A big theme for Patriots executive Eliot Wolf and his front office was re-signing players, and while that idea might have raised red flags, it could pay off in the long run.
New England was right to sign Mike Onwenu and Christian Barmore to extensions. The amount of players it brought back from a side that finished 4-13 the previous season was questionable. However, there were core young players the Patriots could rely upon, including Brenden Schooler.
The 27-year-old signed a three-year, $9 million contract extension last week, and it was a deserved one for the special teams ace. Schooler is a legit threat on special teams, and he’s done work to try to contribute on the defensive side of the ball, too.
He’s so much of a reliable weapon that 30 NFL coaches texted special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer and said it was good New England extended him because they would have gone after Schooler on the open market, per MassLive’s Mark Daniels. It’s not known who the coaches were, but it might be safe to say that special teams coordinators keep in contact. If that’s the case, it begs the question, who didn’t text Springer?
That note from the Patriots special teams coordinator did prove New England made the right move and showed how important it is to lock up core players early so you don’t get into a bidding war on the open market.
