The New England Patriots have several free agents to consider re-signing, so they should be among the most watched teams now that NFL free agency is open with the start of the new league year.

The Patriots got a head start planning for next season, acquiring veteran defensive end Michael Bennett (and a 2020 seventh-round draft pick) in exchange for a 2020 fifth-round pick from the Eagles. But in free agency? It's been minor moves instead of big splashes, at least so far.

Who else is coming and going from the Patriots' roster in free agency and the trade market? Keep up to date with all of the moves with this Patriots tracker.

The Patriots agreed to acquire Michael Bennett and a 2020 seventh-round draft pick from the Eagles last week in exchange for a 2020 fifth-round pick. It was a very small price to pay for a talented pass rusher. The 33-year-old defensive end has tallied seven or more sacks in six of the last seven seasons, and he totaled nine sacks and 30 QB hits for the Eagles during the 2018 season. Trey Flowers led the Patriots with 7.5 sacks and 20 QB hits last year. Bennett could be a replacement for Flowers, who is a free agent.

Bennett also brings a ton of playoff experience from his time with the Seattle Seahawks and Eagles. He was Seattle's best player in its Super Bowl XLIX loss to the Patriots.

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The Patriots released tight end Dwayne Allen last week in a move that opened up salary cap space. Allen served primarily as a run-blocking tight end for the Patriots and filled that role nicely. He showed earlier in his career with the Indianapolis Colts that pass-catching is another strength of his game, so his new team should be able to give him a larger role on offense.

Allen spent two seasons with the Patriots.

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Trent Brown is off to the Oakland Raiders after agreeing Monday to a four-year, $66 million contract with $36.75 million guaranteed, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. It makes Brown the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history. Who will replace Brown at left tackle for the Patriots next season?

The most likely candidate is Isaiah Wynn -- a 2018 first-round draft pick who missed his rookie season with a torn Achilles.

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Trey Flowers' loss certainly will be felt by the Patriots after he led the team in sacks (7.5) and QB hits (20) last season. He's one of the best young defensive ends in the league and still has plenty of prime years left. Flowers reportedly agreed Monday to a five-year contract with the Detroit Lions, where he'll be reunited with former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia (now the Lions' head coach).

UPDATE: Trey Flowers is going to make $18 million per season with $56 million in guarantees in his five-year free agent contract with the Detroit Lions, per NFL Media's Tom Pelissero.

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Don't be fooled; even though Patterson is listed as a wide receiver above, he was used more as a running threat in the Patriots offense in 2018. Now he's off to the Windy City, reportedly agreeing to a two-year, $10 million contract with the Bears, a deal that reportedly includes $5M in guaranteed money. 

Patterson had a productive season in Foxboro, with 21 receptions, 42 carries and five total touchdowns, including a 95-yard kickoff return at Chicago, which must have impressed his soon-to-be coach Matt Nagy. And even though Patterson's 28.8 yards per kickoff return average ranked third in the league, he only had 23 kickoff returns all season, less than 1.5 per game. Now the Patriots will need to find another kickoff returner in addition to overhauling the receiver position.

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The Patriots aren't letting all of their pending free agents get away.

New England reportedly is expected to re-sign Simon, a veteran defensive end who played in 11 regular-season games and three postseason games for the Patriots last season. Simon played in just 17.7 percent of the Patriots' defensive snaps but was a solid special teamer and gives them depth at defensive end entering 2019.

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The Patriots are bringing back an old friend in Bolden, who spent the 2018 season with the Miami Dolphins after six seasons in New England from 2012 to 2017.

Bolden was a core special teamer during his first tenure with the Patriots and likely will serve in that same role this time around, as the Pats have plenty of running back depth.

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Veteran cornerback Jason McCourty is returning to the Patriots on a two-year deal, first reported by NBC Sports Boston's Tom E. Curran. The contract is reportedly worth $10 million.

McCourty was traded to the Patriots before the 2018 season and played well in New England' secondary alongside his twin brother, Devin. Jason ranked as the 17th-best cornerback in the league last season, according to Pro Football Focus' grades, and his exceptional play to prevent a Brandin Cooks touchdown catch in Super Bowl LIII was one of the most important moments in the Patriots' championship campaign.

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The Patriots picked up special teams star Matthew Slater's 2019 option Wednesday. ESPN's Field Yates reported Slater will earn a $400,000 roster bonus as a result. The 33-year-old veteran played very well in the Patriots' Super Bowl LIII victory against the Los Angeles Rams.

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The Patriots re-signed wide receiver Phillip Dorsett on Wednesday to a one-year deal. The 26-year-old tallied 32 receptions for 290 yards and three touchdowns last season and looks to take on an expanded role in New England's offense in 2019.

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Eric Rowe played in just four games with the Patriots last season due to injury. He signed a one year, $4.5 million contract with the Dolphins, where he'll join former Patriots linebackers coach Brian Flores, who's now the head coach in Miami.

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Brown was a four-year starter on the defensive line, but never really lived up to his first-round billing in Foxboro, playing under 44 percent of the defensive snaps last season and totalling a career low in tackles, no sacks and just one quarterback hit. So it's no surprise that New England didn't overbid the Saints, who signed Brown to a three-year deal worth a reported $15 million.

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After striking out on more high-profile receivers like Adam Humphries and Cole Beasley, the Patriots finally add some depth to their receiving core by reportedly signing the 27-year-old to a one-year deal. Ellington had 23 catches in four games with the Lions last season after getting released by the Texans earlier in the season.

Ellington has 79 catches and five touchdowns over his career with San Francisco, Houston, and Detroit, and he also has experience on kickoff returns, an area of need for the Patriots with the departure of Cordarrelle Patterson. But he also has a lengthy injury history. He's been placed on injured reserve with hamstring injuries twice, and the Jets once released him for failing a physical.

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Though Brooks is listed as a safety, he has made his bones as a special teams specialist during his five-year NFL career with the Ravens, Eagles, and Jets. According to Phil Perry, Brooks played only 70 total defensive snaps in three games last year, but he played 390 special teams snaps in 16 games. Now he's headed to the Patriots, reportedly signing a two-year contract according to multiple reports.

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Less than an hour after signing Bruce Ellington, the Patriots added even more receiver depth by signing Harris, a three-year veteran who had spent his entire career in Washington. Listed at 6-3, 200 pounds, he gives New England some much needed height at the position. 

Harris had 28 catches for 304 yards last season, but really flashed with a 10-catch, 124-yard performance against Atlanta in November. According to Phil Perry, he had just one drop on 29 catchable targets last year, putting him in the top-20 in terms of drop rate among receivers with at least 40 targets.

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The Patriots added some much-needed depth at tight end by signing former Denver Broncos tight end Matt LaCosse. ESPN's Field Yates was the first to report the move.

LaCosse tallied 24 receptions for 250 yards and one touchdown in 15 games for the Broncos during the 2018 season.

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The Patriots added former New York Jets defensive lineman Mike Pennel to their roster Thursday, per ESPN's Field Yates. Pro Football Focus gave Pennel an impressive 87.1 grade for his performance in 2018.  He did not miss a single game for the Jets over the last two seasons.

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The Patriots lost another defensive end Friday, as Clayborn announced on his on Twitter account New England has granted his release. (He was not a free agent.)

Clayborn played in 14 of the Patriots' 16 games last season, recording 2.5 sacks while playing in 30 percent of the team's defensive snaps as an edge rusher from the right side.

The Patriots filled Clayborn's void by acquiring defensive end Michael Bennett but still need help up front after letting Trey Flowers walk.

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Waddle signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills on March 16 after three-plus seasons in New England.

The 27-year-old was a solid backup tackle last season for the Patriots, who currently have little depth at the position behind Marcus Cannon and Isaiah Wynn and likely will be in the market for a tackle this offseason.

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After letting Allen test the free-agent waters, the Patriots reportedly are bringing their veteran punter back on a one-year contract.

Allen has been rock-solid over the last few seasons since joining New England in 2013 and gives the club continuity at a position where Bill Belichick covets it.

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