With both Ben Watson and Jamie Collins returning for a second tour of duty with the New England Patriots, what other former players could see a return to Foxboro before their careers are over?
What this offseason proved for former New England Patriots players is never burn bridges with the team, because Bill Belichick just may be interested in bringing you back.
With the signings of tight end Benjamin Watson and linebacker Jamie Collins, the defending Super Bowl champions are bringing back two players who had success in the system.
Watson, who left as a free agent, didn’t meet his potential while with the Patriots the first time around, but did find his stride with the New Orleans Saints. Now 38, Watson returns to give the Patriots a veteran presence and more depth following the retirement of Rob Gronkowski.
Collins was a more controversial departure. The team abruptly traded him to the Cleveland Browns back in 2016, but now he’s back and attempting to have the type of impact Patrick Chung had during his second stint with the team that drafted him.
With Deion Branch and LeGarrett Blount being other players who come to mind when it comes to player/team reunions, here are five ex-Patriots who could one day return and dawn the New England Patriots jersey again.
5. Danny Amendola
With the New England Patriots entering the offseason with a shortage at the wide receiver position, it appeared destined for Danny “Playoff” Amendola to be on the team’s radar after he parted ways with the Miami Dolphins after just one season.
The reunion Patriots fans were embracing for was dashed almost immediately once free agency started when Amendola signed a one-year, $5.75 million deal with old friend Matt Patricia and the Detroit Lions.
Can Amendola help the Lions complete their mission to become the Patriots of the NFC Central?
It depends on what Amendola still has in the tank and how much chemistry he develops with Matthew Stafford.
Still, it’s just a one-year deal and Danny Amendola could find his way back in a Patriots uniform before both Tom Brady and good friend Julian Edelman calls it quits.
As we have found out with players like Deion Branch and LeGarrette Blount, when a player has success playing for Bill Belichick, they find a way to return once they find out the Patriot Way is the winning way.
What?
Malcolm Butler and Bill Belichick one day reunited?
If Jamie Collins can find his way back into a New England Patriots uniform, why not the player involved in two of the biggest storylines in the team’s Super Bowl history.
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It does seem impossible given the drama surrounding the team’s Super Bowl LII loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. In a game where the Patriots secondary couldn’t stop Nick Foles from having the game of his life, many questioned what could’ve caused Belichick from benching one of his best cornerbacks.
The fact that neither side has yet to leak what really went on means there is mutual respect there.
With Malcolm Butler going from undrafted rookie to Super Bowl hero in the same season, it was a pretty sad sight to see his tears of joy turn to tears of despair on the big stage.
However, the ultimate ending to the Malcolm Butler story would be a return to New England (preferably while Belichick is still there).
While Butler is currently getting the big bucks down in Tennessee, he hasn’t really lived up to the contract. If he continues to trend in the wrong direction, I can’t see his current multi-year deal playing out. What that means is he could become available again.
If the New England Patriots are in need of a veteran cornerback who already knows the system if and when that time comes around, watch out for a team friendly deal that could put Super Bowl LII’s biggest, burning question to rest.
3. Nate Solder
After signing a massive deal with the New York Giants after spending the first seven years of his career with the New England Patriots, Nate Solder left the team with a major gap to fill.
Like Bill Belichick typically does, he struck gold by replacing Solder with Trent Brown. As Brown departed during free agency in 2019, the Patriots once again have a question mark at left tackle.
One would expect the team to find a way to fill that void again – the health of 2018 first-round pick Isaiah Wynn could be an answer. But, if somehow things don’t work out and the Giants continue to be on the rebuild, could Solder be on the trading block at some point?
With his contract, it would be hard to find a suitor for Solder. Certainly not the team that let him walk away in 2018. But, if Solder’s play in New York declines and the 31-year-old tackle is released, don’t rule out a return to New England before his career is over.
While he doesn’t regret leaving the Patriots, after suffering perhaps a couple losing seasons with the Giants, he may just journey his way back to Foxboro as a veteran depth piece.
2. Trey Flowers
Trey Flowers hasn’t been out of New England long enough to miss but wouldn’t be surprised to see the 25-year-old defensive end back in a Patriots uniform as some point in his career.
With two Super Bowl rings on his resume, no one can be upset at Flowers for chasing the money. Playing under Matt Patricia with the Detroit Lions puts him in a familiar situation with a coach who knows his strengths and how to utilize his versatility along the defensive line.
He should live up to his contract provided the Lions start to find some success. If they don’t and Patricia ends up out of Detroit, things could eventually get sticky for Trey Flowers.
As a player who grew up in a winning organization, an eventual return once his five-year deal is done is a possibility. Also, if hey becomes a cap casualty somewhere during that contract, a return sooner rather than later is also possible.
Let’s keep in mind, due to the youth Trey Flowers, Bill Belichick may not be around if the opportunity presents itself, but it’s always a value to bring back a player who defined the “Patriot Way” during his time in New England.
1. Chandler Jones
As Chandler Jones continues to rack up the sacks in Arizona, one has to wonder how good the New England Patriots pass rush would be if Bill Belichick decided to keep Jones and not trade him for Jonathan Cooper and a second-round pick back in 2016.
While it’s a business and the trade was mostly due to Jones’ expiring rookie contract, the move was questioned at the time due to the team’s need for an edge rusher.
As it turned out, Trey Flowers eventually filled that role and the Patriots at least got offensive lineman Joe Thuney out of the deal. They did draft Malcolm Mitchell with one of the picks that resulted from the deal, but he retired after just one full season in the NFL.
Chandler Jones did get his big pay day with the Cardinals, but because it’s a business, there is no guarantee he’ll be there throughout the entirety of the contract without either taking a pay cut eventually or being placed on the trade market depending on the direction of the Cardinals either in 2019 or somewhere in the future.
Like Jamie Collins, if Jones is somehow made available and the New England Patriots are still looking for a pass rusher, a more seasoned and mature Chandler Jones would be enticing. He knows the system, he understands the “Patriot Way” and he’s versatile as he has played special teams while with the Patriots.
With his 17 sacks in 2019, it appears Jones is a cornerstone player for the Arizona Cardinals on defense right now, but situations quickly change in the NFL. Chandler Jones could be back in a Patriots’ uniform before his career is over.