Here are five players whose agents may interest New England Patriots during 2019 NFL Combine. The combine is well-known as a scouting convention. It can also be a good chance for coaches to meet one-on-one with agents. Bill Belichick may reach out to the agents to discuss contract extensions or restructures.
Tom Brady, QB: Brady’s contract is set to expire after the 2019 season, and will have a $27 million cap hit for next season. New England needs more breathing room in terms of cap space, and restructuring and/or extending Brady’s deal could ensure the quarterback can stick around longer while helping the team equip him with more free agent talent.
Devin McCourty, S: He’s set to have a $13.4 million cap hit in 2019, which is the final year of his deal. That’s probably too rich for McCourty, who has been excellent in recent years but may not be deserving of the second highest cap hit in the NFL at safety. The Patriots will plead with McCourty’s agent over a pay cut — neither side wants this situation to end with McCourty’s release.
Dont’a Hightower, LB: Hightower’s situation is a lot like McCourty’s. The veteran linebacker will have a $10.9 million cap hit in 2019, and the team might deem that sum too large. New England will try to cull a team-friendly pay cut out of Hightower’s agent to avoid having to cut him.
Trent Brown, T: Surely, the Patriots would prefer that Brown didn’t leave. He did an excellent job protecting Brady’s blindside. He was so good that he’ll probably walk in free agency with a life-changing deal from a tackle-hungry team. That shouldn’t stop the Patriots from stopping him go, even if they have his potential replacement in Isaiah Wynn, a 2019 first-round pick. New England may try to work on an extension with Brown to keep him from hitting free agency in March.
Trey Flowers, DE: His contract expires at the end of this league year — he’ll be an unrestricted free agent. That’s bad news for the Patriots. As the second best player on a Super Bowl-winning defense, Flowers is likely to earn big money in free agency. Can the Patriots get an extension done before free agency? Or will they let him test the market and, in all likelihood, see his price rise too high for their liking?
