I’m just a big-ass end … Toughness, play balls to the wall, I’m always looking to try to run through somebody’s face.” – OLB Dre’Mont Jones (listed at 281 but played at 265)
For those updating Patriots rosters at home, please change safety Craig Woodson from No. 31 to No. 4.
Other new numbers of note:
OLB Dre'Mont Jones - 5
S Mike Brown - 33
FB Reggie Gilliam - 44
G Alijah Vera-Tucker - 75
TE Julian Hill - 80
WR Romeo Doubs - 87
Patriots rookie safety Craig Woodson is giving up No. 31 for veteran Kevin Byard III.
Byard is most appreciative.
“We talked yesterday. I think we came to a little agreement. I’ve been wearing 31 my entire career and I don’t really want to change numbers,” he said.
Scene setters: S Kevin Byard III … FB Reggie Gilliam … OLB Dre’Mont Jones … TE Julian Hill.
WR Romeo Doubs gets press coverage.
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The 3-year deal for Julian Hill is worth up to $18 million, per a source.
Comparison: Dre'Mont Jones and K'Lavon Chaisson contract agreements:
🏈Jones: 3 years, $36.5 million base value, $39.5 m max value
Signing bonus: $11 m
Guarantees: $23.1 m
🏈Chaisson: 1 year, $11 million base value, $12 m max value
Signing bonus: $7 m
Guarantees: $10.3 m
Patriots Thursday
🕐1p: Meet select new Patriots
🎙️1:30p: Eliot Wolf
NOTES: 8 agreements with free agents (WR Romeo Doubs, G Alijah Vera-Tucker, S Kevin Byard, OLB Dre'Mont Jones, FB Reggie Gilliam, TE Julian Hill, LB K.J. Britt, S Mike Brown)...Team focus - depth/competition.
Updating the Patriots free-agent tracker with S Kevin Byard, TE Julian Hill, LB K.J. Britt, S Mike Brown, who join WR Romeo Doubs, G Alijah Vera-Tucker, OLB Dre'Mont Jones and FB Reggie Gilliam:
www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/...
Patriots TEs:
🏈Hunter Henry
🏈Julian Hill
🏈CJ Dippre
🏈Marshall Lang
NOTES: Henry enters last year of contract...Jack Westover more FB, but could factor into TE mix...Likewise w/ Reggie Gilliam, who aligned on line of scrimmage at times...Viewed as deeper position in draft.
Term updates: TE Julian Hill (formerly Dolphins) agreed to a 3-year deal with Patriots, while S Mike Brown (formerly of Titans) agreed to a 1-year deal.
Both were not tendered as restricted FAs.
Hill, whose toughness was valued by former coach Mike McDaniel, now slots as TE2.
LB Jack Gibbens did not receive a tender offer from Patriots as a restricted free agent, as Doug Kyed said. Gibbens is now free to sign with any team.
Right-of-first-refusal tender would have been $3.6m.
Gibbens played 47% of the defensive snaps in '25 as top sub. 64% on STs.
Patriots safeties:
🏈 Kevin Byard
🏈 Craig Woodson
🏈 Dell Pettus
🏈 John Saunders Jr.
🏈 Brenden Schooler
NOTES: Byard on a 1-year deal at age 32...Saunders had been signed to 53-man roster off Dolphins' p-squad before moving to NE p-squad...Draft pick wouldn't be surprise.
On safety Kevin Byard and the Patriots:
LB KJ Britt (6-0, 240 pounds), who is signing in New England, has played in 76 NFL games (16 starts).
Entered NFL as a fifth-round pick of Buccaneers in 2021 out of Auburn.
Joins the LB group behind Robert Spillane/Christian Elliss as a depth option; also special teams (77% of snaps in 2025).
News story: Patriots inform OLB Anfernee Jennings of their intention to release him, making G Mike Onwenu the sole longest tenured player with the team.
Jennings had been named a game captain for the AFC Championship. Creates ~$3.8m in cap space.
www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/...
Patriots OLB/edge personnel:
🏈 Dre'Mont Jones
🏈 Harold Landry III
🏈 Elijah Ponder
🏈 Bradyn Swinson
🏈 Jesse Luketa
NOTES: Remains a team need...Draft viewed as deep at by some...Landry coming off knee injury sustained in Week 6...OLBs coach Mike Smith a key staff member.
Patriots are releasing OLB Anfernee Jennings. He was due to earn $4 million in cash in 2026, which was the final year of his contract. Salary cap charge of $4.86 million.
With K'Lavon Chaisson landing in Washington today, and Jennings being let go, Patriots re-shaping their edge position/depth.
News story: Patriots and WR Romeo Doubs in agreement on a four-year, $80 million deal.
www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/...
Alijah Vera-Tucker: 3 years, base value $42 million, maximum value $48 million
🏈 Signing bonus: $7.2 million
🏈 Total guarantee: $21 million
Top Patriots WRs:
🏈 Kayshon Boutte
🏈 Mack Hollins
🏈 Romeo Doubs
🏈 Kyle Williams
🏈 DeMario Douglas
🏈 Efton Chism III
Doubs coming off a season with 55 catches for 724 yards and 6 TDs.
News story: Patriots agree to 3-year deal with Alijah Vera-Tucker.
Vera-Tucker, a former first-round pick, has suffered three major injuries in five years -- a torn Achilles and torn triceps (both arms).
With a return to health, he addresses a top need.
www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/...
With the Patriots agreeing to a
3-year deal with Alijah Vera-Tucker (per Adam Schefter), the projected starting offensive line:
LT: Will Campbell
LG: Alijah Vera-Tucker
C: Jared Wilson
RG: Mike Onwenu
RT: Morgan Moses
Top interior backup: Ben Brown
Top swing tackle: TBD
From the former Patriots department; Long snapper Joe Cardona is set to continue his NFL career with the Rams, agreeing to a 2-year deal.
Opinion/analysis: DT Khyiris Tonga landing in KC on a life-altering deal ($14m gt'd) is testament to:
🏈 His persistence. 6th year, 6th team.
🏈 Elite teammate. Universally liked.
🏈 NE coaching. Signed to modest 1-year deal in '25.
🏈 Cory Durden's rise. DT3 by end of '25.
Patriots free-agent tracker (to be updated after each agreement): Edge Dre'Mont Jones, FB/ST Reggie Gilliam.
www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/...
One more on Dre’Mont Jones: In Titans-Patriots game last season, he also registers a sack of Drake Maye on an effective stunt (No. 45). Gives further feel for his style of play.
Patriots edge/OLB personnel:
🏈Dre'Mont Jones
🏈Harold Landry III
🏈Anfernee Jennings
🏈Elijah Ponder
🏈Bradyn Swinson
🏈Jess Luketa
NOTES: K'Lavon Chaisson a free agent...Draft viewed by some as deep...Dre'Mont Jones (6-3, 281) with flexibility to rush from multiple spots.
