Patriots Re-Sign Defensive Tackle Danny Shelton

The Patriots have patiently waited out the free agency period without making any splashes. Now that the compensatory pick formula is no longer affected by signings, they’ve made several moves. On Monday, they brought back an important cog in the machine of New England. Field Yates reports the team has re-signed big defensive tackle Danny Shelton.

The Patriots acquired Shelton, a former first-round pick, from the Browns prior to the 2018 season in exchange for a fifth-round pick. While Shelton was a healthy scratch for a good chunk of games in the latter half of the season, he did his job in Super Bowl 53 helping contain Todd Gurley and the dangerous Rams offense.

Shelton is a one-dimensional player, struggling mightily to generate pressure from the interior but clocks out as a quality run defender. His sheer bulk makes him the type of space-eating nose tackle that Bill Belichick has always loved. Guys who are that big and can move fluidly enough to play professional football are among the rarest of breeds in the NFL. He’ll be a good depth piece for the team’s defensive line, provided he can earn his spot in training camp, which is anything but a guarantee.