After the New England Patriots used the transition tag on safety Kyle Dugger, only one of their two big unrestricted free agents remained heading into this week: offensive lineman Michael Onwenu. The former sixth-round draft pick, who had started 56 games over his first four years in New England, was considered one of the top linemen to enter the market.
Naturally, bringing him back was not going to be cheap. The Patriots were still willing to make the investment: signing Onwenu to a three-year, $57 million contract, his $19 million average per year places him among the highest-paid linemen in the NFL at his potential positions.