FOXBOROUGH Phillip Dorsett Jerseys 2019 , Mass. (AP) — The defending champion New England Patriots were looking to a salary cap-friendly veteran addition and their existing depth to address the loss of two starters as the free agency period opened on Wednesday.For the second straight season the Patriots will have a new starting left tackle to protect quarterback Tom Brady’s blind side. Last season’s starter, Trent Brown, was lured away from New England by the Raiders, agreeing to a new deal that a person familiar with it said is worth $66 million over the next four years . The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced.New England also lost defensive end Trey Flowers to Detroit after multiple outlets reported he agreed to a five-year contract that could be worth as much as $90 million. With the Lions he’ll be reunited with coach Matt Patricia, who was Flowers’ defensive coordinator in New England.Flowers made $1.9 million in the final season of his rookie contract last season and garnered a lot of attention on the open market. But the price tag was apparently more than the Patriots were willing to pay.Brown’s new deal is the richest NFL contract ever for an offensive lineman. Nate Solder, Brown’s predecessor in New England, penned a four-year, $62 million contract to join the Giants last offseason.New England will hope to fill Flowers’ production with veteran Michael Bennett. New England was finalizing a trade with the Eagles to acquire the 33-year old on Wednesday. When the trade is completed, Bennett will join his fourth NFL team. He is coming off nine sacks in 2018 with Philadelphia and has had at least five sacks each of the past seven seasons.Bennett is set to make about $7.2 million in 2019, the second season of the three-year, $30 million extension he signed with the Seahawks.Bennett confirmed the trade in an interview with ESPN on Tuesday, saying he was excited to join the Patriots and coach Bill Belichick, who he referred to as “the Yoda of football.”“The Patriots are a team that people love to hate because they always win,” Bennett told ESPN on Tuesday. “The opportunity to learn from that and be in that environment is good.”His younger brother White Stephon Gilmore Jerseys , tight end Martellus Bennett, won a Super Bowl ring with the Patriots during the 2016 season.It seems the Patriots are confident that Isaiah Wynn, whom they drafted 23rd overall in the 2018 draft, can fill Brown’s void. Wynn missed the entire 2018 regular season after tearing an Achilles tendon in a preseason game.Meanwhile, the Patriots’ twin combination in the secondary will remain intact for another season.Jason McCourty agreed to a two-year deal to stay in New England, according to a person familiar with that deal who spoke on the condition of anonymity because it had not been announced. It will allow him to continue playing alongside his twin brother and safety Devin McCourty. It also helps keep some continuity in New England’s starting secondary, which features the McCourty brothers, safety Patrick Chung and cornerback Stephon Gilmore.Jason McCourty appeared in all 16 games during the 2018 season, including 12 starts at left cornerback. He finished with 70 tackles, one interception and 10 passes defended.But the unit did lose some of its depth. Defensive back Eric Rowe agreed to a one-year contract with the Dolphins. A person familiar with that deal says it is worth $4.5 million. Rowe appeared in four games with the Patriots last season (two starts) before being placed on season-ending injured reserve with a groin injury.Notes: The Patriots extended qualifying offers to receiver Josh Gordon and defensive back Jonathan Jones. The team placed second-round tenders on both, meaning any team that signed them would have to send back second-round picks as compensation. It keeps alive the possibility that Gordon could rejoin the team if he is reinstated after his latest suspension for violating an agreement that allowed him to play after multiple drug suspensions. Matt Patricia weaved his way through a crowd to hug the man who helped him live a dream.Patricia beat mentor Bill Belichick, seemingly making all the right moves to help the Detroit Lions defeat the New England Patriots 26-10 Sunday night."I'm sure it meant a lot, his first win as a head coach," Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford said. "Probably no sweeter than to do it against your old team."We needed this one."The Lions (1-2) suddenly looked like a team with a plan on offense and defense under their first-year coach Stephon Gilmore Jerseys 2019 , and former New England assistant. They opened the season with a 31-point loss to the New York Jets at home and fell short in a comeback at San Francisco.Patricia was given a game ball by his players, but refused to relish in the moment."I'm just happy for the guys," he said. "They're the ones who deserve it," he said.The Patriots (1-2) have had weaknesses exposed on both sides of the ball, losing two of their first three games for the first time since 2012.And, Belichick was in no mood to reflect on his former defensive coordinator earning his first win."My job is my football team," said Belichick, who is 14-9 against former assistants. "That's what I'm worried about. That's what I'm concerned about."Patricia and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady also hugged briefly at midfield after the game and other New England players made a point of connecting with their former coach.Detroit was in control from the start, creating holes for rookie running back Kerryon Johnson and giving Matthew Stafford time to pass.Johnson had 101 yards rushing on 16 carries, becoming the first player to reach the mark for the Lions since Reggie Bush ran for 117 yards against Green Bay on Nov. 28, 2013. Detroit's 70-game stretch without a 100-yard rusher was the longest since the NFL-AFL merger."We knew we needed to run the ball and take some of the pressure off Stafford and the receivers if we wanted to win this game," Johnson said. "The offensive line was hitting holes and we were attacking. That's the most physical game they've played all year, and we were able to take advantage of it."Brady pulled the Patriots within three points on a 10-yard TD pass to James White early in the third.Detroit refused to let the five-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback get any closer.Stafford responded with a 33-yard TD pass, capping a 10-play White Lawrence Guy Jerseys , 75-yard drive that took more than 6 minutes off the clock.Darius Slay picked off Brady's pass at the Detroit 15 midway through the fourth quarter, helping the Lions seal the win.While Patricia and his players downplayed how much he could help them prepare for a team he helped coach the previous 14 years, Slay said it was a factor."He knows everything about that team and he made sure we knew it as well," Slay said.THE QBSStafford was 27 of 36 for 262 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Brady was 12 of 24 for 113 yards with a touchdown and an interception.THAT'S COACHINGDetroit ran the play clock down often in the second half, seemingly choosing to shorten the game and keep Brady off the field."That was a key part of the game," Patricia said. "You certainly don't want to give the ball back to them."Fans booed at Ford Field when Patricia chose to kick a 38-yard field goal instead of going for it on fourth-and-1."Any points against a team like that is going to be a good thing," Stafford said. "We had a positive drive and you would hate to come away from it with no points."Patricia also won a challenge , getting a call overturned that gave Stafford a 5-yard touchdown pass to put Detroit ahead 10-0.ALMOST A LIONNew England tight end Rob Gronkowski confirmed an ESPN report in which sources said he threatened to retire instead of being traded to Detroit in the offseason."Yeah, it happened," Gronkowski said. "Brady's my quarterback. That's all. I'm not going anywhere without Brady."INJURY REPORTPatriots: WR Josh Gordon (hamstring) was inactive, delaying his New England debut, after warming up with teammates. S Patrick Chung and DE Trey Flowers were inactive because of concussions. RB Rex Burkhead left the game in the second half with a neck injury.Lions: DE Ezekiel Ansah (shoulder) was inactive.UP NEXTPatriots: Hosts the AFC-East leading Miami Dolphins (3-0).Lions: Play at Dallas (1-2).