Bill Belichick performed surgery on the New England Patriots during the 2021 offseason. This is a very different team than the one the coach led in 2020. And perhaps that’s for good reason, with last year’s team finishing at 7-9.
Clearly, Belichick didn’t want to scrap that roster altogether. He retained key leaders from that group: Cam Newton, David Andrews, James White, Lawrence Guy, Justin Bethel. But New England also upgraded aggressively with its ample cap space. You probably know the names by now — the Patriots targeted receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne, tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry, linebacker Matthew Judon and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, among others.
Here’s a look at how the depth chart has changed after the bulk of the Patriots’ free agency signings. There will be more additions, but it’s worth taking a moment to review how the team looks (currently with 79 players and 10 draft picks for 2021).
