Who is the best free-agent signing in Patriots history?
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He’s the first one that comes to mind, though I suppose we could break this up into two categories: prominent free-agents that got lucrative contracts, and bargain finds.
(For the purpose of this exercise, we won’t count undrafted rookie free agents such as Malcolm Butler, who are the best bargains of all when they pan out.)
Harrison got a six-year, $13.995 million deal with a $2.5 million bonus in March 2003 season. That was decent coin for the time. That was the same offseason the Patriots signed Rosevelt Colvin to a seven-year , $30 million deal. He ended up being a reliable player here, but a serious hip injury his first season as a Patriot probably robbed him of a little bit of his ability. Harrison was the better signing – there hasn’t been one better, at least of an established star.
But they have had some great finds. At the top of the list is Mike Vrabel, who was plucked away from relative obscurity with the Steelers and became a cornerstone Patriot beginning in 2001. I’m also fond of the Roman Phifer signing that same offseason between 2000 and ’01. Patriots fans appreciated him, but outside of New England his all-around impact at linebacker on those early Super Bowl-winning defenses is wildly underestimated.
If you’re going to make me pick between Vrabel and Harrison as the best signing, I’ll go Vrabel, just because his success wasn’t as expected as it was with Harrison. All variables considered, Vrabel might be on the short list of best free-agent pickups in NFL history.
But what do you guys think? Who is the best free-agent signing in Patriots history? I’ll hear you in the comments.
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