The NFL offseason is ramping up this week with the free agency window having opened on Monday.
But for the Patriots, it's been quieter compared to last year, where New England made NFL history with its spending to acquire players on the open market. Veteran players like Matthew Slater, Devin McCourty, James White and Brian Hoyer all were re-signed, but there will be a handful of new faces at Gillette Stadium by the time OTAs and training camp comes around.
Acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Browns for Chase Winovich was Mack Wilson, while Terrance Mitchell and Ty Montgomery chose New England in free agency.
Here are some fun facts about the Patriots' latest additions:
Mack Wilson, LB
Age: 24; Height: 6-1; Weight: 233 lbs.
College: Alabama
The linebacker will see some familiar faces when he gets to Gillette Stadium, having overlapped with Mac Jones, Damien Harris, Christian Barmore, and Anfernee Jennings at Alabama. His full name is Lyndell Santrell Wilson, but was nicknamed "Mack" as a toddler -- Wilson was a bit chubby as a youngster, and once his uncle started calling him "Fat Mack" it stuck, according to various profiles of him. Now, Wilson has a young son named Mack II.
Terrance Mitchell, CB
Age: 29; Height: 5-11; Weight: 191 lbs.
College: Oregon
Despite his age, the corner is quite the NFL journeyman, having played for the Dallas Cowboys (twice), Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans (twice). He's been called "Money Mitchell" since college and is a huge fan of French fries -- he even had a deal with Whataburger that gave him free fries for a year.
Ty Montgomery, WR
Age: 29; Height: 6-0; Weight: 216 lbs.
College: Stanford
Montgomery was a five-sport star in high school having played football, track, basketball, baseball, and lacrosse. That versatility translated to the gridiron, too, as he learned the quarterback, wide receiver, and running back positions. Montgomery learned he had a sickle cell trait in 2011 and since has done work off-the-field to raise awareness about the disease. At Stanford, he was the last player to wear John Elway's No. 7 before the jersey was retired.
Read a recap from Week 1 of the Patriots' free agency moves here.
