It’s that time of year again. The cold of winter is finally starting to let up, the birds are flying back north, and Selection Sunday is around the corner. You know what time it is: NFL free agency season.

Personally, NFL free agency is my favorite time of year. I remember in 10th grade, I’d sit in the back of Mr. Ciminello’s Honors Chemistry class, my notes and binder hiding my phone. I would rotate between Adam Schefter’s Twitter page and BleacherReport’s Team Stream app, constantly refreshing to get the latest news. I remember standing up and cheering about the signing of Danny Amendola, only to be scolded by my teacher. I remember feeling dejected at the time that the Patriots didn’t sign Steven Jackson (a feeling I would quickly change once I realized he had next to nothing in the tank).

The free agency period is a wonderful time. It’s the first major football news of the new season. It allows teams to totally change their look. NFL Analysts start to throw the label “dark horse”around for many a team. Speculation fills the air. Most importantly, any team can land the big stars on the market. Fans get their hopes up about acquiring their next big offensive weapon or defensive cornerstone. If you’re a Patriots fan, you’re used to every big name free agent getting connected to the Patriots, only to watch Bill Belichick sign role players to small contracts. It’s never exciting, but it always seems to work out somehow.

With tweets and headlines flying around, it’s tough to keep track of it all. I’m here to do my best to keep track of it all.

BREAKING: Patriots re-sign Alan Branch to 2 yr/$12M deal

Smart. As I said in my blog looking into impending Pats free agents, I suggested that the Patriots should look to sign Branch to a one-year deal. He got two. 

Not mad about the extra year, not at all. Branch has been very effective for the Patriots in his time here. Some could argue his run-stopping ability has made him an MVP of the Pats’ front seven. For the first time in quite some time, we’re looking at the Patriots sling money around. Gilmore to $14M per year deal, now Branch cashing out at $6M/yr. It’s a new sensation to be witnessing, but I can’t fault Bill for doing it. 

Malcolm Butler being “considered” in trade talks for Brandin Cooks

Before we hit the Panic Button, let’s take a second to pause and look at the wording. “Considering” and “close to” are two different things. With the Patriots signing Stephon Gilmore, locking down Butler long term would make the Patriots secondary one of the best in the league. Bringing back Duron Harmon is going to bolster an already talented and proven secondary. 

However, with several Patriots wide receivers coming off the books in the next two years, it’s going to be difficult to keep all of them. That’s why I like Brandin Cooks to the Patriots. He’s a big, versatile receiver that is going to make an instant impact. 

But at the cost of a Super Bowl hero? If talks on a long-term deal aren’t working out, then sadly yes. 

Patriots working to re-sign CB Duron Harmon

In all honesty, not a move I saw coming. I figured Harmon was going to catch himself a hefty deal of some kind. Not as big as the deal Logan Ryan is going to land, but still a big one nonetheless. Plus, with the addition of Stephon Gilmore, it would seem likely that the big money had already been spent at the corner position. 

I like the Pats potentially bringing back Harmon. This is gonna be a formidable secondary in a season where the Patriots play a much better collection of QBs than they did last year. 

Patriots to sign ex-Bills CB Stephon Gilmore

Interesting signing by the Patriots. Gilmore is obviously an incredibly talented cornerback, being a large part of the Buffalo defense this past season. However, shelling out a reported $14M/year is something very uncharacteristic of the organization. With this kind of price tag, I expect the Patriots will neither pursue Logan Ryan nor Duron Harmon. All three are 26, but Logan Ryan is expected to bring in $400K-$500K more annually than Gilmore.

The most interesting part of this deal is that this kind of money has not been offered up to Malcolm Butler. As discussed further down, Butler is a Super Bowl hero for the Patriots and has blossomed since his days at West Alabama. Extension talks were reportedly brief, but are they going to land in the same ballpark as Gilmore’s number? This is going to be an interesting storyline to follow throughout the rest of the offseason

Brandon Marshall and Patriots have “mutual interest” [UPDATE: Marshall to Giants]

Patriots Trade a Fourth-Round Pick to Colts for Dwayne Allen and a Sixth-Rounder

I’m really, really big on this move. This is the exact same trade that the Patriots made ;last year to acquire Martellus Bennett. Dwayne Allen just turned 27 whereas Bennett will be turning 30 tomorrow. Allen’s contract number for this upcoming season is a little under $5 million. Bennett’s number last year was slightly higher than $5 million, and he’s looking for more money this year. The Patriots have gone younger and cheaper and the #2 TE, and I couldn’t be happier.

I love Marty. His demeanor is great, and he’s a pretty damn good football player to boot. But, the Patriots aren’t wont to dole out millions when they don’t need to.Smart, typical move by Belichick.

Patriots and Saints in talks for Brandin Cooks trade

Bill Belichick has given Cooks nothing but high praise. Belichick is quoted as saying he’s “glad [he doesn’t] have to face him twice a year.” In Pats-Saints joint workouts in the summers preceding the season, Cooks has torched New England corners. Malcolm Butler has also touched on just how talented Cooks is.

What I don’t love about this trade is the offer the Patriots have given the Saints. Although they’d be swapping picks with the Saints, the talent in this draft class is so great at the top end,  it would be a shame for New England to address an immediate need like OL or DE.

Brandin Cooks is a stud, but if the Saints are asking for a ton for him, I don’t see the rush in trying to trade for him now.

Malcolm Butler receives first-round tender from the Patriots

I like this move. A lot. Butler deserves the money he’s going to get, from whichever team wants to sign him. With Logan Ryan and Duron Harmon holding one foot out the door, it would be tragic to see a complete breakdown of a Super Bowl secondary like in 2014 (the Super Bowl Butler was the hero in). That year, we watched as Darelle Revis and Brandon Browner walk, leaving next to no one alongside Malcolm Butler. That can’t happen again. If it does, at least the Patriots get a first-round pick in return

Adrian Peterson would “take less money” in order to play in New England

Personally, I’m not a huge fan of this. Adrian Peterson turns 32 on March 21st. Usually, this is the age where you take feature running backs out behind the woodshed. Peterson’s only a few years removed from a rushing title, so he clearly has something left in the tank. However, there’s two reasons I’m against AP in a Patriots uniform.

First off, Peterson most likely wants to be the premiere back on a run-first team. Simply put, that’s just not the kind of team New England is. With Dion Lewis and should-be-Super-Bowl-MVP James White under contract, the Patriots don’t want to be bogged down by a back looking for run plays from an under-center QB. It’s not how the Patriots run their offense.

Second, his injury history and lack of ball security is a huge red flag. A 32-year-old back with the long list of injuries Peterson has should steer teams clear of the former Viking back altogether. What’s worse, the Patriots can’t stand a fumbling back. The Patriots have distanced themselves from Legarrette Blount, the leading rush scorer in the 2016 season, after he fumbled his way to the bench in Super Bowl LI. Blount is a very different style of back from AP, but the core message is the same: fumbles will cost you a starting spot in the Patriots line up.

Patriots Reportedly Interested in DeSean Jackson [UPDATE: Jackson to sign with Tampa Bay]

In all honesty, I’m not sure where I find myself on DeSean Jackson. He’s 30, he’s a bit of a loud mouth, and he seems more like a deep-route receiver.

Remember the last big-mouth receiver the Patriots brought in? Randy Moss. Moss was an older receiver who had some character issues, and it seemed like he was over the hump. Then he put up almost a 1,500-yard receiving season. DJax has had three 1,000-yard seasons in the last four years. It’ll be interesting how the Patriots use him if he comes to the team, but I’m not totally sold on him yet.

Browns Would Trade the #12 Overall Pick for Jimmy Garoppolo

I’ve been Team Trade Garoppolo for a little while now. I understand his talent, but I just believe that Tom Brady will play for the next 3-5 years. It doesn’t seem like the Patriots would resign him next year, and it seems best to get something back for him.

That being said, there needs to be one more pick in the mix, preferably another first-rounder. It would be one thing to trade us the #1 overall pick. Myles Garrett is an absolute monster. I think Garoppolo for Garrett straight up would be a fair deal. It fits the needs of both teams very well. But don’t expect the Browns to be that naive.

Two picks will really impress Belichick enough to pull the trigger on a trade, one pick is going to start the conversation