FOXBORO — Of all the Patriots’ free-agent signings and draft picks, only one has “no weaknesses,” according to Bill Belichick.
That player is ex-Lions linebacker Chris Board, whom Belichick called the best special teams player on the Pats’ schedule last October. After the Patriots finished with the league’s worst special teams — posting the lowest net yards per punt and allowing three kick return touchdowns — it was no surprise Belichick pursued Board in free agency.
The Pats separated themselves from Board’s other suitors by how aggressive they were, the 27-year-old linebacker said Tuesday.
“In free agency, there were a lot of teams that wouldn’t mind having me, but there was definitely an emphasis and a priority (from the Patriots) to get me here, which I really appreciated,” Board said. “So that kind of went into the process of me deciding to sign here. I appreciate just the respect that I’ve had here so far.”
Board added the team “really wanted” him. Before signing, the 6-foot-2, 229-pounder contacted an old teammate, Pro Bowl linebacker Matt Judon, whom he crossed paths with in Baltimore. Judon gave a glowing review of playing in New England, Board said, which helped nudge him across the finish line.
As for Belichick’s past praise, that didn’t hurt, either.
“It meant a lot,” Board said. “Coach Belichick knows ball, and for him to say that, it definitely meant a lot. I look forward to just making a lot more plays here and helping us win football games.”
Board signed a 2-year, $5 million deal with a maximum value of $6.7 million. He is expected to serve as a core special teamer alongside captain Matthew Slater and Brendan Schooler among others. Board has averaged more than 300 special teams snaps per season over his 5-year career, and posted 21 tackles last season.
“He has a great combination of size and speed as well as experience, instincts, and techniques. It’s all of the above. There are really no weaknesses in the player,” Belichick said of Board last season.
He later added: “He looks like he’s more like 245 pounds out there, to tell you the truth, but I don’t think he weighs that much. But he’s a thumper. He’s a very physical player. He runs well. He’s very instinctive. … He creates a lot of problems and then it all kind of rolls downhill from there.”
Prior to joining the Lions, Board spent the first four years of his career with the Ravens, who signed him as an undrafted rookie free agent out of North Dakota State in 2018. In New England, he is expected to be in the mix at inside linebacker, where the Pats re-signed veterans Raekwon McMillan and Mack Wilson behind starter and captain Ja’Whaun Bentley.
The Pats also drafted a new kicker and punter to revamp their special teams, which will return coaches Cam Achord and Joe Houston. Assistant head coach Joe Judge is also expected to coach the punting and kicking teams this year.