The New England Patriots’ free agent spending splurge isn’t quite over yet.
The Patriots signed linebacker Raekwon McMillan to a one-year deal, a source confirmed to NESN.com on Friday. McMillan was at Gillette Stadium for a visit.
McMillan, a 2017 second-round pick by the Miami Dolphins, played in 2020 with the Las Vegas Raiders, starting four of 16 games. He started 12 of 13 games in 2019 under Dolphins head coach, and former Patriots linebackers coach, Brian Flores. So, there’s a Patriots connection here.
McMillan, who’s 6-foot-2, 242 pounds, tore his ACL in his rookie preseason and missed the 2017 season. The Dolphins traded him last August along with a fifth-round pick for a fourth-round pick. The 25-year-old linebacker became an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
McMillan has played 45 games, starting 32, and registered 204 tackles with nine tackles for loss, two QB hits, three pass breakups, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in three seasons. He ran a 4.61-second 40-yard dash with a 7.15-second three-cone drill, 4.39-second short shuttle, 33-inch vertical leap and 10-foot, 1-inch broad jump at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine.
The Patriots needed more depth at linebacker behind prospective starters Dont’a Hightower, Matt Judon and Kyle Van Noy. McMillan will join Chase Winovich, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Josh Uche, Anfernee Jennings, Terez Hall, Rashod Berry, Brandon King, Cassh Maluia and Michael Pinckney on the linebacker depth chart.
While McMillan played just 169 defensive snaps in 2020, he was a core special teamer with the Raiders. He played 284 snaps in the kicking game.
