Free agency is pretty much here.
Next Monday marks the opening of the legal tampering window where agents and teams can “legally” negotiate for the first time, with the free agent signing period kicking off Wednesday at 4 p.m. when the new league year begins.
As always, it’s an exciting time and the Patriots should be heavily involved with major holes on their roster to fill.
Here are 10 players the Patriots should be talking to next Monday. (We’re not including their own free agents on this list.)
1. Richard Sherman, cornerback — We’re assuming he will be on the open market and after Aqib Talib was traded to the Rams Thursday night, the Patriots should make a run at the soon-to-be 30-year-old. They will need to replace Malcolm Butler and Sherman would be a great replacement, as long as his feet are fine. Sherman had surgery on both his Achilles’, one coming recently as Pete Carroll described as a clean-up procedure. The ideal contract would be a one-year “prove it” type of deal where Sherman can set himself up for another big contract, while helping the Patriots at the same time.
2. Nickell Robey-Coleman, cornerback — With the Rams loading up at cornerback, Robey-Coleman probably isn’t in their plans for 2018. At 26 years old, he may be seeking a contract bigger than what the Patriots are willing to give, but he would fit the Patriots defense well. New England also knows what he can do, as he spent time in Buffalo. He excels in the slot, so with Stephon Gilmore and Eric Rowe on the outside, Robey-Coleman would be a nice addition — as long as the price is right since he wouldn’t be worth overpaying for.
3. Johnathan Joseph, cornerback — Joseph is 33 years old, so it would be a bit of a risk, but the Patriots really just need a stop-gap at the position for a year or two since they are high on players like Jonathan Jones and Ryan Lewis. He’s spent his last seven years with the Texans, so they certainly would have an advantage over New England, but it is worth checking in to see what his thinking is. He finished 2017 with two interceptions and nine passes defended.
4. Nigel Bradham, outside linebacker — The Patriots got a first-hand look at what he can do in the Super Bowl, as he’s probably the best outside linebacker on the market. He’s known for excelling in pass coverage, which is something the Patriots lacked this season. At 28 years old, he could be a player the Patriots look to sign to a multi-year deal and help solidify the position for the next few years.
5. Adrian Clayborn, defensive end — The 29-year-old is not expected back in Atlanta next season, which means he will be one of the most sought after players at his position next week. He finished with a career-high 9.5 sacks last season, which could mean his price will exceed what the Patriots will be willing to pay. There’s no question the Patriots need to bolster this position, though.
6. Alex Olafor, defensive end — This would be somewhat of a risk, as he’s coming off an Achilles injury, but he performed well in his 10 games before the injury last year. He finished with a career-high 43 tackles and 4.5 sacks. At 27 years old, he has something left in the tank and a team could get good value on him coming off the injury. The Patriots saw what he was capable of in their Week 2 meeting this past season. Bill Belichick is also very close with Sean Payton, so he could get some good intel.
7. Kenny Vaccaro, safety — New England needs to start thinking of the future of the safety position with Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung getting up there in age. Vaccaro would be a great fit, but the issue would be his price. The Patriots are not in a position, given other needs, to overpay for this position. Belichick should check in and see what his asking price is and proceed from there.
8. DeMarco Murray, running back — Murray was released by the Titans on Thursday and if the contract is right, he could be a nice addition to the Patriots backfield. Of course, he wouldn’t be the lead back, but at this point in his career that isn’t what he is. Being 30 years old, if Murray is willing to take a lesser deal to be a rotational back and win, New England would be a great landing spot.
9. Andre Smith, left tackle — The market behind Nate Solder is terrible and Cameron Fleming and LaAdrian Waddle might be the two best next options. This says the Patriots need to do everything in their power to bring back Solder and/or one of Fleming and Waddle. If that doesn’t happen, Smith may be a player to look at. The 31-year-old moved all over the line with the Bengals, but his best position is tackle.
10. Julius Peppers, defensive end — The 38-year-old’s status is very much up in the air for next season, as he hasn’t committed to playing, but Belichick should certainly make a phone call and see what his plans are. He certainly isn’t at the top of the list of priorities, though. With all the younger players at the position, it’s more of the Patriots just needing a player to bridge the gap.