After a one-year hiatus with the Dolphins, Kyle Van Noy is returning to the team he helped win two Super Bowls.
The Patriots signed Van Noy to a two-year deal worth up to $13 million, according to the NFL Network, continuing an unprecedented spending spree for Bill Belichick.
Van Noy spent parts of four seasons in New England after being traded from the Lions mid-season in 2016. After Patriots defensive coordinator Brian Flores took the head coach job with the Dolphins, Van Noy followed him to Miami, signing a four-year, $51 million contract.
“Pats Nation. I’m back. Let’s get it,” Van Noy said in a Twitter video hyping his return.
But after one season where he recorded 69 tackles and six sacks, Van Noy was a surprise cut as Miami shed salary. Back on the free-agent market, he chose to return to Belichick and the Patriots.
New England received a fourth-round compensatory pick when Van Noy left in free agency in 2020, and not only do they get to keep the pick, they get the player back, too.
The Patriots came into the offseason with the fourth-most cap space in the NFL and have spent over $200 million so far on players such as Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry, Matthew Judon and Nelson Agholor, marking a departure from Belichick’s typical free agency strategy.
