Patriots add Adrian Clayborn, Jeremy Hill in free agency

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The New England Patriots bolstered their pass rush and backfield depth with the free agent signings of defensive end Adrian Clayborn and running back Jeremy Hill on Saturday.

The Patriots also announced the signing of veteran offensive tackle Matt Tobin.

Clayborn, 29, played the past three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons and is coming off a career-high 9 -sack season in 2017. The seven-year veteran has 30 sacks over 81 games with Atlanta and Tampa Bay.

New England had 42 sacks in 2017, tied for seventh-most in the NFL.

Hill, 25, is entering his fifth NFL season after spending his first four with the Cincinnati Bengals. A former second-round draft pick out of LSU, Hill played in only seven games in 2017 before suffering a season-ending ankle injury.

Over his first three seasons, Hill had 2,757 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns in 47 games.

Hill joins a Patriots backfield that includes James White, Mike Gillislee and the recently re-signed Rex Burkhead, who was Hill's teammate for three seasons in Cincinnati.

New England lost last season's leading rusher Dion Lewis to Tennessee in free agency.

Tobin, 27, spent last year with the Seattle Seahawks after playing his first four NFL seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. The former Iowa standout entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2013.

The addition of Tobin adds depth to a Patriots offensive line that lost long-time starting left tackle Nate Solder to the New York Giants in free agency.

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