NFL Rumors: Patriots, Jonathan Casillas Have ‘Mutual Interest’ In Reunion

A familiar face reportedly was back in Foxboro on Thursday.

The New England Patriots are hosting linebacker Jonathan Casillas for a free agent visit, a source told NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.

Casillas spent the second half of the 2014 season with the Patriots and played in Super Bowl XLIX before leaving to sign with the New York Giants. He and New England have “mutual interest” in reuniting, Rapoport reported.

Casillas, who turns 31 in June, played the last three seasons with the Giants, setting career highs in tackles in 2015 (88) and 2016 (96). Wrist and neck injuries limited him to just eight games in 2017, and he finished the season on injured reserve.

The Patriots have a clear need at linebacker this offseason. They currently have Dont’a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, Elandon Roberts, Harvey Langi, Shea McClellin and Nicholas Grigsby under contract, but Hightower, Langi and McClellin are coming off season-ending injuries and Grigsby is strictly a special teamer.

This is a position New England should look to address through the draft, but adding a known commodity like Casillas to the mix would be a good start.