Eliot Wolf and the New England Patriots front office had a busy day on Monday when the NFL's free agency negotiation period opened. Over the course of the day, New England agreed to terms with the top defensive tackle on the market, Milton Williams, along with Carlton Davis, Morgan Moses, and Robert Spillane.
The Patriots had the most money in the league to dish out, and they certainly did so. They also signed Harold Landry (who played for Mike Vrabel in Tennessee), Mack Hollins, Joshua Dobbs, and Khyiris Tonga. Hunter Henry was also brought back on a one-year deal.
New England has added enough talent on the defensive side to give Patriots fans confidence. Pairing Carlton Davis with Christian Gonzalez makes for a formidable cornerback duo, and adding Milton Williams alongside Christian Barmore and Keion White will help the defensive line generate more pressure next season.
While the Patriots did most of their work on the defensive front, New England is still looking to acquire WR1 talent to help out Drake Maye.
In the midst of the free-agency frenzy, New England came close to bringing in star receiver Chris Godwin, as multiple factors weighed into his decision to turn down the Patriots and head back to the Buccaneers.
Patriots' Offer to Chris Godwin Came "Really Close"
The 29-year-old Godwin was one of the NFL's best receivers last season until he suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 7. In those seven games, Godwin hauled in 50 catches for 576 yards and 5 touchdowns. He was on pace for 1,400 yards and double-digit touchdown numbers in 2024, as his injury abruptly ended what could've been the best year of his career.
Fast forward to now, Godwin re-signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a 3-year, $66 million contract. In a receiver market that is getting smaller by the day, the Patriots offered nearly $20 million more than Tampa Bay did for Godwin, in hopes tof bringng the Super Bowl champion to Foxborough.
Godwin sat down with NFL Network's Sara Walsh and Mike Garafalo to discuss the determining factors that led him to stay in Tampa Bay, playing alongside Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans.
WR Chris Godwin on how close he and his wife were to leaving the Bucs and taking more money elsewhere (aka with the #Patriots):
“To be honest, I feel like we were really close. When it comes to a situation like that—you have to really, really consider it. And me and Moriah, we… https://t.co/BhPggPVuou
— Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) March 12, 2025
The former Penn State Nittany Lion is committed to Tampa Bay, pointing to staying in the city for reasons outside of football, as he and his family valued the livability of the area. Godwin has spent all eight years of his career with the Buccaneers, a team that has made the playoffs in each of the last five seasons.
As much as it stings for the Patriots to be the highest bidder and come this close to signing a star wideout, Godwin had his reasons and opted to stay with the team in contention year in and year out.
Still early into the offseason, so not all hope is lost for the Patriots to sign a true No.1 receiver. Cooper Kupp is set to be released by the Rams if a trade is not worked out, as his skill set would be a match made in heaven for New England in Josh McDaniels' offense.
Outside of Kupp, the best receivers on the market include Stefon Diggs, Keenan Allen, Amari Cooper, and Brandin Cooks. New England could also use their top-5 draft pick next month to add highly regarded wideouts Travis Hunter or Tetairoa McMillan if they choose to go that route.
Even after their signings this week, the Patriots still have more than enough money to work with, as continuing to build the offensive line and pass-catching core should be the next focus for Eliot Wolf and company.
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