Patriots DE/LB Kyle Van Noy is in the same position as a lot of other pending New England free agents, waiting on both a decision on the new CBA and the team’s decision on QB Tom Brady.
While Van Noy didn’t rule out returning to New England, he was pretty clear that he doesn’t intend to wait around for them once free agency starts next week.
“It is interesting, but I’m going to be honest, I want to be a priority for a team and I feel I have to go where someone is going to make me a priority,” Van Noy said, via NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo. “I’m sure New England knows that. If that opportunity comes, it comes. I’ll be frank, I don’t see myself waiting around. I’m pretty sure those guys aren’t going to wait around either. They’re really good at their craft. They’re at the top of the league at their position so it’ll be interesting.”
Van Noy said previously that he would “love” to remain in New England if things work out this offseason.
“For me personally, I want to do what’s best for my family and I would love to stay in New England,” Van Noy told CBS Sports HQ on Thursday. “It’s going to be home forever. I won Super Bowls there now, the fans have embraced me like their own, I feel like I’m a Bostonian at heart. The food, the culture, everything. I’m in it with them when I go to the Bruins games, the Celtics games, so I’m very, very confident in regards to staying at home. That would be an honor to finish out my career with the New England Patriots.
“But, at the end of the day, it’s a business. I feel like my game has been very consistent the last couple of years and I want to continue that if it’s with [the Patriots] or with someone else.”
Van Noy, 28, is a former second-round pick of the Lions back in 2014. He was in the final year of his four-year, $5.1 million contract when the Lions traded Van Noy to the Patriots in October for a sixth-round pick in 2016.
Van Noy later signed a two-year extension with the Patriots and is now set to be an unrestricted free agent.
In 2019, Van Noy appeared in 15 games for the Patriots and recorded 56 tackles, 6.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, two recoveries, a defensive touchdown and three passes defended. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 16 edge defender out of 107 qualifying players.
We have him included in our Top 100 – 2020 Free Agents list.
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