In the aftermath of Devin McCourty announcing his retirement Friday, the New England Patriots were busy making roster moves, including one regarding their defense.
The Patriots reportedly inked veteran linebacker Raekwon McMillan to a new deal, according to The Boston Globe’s Jim McBride. McMillan was set to hit free agency before re-signing with New England. Terms of the deal were not reported.
McMillan made 35 tackles this past season as he served as a situation player in New England’s defense. He played over 35% of the Patriots’ defensive snaps just once, which came in the season opener against the Miami Dolphins. McMillan also played a regular role on special teams.
The 27-year-old, who was drafted in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft, had stints with the Miami Dolphins and Las Vegas Raiders before initially joining the Patriots in 2021. But that was a complete loss of a season for McMillan, who tore his ACL during training camp.
The Patriots have been proactive already this offseason is retaining internal free agents. The Patriots have re-signed Matthew Slater, Conor McDermott, James Ferentz and now McMillan.
Besides for a special teams extraordinaire in Slater, all will provide needed depth for the Patriots as they continue to construct their roster with their eyes on the 2023 season.
