It seems, surprising on the surface, that the New England Patriots signed Scott Chandler this offseason after reportedly showing no interest in adding him last offseason, when the tight end to re-sign with the Buffalo Bills.
That’s just another way head coach Bill Belichick stays one step ahead of the competition. If the Patriots had signed Chandler last offseason, he would have counted against the compensatory pick formula. Since Chandler was cut by the Bills this offseason, the Patriots face no penalty for signing him, and they added two additional picks in the 2015 NFL draft.
Chandler said Tuesday at Gillette Stadium that he signed with the Bills so quickly last offseason, he doesn’t even remember if the Patriots showed interest.
Chandler didn’t need much persuading from Kirk Ferentz, who previously served as Belichick’s offensive line coach with the Cleveland Browns in the 1990s before coaching Chandler at Iowa, when he decided to sign with the Patriots in March.
“I don’t know that I had to,” Chandler said of consulting with Ferentz. “When I was actually at Iowa, Bill came and talked to us. We had games in Arizona at the same time. I know what Coach Ferentz thinks of Bill, and he comes highly recommended.”
Chandler signed a two-year, $5.3 million contract with $2 million guaranteed with the Patriots. He caught 47 passes for 497 yards with three touchdowns as the Bills’ starting tight end in 2014.
Thumbnail photo via Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports Images
