Patriots must sustain their momentum in free agency

OK, that’s better.

Welcome, Alijah Vera-Tucker.

Make yourself at home, Romeo Doubs.

But first, hold the door behind you for the others on their way.

Because more free agents are coming, right?

Right?

After sitting out the opening hours of free agency, the Patriots’ front office pulled a hard U-turn toward building a successful class late Monday night. Heading into Day 3, they cannot stop now.

Vera-Tucker was a nice start, landing him on a three-year, $42 million contract to become their new starting left guard. If healthy, Vera-Tucker could well be the best offensive lineman to come from this free-agent class and will certainly be the Patriots’ best O-lineman in years. For a team that must protect its franchise quarterback at all costs and failed to do so for too much of the postseason, you can’t do better than that.

But as it often is, “if” is the keyword, and especially with Vera-Tucker. Thanks to a pair of torn triceps injuries and a ruptured Achilles, he’s missed almost half of the 84 games he could have played in for the Jets after they took him in the first round of the 2021 draft. The Pats wisely protected themselves against Vera-Tucker’s injury history by baking in $12.75 million worth of per-game roster bonuses into his contract that can only be earned if he suits up on Sundays.

Compare that $12.75 million in what-ifs to the $21 million they guaranteed, and the fact the Pats have an easy out after Year 2, and this is a solid deal.

Next: Doubs.

In a free-agent class mostly devoid of game-changers, Doubs isn’t an exception. He is another No. 2 or No. 3-caliber receiver, who will help the Patriots offense by accentuating an existing strength (intermediate and deep passing) and mitigating a years-long weakness (wide receiver play versus man coverage).

Doubs was the 20th-best wide receiver against man-to-man last year by Pro Football Focus grades and average yards per route run. He’s a 6-foot-2 target with 4.4 speed, who’s secured more than half of his contested-catch targets over his career, per PFF. Though, that percentage dipped a season ago to 43.3%.

Doubs works best over the middle on in-breaking routes and can generate explosive plays, though his presence does not fundamentally change what the Patriots can do offensively. Yet, the offense has indisputably improved because he might already be their best receiver.

Kayshon Boutte has never topped 600 receiving yards in a season, let alone Doubs’ career-high 724, and doesn’t boast the same physical gifts. DeMario Douglas was only good enough to see 26% of the team’s offensive snaps, Kyle Williams had 10 catches as a rookie and Mack Hollins is who he is at 32 years old.

After missing on Alec Pierce, Doubs was the best free-agent receiver available. His $68 million deal is a fraction of what Pierce did at four years, $112 million. His contract makes him the 20th-highest paid wide receiver in the league and tied for 27th by average annual value with re-signed Seahawks target Rashid Shaheed. Doubs is less dynamic than Shaheed, but a better fit in New England.

The final piece of this signing is perhaps the most interesting.

Doubs’ addition provides some leverage for the Patriots in any negotiations they might revisit with Philadelphia over an A.J. Brown trade. If Doubs helps them land Brown, a legitimate No. 1 receiver, he’s worth every penny before he catches a pass. Again, if.