The New England Patriots fell short of the playoffs this season for the first time since 2008, but will look to rebound next year after going all out in free agency.

The Patriots started their offseason by resigning QB Cam Newton to a 1-year deal. It was not the ideal year for Newton, who faced lots of adversity in his first season as a Patriot. However, head coach Bill Belichick has a great relationship with Newton and believes that he will drastically improve his play next season. 

NFL free agency began on Monday, March 15th, and it did not take long for the Patriots to make their very first move., signing former Tennessee Titans tight end Jonnu Smith to a four-year deal. Smith is only 25 years old and is coming off the best year of his career. The Patriots were able to add another star tight end to their roster after signing former Los Angeles Charger Hunter Henry to a three-year contract. The Patriots continued addressing their offense and were able to sign wide receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne. Coming into the offseason, the Patriots’ biggest need was providing Cam Newton with offensive weapons. Many NFL fans and analysts believe that Newton’s poor season was due to the lack of quality wide receivers and tight ends on the Patriots’ roster. According to ESPN, the Patriots ranked 30th in the NFL in passing yards per game last season. They will look to improve that statistic next season with the new offensive core they have assembled. 

The Patriots continued to improve their roster, this time on the defensive side, signing defensive back Jalen Mills to a four-year deal. The former Philadelphia Eagle will bring his toughness to an already stacked Patriot secondary. They also re-signed defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. to a four-year deal. In addition, they signed former Miami Dolphins nose Tackle Davon Godchaux to a two-year contract. Godchaux is very good at stopping the run, something the Patriots struggled a lot with last year. The Patriots’ most expensive free-agent signing was former Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Matt Judon. According to mlive.com, Judon’s contract is a four-year, $56 million deal, with $32 million guaranteed. This signing came as a surprise to many because the Patriots did not have a huge need for edge rushers. However, they continue to add to the position and get a well-balanced player in Judon.

Although the offseason has just begun, the Patriots are off to a big-time start. Improving on both sides of the ball, they will look to rebound from their below-average season and make it back into the playoffs next year.