Patriots Reportedly Interested In This Free Agent Linebacker

The Patriots reportedly are eyeing an upgrade at linebacker as the official start of NFL free agency approaches.

MassLive.com’s Mark Daniels on Wednesday reported New England had shown interest in off-the-ball ‘backer Nicholas Morrow, who is coming off a career year for the Chicago Bears.

Morrow, who turns 28 in July, started every game and played nearly every defensive snap for Chicago in 2022, setting career highs in tackles (116) and tackles for loss (11) while adding one interception and five passes defended.

“He’s been solid in there,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus told reporters last November. “He’s still got the green dot, making all the calls and doing those things. He does a really good job with that. He’s composed out there. He gets great feedback on the sideline. He’s been doing well for us.”

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A former safety at Division-III Greenville University, the 6-foot, 225-pound Morrow lacks the size the Patriots typically look for in their linebackers, but he’d add some speed and explosiveness to that position group. At his pre-draft pro day in 2017, Morrow ran the 40-yard dash in 4.52 seconds and posted marks of 37 inches in the vertical jump and 10 feet, 3 inches in the broad jump.

Morrow spent his first five NFL seasons with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders. He overlapped with Josh McDaniels and several other ex-Patriots assistants in 2021 but spent that entire season on injured reserve. The Bears signed him to a one-year, $2.5 million contract last offseason.

The Patriots entered the offseason with starters Ja’Whaun Bentley and Jahlani Tavai under contract for 2023, and they reportedly re-signed backup Raekwon McMillan last week. Morrow could be a replacement for free agent Mack Wilson, who fell out of the defensive rotation late in the season.

The NFL’s legal tampering period opened Monday. The official start of free agency — when teams can finalize external signings and trades — is set for 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday.