What their UDFA, draft pick signings mean for the Patriots

Let’s assess what all of that means for the Patriots.

No surprises

The Patriots did not pull any surprises out of their hat as far as their signings are concerned, both in terms of undrafted free agents and draft picks.

All 12 of the UDFAs had previously been reported. Meanwhile, late-round picks — and a majority of the Patriots’ draft class falls into that category — typically get signed relatively quickly after the draft. In fact, the only real hold-ups in recent years came with second-rounders and specifically how much of their third-year salary would be fully guaranteed.

Receiver depth

New England, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, opted not to bring any wide receivers aboard in the NFL Draft; a sign that the A.J. Brown trade very much remains on track even with no formal agreement in place at this point in time. The Patriots did, however, take to rookie free agency to bolster their receiver corps: four of their 12 UDFAs were wideouts.

With Kyle Dixon, Nick DeGennaro, Jimmy Kibble and Cameron Dorner added to the mix, the Patriots’ receiver room now looks as follows:

Wide receiver (11): Romeo Doubs (87), Kayshon Boutte (9), Mack Hollins (13), Kyle Williams (8), DeMario Douglas (3), Efton Chism III (86), Jeremiah Webb (29), Kyle Dixon (83), Nick DeGennaro (23), Jimmy Kibble (19), Cameron Dorner (88)

Even though 11 players is sufficient depth at the position for spring and summer, the group is bound to undergo more change. The aforementioned A.J. Brown seems like a safe bet to be added, while Kayshon Boutte continues to be mentioned in trade rumors.

Interest confirmed

According to the Pats Pulpit draft meetings tracker, the Patriots had at least one point of close reported contact with almost 150 prospects. Among them, 22 had more than one meeting, including two who registered three: tight end Eli Raridon, who was selected by the team in the third round, and linebacker Khalil Jacobs, whose signing as an undrafted free agent was made official on Friday.

The Patriots and Jacobs met at his pro day, virtually and through a pre-draft visit at Gillette Stadium. Their interest in him was a sign of things to come, and for good reason: while New England did add Namdi Obiazor in the sixth round of the draft, their linebacker position remains a work in progress behind starters Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss.

Outside the top two, there are no locks in the linebacker room. This means that several spots are up for grabs, with the youngsters including Jacobs in a prime position to make a play. For the UDFA to do so, he will likely have to not just find a niche on defense but also prove himself a four-unit special teamer, something he was at Missouri.

Explosivity at cornerback

Even though they had added Karon Prunty in the fifth round, the Patriots were not done adding to their cornerback group on draft weekend: Channing Canada and Kenneth Harris were signed as rookie free agents, and both bring intriguing athletic profiles to the group.

While Canada runs a 4.35-second 40, which puts him in the 92nd percentile among cornerback prospects since 1999, Harris performed well in the vertical (39 1/2”) and broad jumps (10’9”) as well as the three-cone drill (6.85s). Both have a long way to go before emerging from what is currently an eight-man group behind starters Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis and Marcus Jones, but they both have NFL-caliber traits to build on.

Backfield speed

The Patriots added two running backs on draft weekend, with seventh-rounder Jam Miller being joined by rookie free agent Myles Montgomery. The two have something in common: both are speedsters.

Whereas Miller ran a 4.42-second 40-yard dash in the pre-draft process, Montgomery clocked a 4.44 — still good enough to put him in the 86th percentile among NFL running back prospects. Add sophomore TreVeyon Henderson, and you get three backs with 4.4-second speed in New England now.

As for Montgomery, he projects as a potential change-of-pace/third option at the position. He does have some athletic deficits and is not the most elusive weapon, but his presence should add another interesting element to what is shaping up as a four-man competition for what will likely be no more than two spots behind Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson: Montgomery will go up against Miller, Terrell Jennings and Lan Larison.

Line depth

Whether it was by design or circumstance, the Patriots did not add to their interior lines on both offense and defense despite both spots being regarded as potential target areas before the draft. They did pick up three UDFAs, though: Jacob Rizy and JonDarius Morgan along the offensive line, with David Blay Jr. now the eighth DT under contract.

Throwback TEs

The Patriots picked one of the most well-rounded tight end prospects in the class in the third round in Notre Dame’s Eli Raridon, and they doubled down on their desire to improve their Y-TE group by in free agency: Illinois’ Tanner Arkin is a blocker first whose receiving contributions in college have been limited.

At 6-foot-4 (and 262 pounds), Arkin lacks Raridon’s length, but he is willing to get his hands dirty in the run game. New England already has a player of that type in its midst — free agency pickup Julian Hill — but Arkin could seve as an understudy this year and potentially challenge the veteran’s standing in 2027.

Minor cap impact thus far

Including their draft picks and rookie free agents, the Patriots signed 19 players this weekend. However, their combined salary cap impact is marginal. While there is no full information available about UDFA signing bonuses yet, the seven signed draft choices carry a combined cap hit of under $1.6 million with the NFL’s Top-51 rule in place during the offseason.

The rookie free agents adding significantly to that amount is unlikely. The same cannot be said about first-rounder Caleb Lomu and second-rounder Gabe Jacas, who still remain unsigned and will ultimately carry cap hits of around $3.5 million and $1.6 million this year.

Spots left open

Excluding offensive tackle Lorenz Metz, who carries an exemption on the basis of his international status, the Patriots have 88 of their 90 available roster spots currently occupied. The expectation is that the final two spots will be filled rather quickly, presumably from the list of tryout players.

Based on the only open practice from rookie minicamp on Saturday, safety Peter Manuma and linebacker Jordan Kwiatkowski are two players to keep an eye on.