Patriots free-agent primer: 10 defensive possibilities for New England

While free agency is only part of the team-building process, taking into account fit, skill set and (likely) financial demands, here are some names that jump off the page when you’re talking about potential free-agent targets for New England. Consider this a companion piece to the potential offensive targets. (For the purposes of this exercise, we’re not counting the Patriots’ own free agents.)

DEFENSIVE BACK


Eric Weddle: I know the Patriots have to get younger at safety, and the secondary is awful tough to crack. But on the surface, Weddle and the Patriots seem to be such a good fit. New England almost made it happen a few years ago, but the timing wasn’t quite right. The 34-year-old is smart and tough, two elements that will make him a guy in demand. The glut of good safeties that are on the market could drive down his price a bit, but he’ll still likely have his pick of teams. From this perspective, the Patriots should be at the front of the line.

Jason Verrett: Verrett, who will turn 28 in June, is a 5-foot-10, 188-pounder in need of a reset button. The TCU product has struggled with injuries — the first four years of his career, he’s had one healthy season (2015), a year where he justified his lofty draft status with three picks and a Pro Bowl berth. The Patriots appear to be pretty deep at the cornerback position, but a one-year “show me” deal for Verrett would allow New England to slow-play the development of some of its younger corners and allow Verrett an opportunity to display his talents to the rest of the league again. Ultimately, cornerback isn’t an overriding area of need for the Patriots, but the addition of someone like Verrett on a short deal could provide some good competition at the position for New England and give Verrett a chance to show the rest of the league when he’s capable of accomplishing.

Kenny Vaccaro: The 28-year-old strong safety has distinguished himself over the course of his career as a hard hitter who has occasional struggles in coverage. As was the case with Weddle, you have to take into account age — the Patriots would likely prefer a younger safety who would theoretically be a little cheaper. At the same time, the 6-foot, 214-pounder could bring some depth to the safety position — New England was really lucky last year when it came to health, especially in the secondary. Building out another layer of protection at safety would be a prudent decision, and Vaccaro would be something of an insurance policy, provided the two sides could make the dollars work.

LINEBACKER

Kwon Alexander: We’ve been impressed by Alexander for a few years now, and while it might be a long shot, we’re including him on this list anyway. The 6-foot-1, 227-pounder out of LSU will turn 25 in August, and has a nose for the ball (six picks) and an ability to cut through the mess to find the ball carrier (he had a whopping 108 solo tackles in 2016). The market will be slightly down for him this offseason as he’s coming off a season-ending knee surgery that limited him to six games last season, but in my mind, he could be a nice complement to Kyle Van Noy and Dont’a Hightower as a coverage linebacker in the New England system.

K.J. Wright: Wright will turn 30 years old this summer, but the 6-foot-4, 246-pounder should still command a lot of attention on the open market. When you’re talking about him as it relates to the Patriots, he could provide some sideline-to-sideline depth at the second level for a New England team that could use one more veteran body. He’s considered an excellent coverage linebacker — according to Pro Football Focus, he allowed only 0.62 yards per cover snap, ranking fourth among linebackers. On average, he allowed a reception just once every 13.0 cover snaps, ranking ninth at the position. His presence could take some of the heat off Van Noy and allow a talented group to be even deeper in 2019. (Just realized this — between Jermaine Kearse and Golden Tate on offense and Wright on defense, that’s a lot of ex-Seahawks. Interesting.)

DEFENSIVE LINE

Cameron Wake: Three reasons to push for Wake-to-New England: one, only two other guys (Aaron Schobel and Jason Taylor) have sacked Tom Brady more in their careers than Wake. Putting him on your roster saves your quarterback some trouble. Two, the Patriots have made it a semi-annual habit of importing a veteran defensive lineman near the end of his career, a guy who might take a little less if he has a shot at a title. Wake is ringless, at least at this point in his career. And three, the ultra-competitive defender would almost certainly love to remind Miami the mistake it made by cutting him by facing the Dolphins twice a year. In the end, it remains to be seen just how much he has left in the tank, but if New England needs a veteran situational pass rusher, the 37-year-old might be the guy.

Michael Bennett: As of Friday morning, it’s unclear whether the Eagles are going to try and trade Bennett or simply release him. (He says he won’t take a pay cut.) But if Marty Bennett’s sibling does hit the market later this month, I’d certainly give him a call. He’s shown himself to be a strong, stout presence against the run and pass in previous years, and could be another veteran defensive lineman looking for a late-career jump-start in New England. The 33-year-old has been a versatile presence in both Philadelphia and Seattle, and got the ultimate compliment in Super Bowl XLIX when Dante Scarnecchia basically boiled the protection plan down to a simple philosophy: Stop No. 72. Again, there’s some uncertainty around him at this stage of the process, but if he’s available, the Patriots should certainly inquire.

Ziggy Ansah: Another edge presence, Ansah — who will turn 30 in May — is a 6-foot-6, 270-pound pass rusher who has 48 sacks in six seasons. Depending on how the offseason plays out for the Patriots, he could be a nice, situational addition for New England. He’s not an every-down player, as his age and health issues (two shoulder surgeries in 2018) have made him a part-time performer. But like Wake, if he’s used properly, he could provide a pass rush boost for New England.

Brent Urban: A 6-foot-7, 295-pound defensive lineman for the Ravens, Urban — who turns 28 in May — can play multiple spots along the defensive line. More of a run-stuffer than pass rusher, Pro Football Focus graded Urban as one of the top 25 run defenders among interior linemen who played at least 300 snaps. With Danny Shelton and Malcom Brown poised to hit free agency, this Canadian native could follow in the footsteps of ex-ravens defensive lineman Lawrence Guy and find success with the Patriots after leaving Baltimore.

Timmy Jernigan: Like Urban, a lot of what happens at defensive tackle this offseason hinges on what happens with Brown and Shelton. But if they want to go big, Jernigan could be New England’s guy. The 6-foot-2, 295-pound defensive tackle will likely see a slightly depressed market for his services, as he’s coming off a year where he played just three games because of injury. But when Jernigan’s been healthy, the 26-year-old has shown a nice ability to play the run and the pass. Probably not the first guy they’d think of, but someone who serves as another big body along the line for New England.