Mike ReissESPN Staff Writer10:36 AM ET2 Minute Read
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots are expected to sign free agent offensive tackle Riley Reiff, sources told ESPN’s Dianna Russini.
The deal with Reiff, 34 – who has started 149 career games and will fight for a top role protecting quarterback Mac Jones – underscores Bill Belichick’s early free-agent strategy to build depth at a position where the Team experience had injury streak last season.
In addition to Reiff, the Patriots have signed former Denver Broncos offensive tackle Calvin Anderson (41 career games, 12 starts) to a two-year deal, sources confirmed to ESPN. The team also spoke to free agent offensive tackle Andre Dillard before agreeing to a deal with the Tennessee Titans, Russini sources said.
Reiff, who came to the NFL from the Detroit Lions of Iowa as a first-round draft pick in 2012, has also played for the Vikings (2017-2020), Bengals (2021), and Bears (2022).
His anticipated addition likely spells the end of Isaiah Wynn’s injury-prone tenure with the Patriots. Wynn, selected in the first round of the 2018 draft, is an unrestricted free agent.
The Patriots also expanded an original-round bid to back Yodny Cajuste with limited free agent offensive tackle, which would pay him $2.7 million on a one-year contract.
The team’s current offensive tackle depth chart includes Brown, Anderson, Cajuste, seven-year veteran Conor McDermott and Andrew Stueber, who was selected for the 2022 seventh round.
Both Reiff and Anderson have the flexibility to play either tackle spot, despite the majority of their playing experience being at left. That could hint at the team’s plans to bring veteran Trent Brown back to right tackle after playing at left tackle last season.
Reiff has played 6,546 snaps at left tackle, 2,028 at right tackle, and 172 as an inline tight end in jumbo packs. He also has 34 snaps in the backfield and one snap at left guard. Meanwhile, Anderson has played 641 snaps at left tackle, 68 at right tackle, and one snap as an inline tight end in jumbo packs.