Patriots make an uncharacteristic splash on Day 1 of NFL free agency

In 2016, the biggest contract the Patriots handed out on the free agent market was a $12 million pact with wide receiver Chris Hogan. In 2015, it was an $11 million deal for defensive end Jabaal Sheard.

On Thursday, the first day of NFL free agency, the club doled out $65 million — $40 million of which is guaranteed — for Pro Bowl cornerback Stephon Gilmore. With a single move, the team spent more money on one premier player than it had spent in the past two offseasons combined.

But Gilmore wasn’t the only impact player the team targeted with its $48 million in cap space this March. He’ll be joined on the roster by tight end Dwayne Allen (who came to the Patriots via trade), defensive end Alan Branch, and safety Duron Harmon; the latter two re-signed not long after the Gilmore news broke. The four players are slated to earn a combined $111.3 million if they complete their contracts in Foxborough.

That major departure from standard operating procedure has New England looking like a strong favorite to retain the NFL title it won with the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history. The team bulked up a top-10 passing defense with three surefire starters, including one who may have been the best player on the market.

But these moves weren’t just about bulking up — they also give the Patriots flexibility that spreads across the roster. Bringing Gilmore into the fold strengthens the secondary, but it also makes restricted free agent Malcolm Butler more expendable. Rumors have tied New England to explosive Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks since the young wideout hit the trade market, and a Butler-for-Cooks swap could make sense for both teams.

Bringing in Allen isn’t just insurance for Martellus Bennett’s potential departure — the former Colt can play either alongside or in place of All-Pro Rob Gronkowski for 2017 and beyond. Retaining Branch keeps the bulky veteran run-stopper, whose steady play and leadership helped young talents like Malcom Brown and Trey Flowers shine. Holding on to Harmon provides a reliable option in case Patrick Chung turns back into a pumpkin in the New England secondary.

Add in a 40-year-old quarterback with five Super Bowl rings and a barnyard animal diet that prevents him from aging, and you’ve got the recipe for a seventh straight trip to the AFC Championship Game.

What’s more, the Patriots still have plenty of ammunition to add impact players through the offseason. Backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will be dangled to offensively challenged teams loaded with draft capital, including a Browns team with the No. 1 and No. 12 picks in the 2017 NFL draft. Belichick also has four selections in the first three rounds of a deep draft, where he’ll be able to add talent at tight end, in the secondary, and at vital pass-rushing positions.

That’s important, because this team still has holes to fill. LeGarrette Blount ran for more yards last season than any Patriot since Corey Dillon in 2004, but he’s an unrestricted free agent who may be slowing down at age 30. With Michael Floyd a free agent and Danny Amendola a potential cap casualty, the team only has three receivers who earned a reception in 2016 locked in to return next fall. Losing Super Bowl hero Dont’a Hightower -- a player currently working through contract negotiations with the team — would be disastrous to the linebacking corps.

But if the opening salvos of free agency have taught us anything, it’s that the Patriots are moving fast to patch any holes that could appear down the line.

New England is set to lose some starters from its latest championship team, but a proactive approach to free agency will mitigate those losses. Cornerback Logan Ryan will be replaced by Gilmore, a more expensive player but a significant upgrade. Martellus Bennett will be replaced by Allen, a less expensive player but a moderate downgrade. Belichick is juggling his roster, making the adjustments bound to lead back to a championship stasis.

While that’s a departure from years past, it’s also a blueprint that makes sense from the inside out. That might not be the Patriot Way, but it seems like a solid way to kick off a Super Bowl defense.