Patriots free agency 2021: The case for re-signing Lawrence Guy
The New England Patriots have some decisions to make and some money to spend once free agency begins. A lot of those decisions and financial decisions involve their own players including veteran defensive lineman Lawrence Guy.
As one of the more valuable players hitting free agency, Guy has not only adapted to the Patriot Way since signing with the team back in 2017, but he has also emerged as one of the team leaders in the locker room.
Certainly, a player Bill Belichick would like to have back along a defensive line that will have a lot of holes to be filled this upcoming offseason.
His commitment to the team is also a reason he was named a co-captain in 2020. Following a disappointing 7-9 season, Guy has been vocal about where the team is headed in 2021.
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Speaking on SiriusXM NFL Radio in early February, Guy talked about Belichick’s message to the team, which sounds like a player who has bought in.
"“Coach is going to do what he’s got to do,” Guy said, as transcribed by NESN. “When we left our exit meeting, it was one of those things like, ‘Hey, what’s going to happen next? And (Belichick) was like, ‘You guys have to understand. This was a season that we didn’t predict. We had COVID hit. We had a lot of situations that occurred on our team. There was a lot of new people. We didn’t win (number of) games that we want to win. But that doesn’t mean that we just put our tails under our butts and just walk away. That means you strive to be better the following year.”"
As a player who has won a Super Bowl with the team, Guy is not one of those players who gave up during the season. In fact, he was one of the vocal leaders who believed in his team even with all of the glaring weaknesses, including the team’s defensive struggles.
Why the New England Patriots need to re-sign Lawrence Guy
At just 30 years old, Lawrence Guy has a lot of football left in him and he has demonstrated that he is the model of a Belichick type of player.
With Adam Butler also set to hit free agency and obvious question marks as far as depth, the Patriots absolutely need to sign Guy both because what he does on the field and his leadership in the locker room.
In 2020, Guy was again one of the more reliable players on the field. He combined for 57 tackles and 2.0 sacks. His versatility along the defensive line is a valuable asset for Belichick as he re-tools his front seven during this offseason, both in free agency and through the 2021 NFL Draft.
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In all, this is a no-brainer for the New England Patriots. They must re-sign Guy, who is one of those players willing to take a hometown discount.
The way he has been talking about the team since the 2020 NFL season ended, it sounds like he is willing to do just that. Unless Belichick decides to put his money elsewhere, Guy will and should certainly be back.