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Brandon Lloyd Could Highlight Patriots’ Second Day of Free Agency After Quiet Opener

Whether it was planned or not, the Patriots got off to a slow start to free agency Tuesday, when desperate teams like the Redskins, Bills, Buccaneers and Rams doled out and stole the headlines with high-profile courtships and over-the-top contracts.

The thing is, this is how Patriots head coach Bill Belichick typically handles his business. The broad, cautious approach has always worked well for Belichick, who thrives once the market settles and the free agents’ true values come to the fore.

It’s never the sexiest approach, but as the NFL has seen time and again, that first wave of contracts typically outshines the player’s performance. Sometimes, it’s the fault of an overly content player. Other times, it’s due to the irresponsibility of the front office that was hungry to build hype after a down year.

The Patriots’ opening day of free agency included four minor notes. As a formality, they extended contract tenders to quarterback Brian Hoyer (restricted free agent) and defensive tackle Kyle Love (exclusive rights free agent). The Patriots also closed in on a contract for special teams captain Matthew Slater, and news of Niko Koutouvides‘ weekend agreement came to light.

If the Patriots get a little busier Wednesday, they’ve got plenty of their own players to consider, and here are a few names worth monitoring from outside the organization.

Wide Receiver:
Brandon Lloyd

Centers:
Scott Wells, Chris Myers, Samson Satele, Jeff Saturday, Todd McClure, Matt Birk

Defensive Ends:
John Abraham, Jonathan Fanene

Defensive Tackles:
Kendall Langford, Jason Jones, Amobi Okoye

Linebackers:
Erin Henderson, London Fletcher, Leroy Hill

Safeties:
LaRon Landry, Reggie Nelson, O.J. Atogwe, Mike Adams

Have a question for Jeff Howe? Send it to him via Twitter at @jeffphowe or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.