No team in the NFL was as aggressive during the first week of free agency than the New England Patriots. Coming off a 7-9 season that saw them miss the playoffs for the first time in 12 years, the Patriots had the cap space available to go after and successfully sign some of the best players available on the open market.
Along the way, the Patriots had to dig deep into their pockets. Sometimes, it seems, this was done to outbid other clubs to get their guys: according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, New England faced considerable competition for big-name signings such as tight end Jonnu Smith and linebacker Matthew Judon.