While the current tally for New England during free agency doesn’t include DE Julius Peppers or WR Anquan Boldin, I’d say the Pats are having a decent off-season. The only free agent they signed, LB Marques Murrell, isn’t a marquee free agent. But the Patriots had success keeping their free agents.
Of the 15 free agents, six I absolutely wanted back: LB Tully Banta-Cain, CB Leigh Bodden, RB Kevin Faulk, K Stephen Gostkowski, OG Logan Mankins, and NT Vince Wilfork. Of those six, three re-signed. And OG Stephen Neal re-signed as well, which is a bonus.
Most recently Bodden unexpectedly came back. He was wooed by Houston but ultimately returned for four years, $22.5 million. So Bodden got the payday he was searching for and remains on a playoff-caliber team, something that wasn’t guaranteed with the rising Texans.


