A series of prominent free agency departures as well as the Coronavirus opt-out of the unit’s leader, Dont’a Hightower, left the New England Patriots’ defensive front seven in a difficult spot heading into the 2020 season. Role players and rookies were forced to take on more responsibilities while learning the job on the fly, and depth proved to be an issue both along the line and on the second level.
The Patriots aggressively trying to upgrade in free agency did therefore not come as a surprise. Not only did they have needs all over the group, they also had the financial means again to make some splashes.