The offseason has reached a crucial point for the New England Patriots. The new league year starts on Thursday, March 9, and the two-day free agency negotiating window leading up to the start of free agency (Thursday at 4:00 pm ET) as just started. During this time, teams may negotiate all aspects of a contract with a free agent but can't finalize the deal until the new year begins. Here are the latest Patriots news & rumors you need to know:
Patriots haven't received a good trade offer for Jimmy Garoppolo
New England has been listening to trade offers for backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, but they haven't been engaged in any serious discussions because no team has come close to meeting their asking price, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.
No team has come anywhere close to meeting the Patriots’ demands in a potential trade for Tom Brady’s backup, according to a source. There has definitely been some interest, and the Patriots have listened, but they won’t unload Garoppolo unless a team meets their price.
It remains unclear what the Patriots would require in exchange for Garoppolo. One working theory has been a first- and second-round draft pick, but not all first- and second-rounders are created equal.
The absence of any serious offers might also be the reason why there’s recently been some publicized pessimism regarding a Garoppolo trade. The Pats aren’t going to simply unload him to the highest bidder, and they’d be perfectly happy keeping him as insurance for Brady if they can’t be properly compensated with draft picks.
Garoppolo passed for 496 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in two starts last season.
New England likely to re-sign Martellus Bennett
Several teams are reportedly targeting New England Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett in free agency, but they are expected to re-sign him, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe.
The Patriots are certainly taking a long look at the tight end position, but don’t count out the return of Martellus Bennett. We’re told that the interest between the Patriots and Bennett is real — the team actually approached him about an extension during the season — and that a return isn’t out of the question, if the price is right. The Raiders and Jaguars also have expressed serious interest in Bennett.
In his first season with New England, Bennett caught 55 passes for 701 yards and seven touchdowns. He is expected to command a three-year deal worth roughly $18 million on the open market, according to Spotrac.
Adrian Peterson would take pay cut to sign with Patriots
Former Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is reportedly interested in signing a team-friendly deal to join the Patriots to try to win a Super Bowl, according to Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald.
Would Peterson even consider taking a Patriots-friendly contract for a go at a ring?
A source close to Peterson told the Herald that since AP has already earned a ton — more than $97 million is his career — it’s certainly something he’d consider. Peterson knows how it worked out for Darrelle Revis and Chris Long. But naturally, there will be a lot of teams in the mix, including the Vikings. And, of course, the Pats would have to want to bring in an aging back with an injury history, not to mention baggage.
Historically, the Patriots haven’t paid running backs more than $2 million a year. If the Pats were truly interested, they might come off that number, but Peterson would have to be willing to leave a lot on the table considering likely offers elsewhere.
Minnesota declined their $18 million option on Peterson's contract for the 2017 season, meaning he'll officially become an unrestricted free agent when new league year starts on Thursday. Peterson has not ruled out returning to the Vikings, and he has also received interested from the Houston Texans, New York Giants, and Oakland Raiders.
A knee injury limited Peterson to just three games in 2016, in which he rushed for just 72 yards on 37 carries. In 2015, he led the league with 1,485 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.
Follow our New England Patriots news page for all the latest Patriots rumors!
Back to the New England Patriots Newsfeed