One thing became crystal clear through two days of the NFL's free agency tampering period.
Patriots open their wallets and make a splash in free agency
On the NFL: New England added two high-priced tight ends, a departure from the team's usual way.
March 16, 2021 at 10:49PM
Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots are none too happy about old buddy Tom Brady showing them up by winning an eighth Lombardi Trophy in his first swing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Throwing the free-agency portion of the Patriot Way playbook out the window, the highly motivated former dynasty has gone berserk with Robert Kraft's bank account while uncharacteristically jumping head over heels into the first wave of player movement.
They gobbled up the top two tight ends in Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry for a whopping $56.25 million in guarantees. Per ESPN, that's $5.25 million more in guarantees on two guys than the Patriots have doled out in the past three years of free agency combined.
They also added two deep-threat receivers (Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne), a pass rusher (Matthew Judon) and Patriots-like versatility in defensive linemen Davon Godchaux and Henry Anderson and defensive back Jalen Mills.
Smith and Henry are big splashes. Judon, to some degree, is as well, although his average of $14 million a year isn't terribly unreasonable for a well-rounded 28-year-old outside linebacker with 15½ sacks the past two years.
The others are more in line with the kind of under-the-radar players we were accustomed to seeing the Patriots win with around Brady.
So it will be interesting to see what the team does offensively with Smith and Hunter on the field together, especially if Agholor and Bourne are stretching the field at the same time.
Unfortunately for Belichick, he's still only got Cam Newton — re-signed for one year at $5 million — as his starting quarterback, for now. Meanwhile, Brady is down in Tampa helping Bruce Arians and the Bucs bring back the band for one more run in 2021.
Here are some other likes and dislikes heading toward the official opening of the new league year at 3 p.m. Wednesday …
Like: No two seasons are alike, but the Bucs are making it hard not to like them in the NFC in 2021. Brady redoing his contract shaved $19 million off the team's salary cap and helped Tampa Bay bring back Shaquil Barrett, Lavonte David and Rob Gronkowski. They also have Chris Godwin on a franchise tag. Not bad for a Super Bowl champ in a year when the cap went down $15.7 million.
Dislike: The Jets giving $57 million in guarantees to pass rusher Carl Lawson ($30 million) and receiver Corey Davis ($27 million). Lawson had 5½ sacks last year and has 20 in four seasons. Davis, the fifth overall pick in 2017, has never had a 1,000-yard season.
Like: The Chargers getting the best center in football in former Packer Corey Linsley. He didn't come cheap. The 29-year-old reigning first-team All-Pro becomes the highest-paid center ever. But he's still young enough to have a lengthy career protecting reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Justin Herbert.
Dislike: Sean Payton saying he thinks the Saints are set at quarterback with the re-signing of Jameis Winston to compete with Taysom Hill for Drew Brees' old job. The Saints got Winston back on a one-year, $5.5 million deal. So there's no risk to speak of. But Payton might want to let his eyes continue to wander when it comes to finding Brees' replacement.
Like: The Vikings getting one of the league's best interior run defenders in Dalvin Tomlinson. He's got nose-tackle girth with three-technique flexibility. Pairing him with last year's prized free agent — 2020 COVID-19 opt-out Michael Pierce — and releasing Shamar Stephen is a significant upgrade.
Dislike: The Bears not pushing harder to get Ryan Fitzpatrick, who got $10 million for one year in Washington. The Bears are giving Andy Dalton $10 million for one year. Advantage: Washington.
Like: Patrick Mahomes, last seen running for his life in Super Bowl LV, getting a new left guard in Joe Thuney. His $16 million average per year is a record for a guard. But Super Bowl LV proved that not even the magically elusive Mahomes can function behind a makeshift offensive line.
Mark Craig is an NFL and Vikings Insider. Twitter: @markcraigNFL. E-mail: mcraig@startribune.com
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
