The Patriots' Best (And Worst) Free Agent Signings in the Last Decade

Some good, some bad when it comes to the New England Patriots in free agency.

Jan 11, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots defensive end Milton Williams (97) celebrates a sack during the second quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers in an AFC Wild Card Round game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

The legal tampering period to start talking with upcoming free agents is ever near, and while the New England Patriots don't need to add much to their roster, they should be fairly active in elevating positions and acquiring depth.

The Patriots have done a tremendous job recently with their free agent signings over the past decade, but there are signings that did not pan out for them over that same period of time.

With free agency on the horizon, we decided to examine the best and worst free agent signings by New England over the past 10 years.

Best: CB Carlton Davis III (2025)

Contract: 3 years, $54 million

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Carlton Davis III (7) Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Carlton Davis was signed in 2025, but that doesn't mean that his contract wasn't one of the best of the last decade.

A reliable, physical, veteran corner, Davis paired perfectly next to standout cornerback Christian Gonzalez and helped stabilize the secondary in New England from day one. A solid starter, Davis put up solid production while playing all 17 games for the first time in his career. With the production coming in over his reasonable price tag, Davis' contract is a true bang-for-your-buck.

Worst: TE Jonnu Smith (2021)

Contract: 4 years, $50 million

Dec 12, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New England Patriots tight end Jonnu Smith (81) Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Jonnu Smith was signed as a mismatch weapon in New England in a cap-strained year, but never fit in as a receiver or blocker, putting up minimal production over his two seasons with the franchise before being traded away in 2023.

The signing would go down as a major disappointment for the Patriots, especially given that $31.25 million of his $50 million contract was guaranteed.

Best: DT Milton Williams (2025)

Contract: 4 years, $104 million

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots defensive end Milton Williams (97) Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Williams contract in 2025 looked big when signed, but was manageable with 2025's cap windfall, and he delivered on his worth this past season. Williams is an elite interior disruptor along the defensive trenches and anchored the Patriots' defensive line in Vrabel's scheme that emphasizes dominant run-stopping ability along with high upside pass rushing.

Williams does carry a significant cap hit, $28.4 million, in 2026, but fits within the current cap in New England. While no restructure is needed at the moment, potential future adjustments will likely be possible.

Worst: WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (2023)

Contract: 3 years, $25.5 million

Dec 7, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (7) Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Signing JuJu Smith-Schuster was a question mark at the onset, and for good reason. After a great start to his career with the Steelers, Smith-Schuster was never able to fully regain his footing as a top wideout in the league. And once he made his way to New England, he found himself well out of favor within the offense led by Mac Jones at quarterback.

The signing came during a tight-cap period, and with the majority of his contract guaranteed, mixed with his lack of production, it turned out to be a major failure. Smith-Schuster didn't even last a full season with the Patriots and was eventually released by the team during training camp in 2024.

Best: CB Stephon Gilmore (2017)

Contract: 5 years, $65 million

Aug 22, 2019; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore (24) Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Once signing his five-year deal with New England in 2017, Gilmore spent four seasons with the organization before being traded to the Carolina Panthers in 2021.

An elite, shutdown corner on the outside, Gilmore fit perfectly into Bill Belichick's man-heavy defensive scheme. During his tenure with the Patriots, Gilmore made multiple Pro Bowls and was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2019, making his contract have extremely high value in a tight-cap year – produced like a top corner at a reasonable cost.

Worst: RB Mike Gillislee (2017)

Contract: 2 years, ~6.4-8 million front-loaded

Dec 24, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots running back Mike Gillislee (35) Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Signed in 2017 as a power, goal-line replacement in a low-cap window, Gillislee wasn't able to live up to the billing for what the Patriots signed him for. While his contact was relatively inexpensive given the timing, Gillislee was underwhelming in his production, showing inefficiency while also being underused. He was cut after just one season.

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