Breaking down Patriots' signing of Mike Gesicki
The start of NFL Free Agency 2023 was marked by the New England Patriots prioritizing in-house free agents like Jonathan Jones versus getting involved in the first wave of spending. Then came some slash moves on offensive talents like JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mike Gesicki. After that the Pats got back to Belichick basics, retaining another defensive lineman who has made the most of his playing time thus far.
In another sign that Bill Belichick and company liked their defense from 2022, the Patriots are re-signing Daniel Ekuale, a reserve/rotational defensive lineman who at times flashed with some big stops and sacks in the 2022 season.
Ekuale, who had year-long stops with Cleveland and Jacksonville before finding a home in New England, provides depth on a solid defensive line where standout Christian Barmore missed a large portion of the 2022 season. He was primarily on the practice squad and was elevated a number of times last season, and could possibly play a more prominent role in 2023.
On a side note, a small victory lap for your friends on The 6 Rings & Football Things podcast, who called for this move a few weeks back.
Related
