![\"Patriots](\"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/GettyImages-2246616624-e1763382074978.jpg\")
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The\u00a0Patriots\u00a0may have arrived at the top of the AFC a bit early here in 2025. Certainly, the hope always was that New England would rebuild after a pair of 4-13 seasons, some coaching churn from Bill Belichick to Jerod Mayo to Mike Vrabel and the development of quarterback\u00a0Drake Maye. But few expected the arrival to come in the first half of Vrabel\u2019s first season.<\/p>\n
The Patriots certainly spent in the offseason in such a way as to indicate they are serious about getting things turned around. They shelled out more than $300 million in free-agent contract, with well over $120 million in guaranteed money. That\u2019s a dangerous game in the\u00a0NFL\u2013free agency is the least efficient way to build a team in this league.<\/p>\n
But the Patriots hit on multiple players, from\u00a0Milton Williams\u00a0and\u00a0Robert Spillane, to\u00a0Stefon Diggs\u00a0and\u00a0Mack Hollins. And what\u2019s more, they were careful with how they structured deals so that, when they arrive at next winter\u2019s free-agent market, they will be positioned to create another $100 million in space to spend and add.<\/p>\n
At Spotrac, the contract-expert site, editor Mike Ginnitti gushed this week about where the Patriots are and, more important, where they are headed, especially with a spike in the NFL salary cap expected.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have set themselves up for a little bit more free-agency, draft, extension space in 2026, and I guess that\u2019s where I will switch my focus. \u2026\u201d Ginnitti said on \u201cThe Spotrac Podcast.\u201d \u201cThe Top 51 space looks pretty darn good, there is $66 million and change to work with, that\u2019s with 44 contracts on the books and a few of those could fall off.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Patriots are in good shape.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a well-oiled machine with one of the best quarterbacks in football,\u201d Ginnitti said.<\/p>\n
No doubt, it is\u00a0Drake Maye, who is on his rookie contract, who is driving the positive outlook. Having an MVP-caliber quarterback on a rookie deal is a rare treasure in the NFL. Maye makes $8.3 million this year\u201316 NFL quarterbacks are getting more than $40 million, including\u00a0Tua Tagovailoa, Kyler Murray, Kirk Cousins and Deshaun Watson.<\/p>\n
The soft schedule the Patriots have faced is a factor, but before the schedule toughens up next year, there will be a chance to toughen the roster, too.<\/p>\n
\u201cOverall this is a 9-2 team with the MVP favorite, who is cost-controlled through 2026, they are able to create cap space that will get you upward of $100 million fairly easily with cap conversions on these top hits,\u201d Ginnitti said.<\/p>\n
Milton Williams at $29 million and\u00a0Stefon Diggs\u00a0at $26 million are slated to be the biggest hits on the Patriots\u00a0books in 2026, but now that they can say they will be keeping those players, the Patriots can shift some of their commitments around to create a massive swath of space, perhaps to bolster the pass rush or add another top offense weapon.<\/p>\n
\u201cNext year, they\u2019ll have a tougher schedule, because they\u2019ll be a division winner and things trickle down from there,\u201d Ginnitti said. \u201cThe schedule will be a little more impactful, but so will this roster. One more year of experience, especially if it is playoff experience. Probably one or two impact free agents because of the space they had. You can expect that this is going to be one of the odds-on favorites.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patriots-haters, of which there are many, of course, are in for some disappointment, then. Looking at the books and the decisions this franchise has made, Ginnitti noted, \u201cThis is not flukey.\u201d<\/p>\n
If you weren\u2019t sure exactly how dead set the\u00a0Philadelphia Eagles\u00a0are on adding another effective cornerback, their latest move might tell you.<\/p>\n
The Eagles made another bold move before the\u00a0NFL\u00a0trade deadline on November 4, sending a 2026 sixth round pick to the\u00a0Baltimore Ravens\u00a0in exchange for 2-time NFL All-Pro cornerback\u00a0Jaire Alexander\u00a0and a 2026 seventh round pick on Saturday, November 1.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the second trade the Eagles made for a cornerback in the last week after sending wide receiver\u00a0John Metchie III\u00a0and a 2027 sixth round pick to the\u00a0New York Jets\u00a0in exchange for cornerback\u00a0Michael Carter II\u00a0and a 2027 seventh round pick.<\/p>\n
The Eagles are betting Alexander still has some of the talent left that made him one of the NFL\u2019s elite cornerbacks on the\u00a0Green Bay Packers\u00a0from 2018 to 2024 as Philadelphia tries to win a second consecutive Super Bowl.<\/p>\n
\u201cJaire\u00a0Alexander\u00a0since 2022:\u00a086.2 coverage grade,\u00a020 forced incompletions.\u00a08 interceptions,\u201d\u00a0Pro Football Focus wrote\u00a0on its official X account. \u201cYour newest Philadelphia Eagle.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Eagles have struggled all season at the outside cornerback position opposite 2024 first round pick\u00a0Quinyon Mitchell, who is considered one of the NFL\u2019s elite cover corners.<\/p>\n
\u201cA rare in-season Saturday trade: the Ravens are sending former Pro-Bowl CB\u00a0Jaire\u00a0Alexander\u00a0and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Eagles in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick, per sources,\u201d\u00a0ESPN\u2019s Adam Schefter\u00a0wrote on his official X account.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While Alexander has been a dominant player in the past, the last few years of his career have been defined by injuries and being a completely unreliable roster piece.<\/p>\n
The Ravens signed Alexander to a\u00a01-year, $4 million contract on June 18\u00a0after the Packers released him on June 9 to clear $17.1 million in salary cap space.<\/p>\n
Alexander signed a 4-year, $84.1 million contract extension in May 2022 \u2014 right before his last All-Pro and Pro Bowl season. He has\u00a0missed the majority\u00a0of 3 out of the last 4 seasons due to injuries.<\/p>\n
He only played 4 games in 2021 due to a shoulder surgery and other injury\/illness issues. In 2023, he missed 10 games\u00a0with back and shoulder injuries and a 1-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.<\/p>\n
Alexander missed 10 games in 2024 with a knee injury, leading to his release.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe\u00a0Packers<\/span>\u00a0are releasing star CB Jaire Alexander today, sources say,\u201d\u00a0NFL Network\u2019s Ian Rapoport wrote\u00a0on his official X account. \u201cThe\u00a0Packers\u00a0and Jaire Alexander agreed to explore a potential trade this spring, while a restructured contract was also discussed. In the end, Green Bay and Alexander move on with a clean break.\u201d<\/p>\n When Alexander has been healthy, he\u2019s been one of the NFL\u2019s elite cornerbacks.<\/p>\n He was drafted in the first round (No. 18 overall) of the\u00a02018 NFL draft\u00a0out of Louisville. Alexander\u00a0 had 41 pass deflections through his first 3 seasons, including a career high 17 pass deflections in 2021.<\/p>\n For as good as Alexander has been in the regular season, he\u2019s been even better in the playoffs.\u00a0In 7 career playoff games, Alexander has 28 tackles, 3 interceptions and 5 pass deflections.<\/p>\n Through the 2025 season, Alexander will have $76.5 million in career earnings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The\u00a0Patriots\u00a0may have arrived at the top of the AFC a bit early here in 2025. Certainly, the hope always was that New England would rebuild after a pair of 4-13 seasons, some…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14757,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hot-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t