What the signing of Kyle Van Noy means for the Patriots

The defense of the New England Patriots suffered a major setback last year after winning the league in 2019. With key contributors such as Kyle Van Noy and Jamie Collins leaving in free agencies, and with Dont’a Hightower not preferring the Coronavirus concerns. , the group simply did not get the same quality in 2020, especially not at the lineout position.

Fast forward to today, and you may find a unit rebuilt in the early stages of free agency. Not only is Hightower expected after his one-year absence, but the Patriots also signed Matthew Judon to bolster the lead. The latest addition, announced on Wednesday, also helps address this area of ​​defense: following his release from the Miami Dolphins, New England signed Van Noy back on a two-year reported contract.

Hard facts

Name: Kyle Van Noy

Position: Outside linebacker / Edge defender

Age of the opening day: 30

Size: 6 ft-3, 250 lbs

Contract: 2 years, $ 13.2 million

Experience

After a highly productive four-year career at BYU, Van Noy entered the NFL in 2014 as a second pick by the Detroit Lions. Van Noy spent two-and-a-half seasons in Detroit and appeared in 31 games for the organization, but he never found his footing. Head coach Jim Caldwell and defense coordinator Teryl Austin tried to use him in a traditional 4-3 role that was not suited to his diverse skill, which in turn led to him appearing shy and unsafe on the field.

This further contributed to the lack of confidence he enjoyed with the coaching staff, and contributed to the Lions’ decision to place him on the trade block. In 2016, despite being in the middle of his most successful season up to that point, Van Noy and the following year sent a seventh-round draft pick to New England for a sixth round. The Lions, as it would later turn out, moved up just 24 spots to get rid of the lineout player – one who became a mainstay in a Patriots defense that won two Super Bowls.

During the next three-and-a-half seasons, Van Noy played 61 joint games for the Patriots in regular season and playoff games and was a constant playmaker and respected locker room leader. His versatile skill set was a perfect match for the New England defense with multiple front, and he recorded 22 pockets, as well as nine fumbles, four repairs, a few interceptions and two touchdowns. Given his production, however, it was no surprise to see Van Noy leave New England for greener pastures this past season.

However, just one year into the $ 51 million contract he signed with the four-year-old Dolphins, Van Noy was cut again – despite another productive season. This again opened the door for him to return to the Patriots.

Patriot Preview

What is his predicted role in New England? When Van Noy first arrived in New England in 2016, he was moved throughout the formation to take advantage of his athleticism and instincts. This role has changed a bit over the years and he was eventually used more than a traditional linebacker during his last season at the club. Given the problems of the team at that point in 2020, returning to that capacity would make sense to address one of the biggest weaknesses the New England defense had: to take a strong lead against the run set.

Where does he fit in the linebacker depth map? With the expansion of Matthew Judon, the Patriots are expected to have a solid edge group: Van Noy and Judon are the experienced beginners at the top of the depth map, with the young Chase Winovich and Josh Uche behind them as package-specific rotation players. Furthermore, Van Noy enables him to provide depth in the lineout position off the ball – another major problem for New England’s defense in 2020.

Does he have positional versatility? Although the Patriots used him primarily as an outside linebacker in 2019, Van Noy has repeatedly shown in the past that he is also more than capable of fulfilling the hybrid move: he can not only play on the line of play play but also align down as a more traditional box linebacker. Last year in Miami, for example, he played the latter role on 27.6 percent of his defensive grips (up from 6.6 percent in his final year in New England).

What is the value of his special teams? Although he has many kick shots on his NFL resume, Van Noy has only been used occasionally in special teams over the past two seasons. His final year with the Patriots and his loneliness as a dolphin entered the third phase of the game on just 13 occasions. Needless to say, its value in this area of ​​the game can be considered limited.

What does this mean for the salary cap of New England? Although the final outline, including incentives and bonuses, will determine its impact on the cap in 2021 and 2022, the initial value of $ 13.2 million from Van Noy’s two-year contract does not appear to be too big a mark this season. the team’s books will not leave. If it follows the structure of other deals the Patriots have traditionally handed out, its cap this year will be significantly smaller than the next.

What does this mean for New England’s draft prospects? Despite the fact that Van Noy and Judon were added this week, the Patriots cannot invest in depth during the draft. The lead appears to be good with the two veterans, as well as Winovich, Uche and Anfernee Jennings, but the off-the-ball group will still benefit from another high-level talent to possibly be Dont’a Hightower’s successor to take care of.

Pronunciation of a sentence: Bringing in Kyle Van Noy lends even more positional flexibility to New England’s top seven, while addressing some key issues from a year ago.