It's hard to believe that March has already arrived, but here we are. NFL free agency will officially open in less than two weeks, and a lot of eyes will be on the New England Patriots as they boast a league-leading $129.7 million in cap space, according to Spotrac.
The Patriots have plenty of room for improvement following their four-win performance. The secondary is one area that could use an upgrade after New England finished with the 15th-best coverage grade (68.8) on Pro Football Focus. Although that's far from the worst performance, it doesn't hurt to get even better in that area.
Fortunately, the perfect defender to help with the Patriots' secondary situation just became available.
Patriots Must Target Veteran S Juan Thornhill in Free Agency
Juan Thornhill is one name the Patriots would be wise to pursue in free agency. The veteran safety was released by the Cleveland Browns on Feb. 24, according to NFL insider Mike Garafollo, and will be able to negotiate with outside teams beginning on Monday, March 10.
The #Browns are releasing veteran S Juan Thornhill, sources say. The team and Thornhill’s camp spoke in recent days and the decision was made to part ways now, giving Thornhill a few weeks before free agency to find his next home.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 24, 2025
Thornhill had one year at $7m left on his deal. pic.twitter.com/CcNQpn5jc2
Thornhill, 29, is a former two-time Super Bowl-winning defender who signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Browns during the 2023 offseason. Unfortunately, injuries limited him to just 22 appearances across the last two seasons, leaving Cleveland to feel a divorce was necessary this offseason.
Although Thornhill's performance didn't match his price tag or the Browns' expectations, that doesn't mean he's useless going forward.
With defensive backs Jonathan Jones and Jaylinn Hawkins hitting the open market, the Patriots can afford to roll the dice on Thornhill. The fact that he was released means he can be signed to a cheaper contract this month, which could age well if he can get back to the level he was at during his Kansas City Chiefs tenure.
It also helps that Thornhill has ties to head coach Mike Vrabel. The Patriots' bench boss served as a consultant with the Browns during the 2024 campaign, meaning he likely has a good idea of who the ex-Virginia Cavalier is as a person and player.
Defensive depth is crucial to making the NFL playoffs in any given season. Signing Thornhill would be a low-risk move to flesh out the Patriots' reinforcements while reuniting Vrabel with a veteran he can trust.