With the 2022 NFL free agency right around the corner, teams across the league are making moves to their rosters. We will see some surprising decisions between now and the upcoming draft, but the New England Patriots are the first to do so. It seemed he'd be on the roster for at least one more season, but Kyle Van Noy has officially been cut from the team.

According to Field Yates, the decision behind cutting Kyle Van Noy is strictly for cap purposes. The Patriots give themselves roughly $5 million in additional cap space, which can be used on a bigger area of need during free agency. Considering they need more help offensively, this looks like a smart business move for Bill Belichick and New England.

Last offseason, the Patriots uncharacteristically spent a ton of money to make big improvements to the roster. The defense is one of the best in the league, so they can afford to move on from Van Noy and replace him with someone else. Considering New England is in dire need of receivers, we could see them allocate some of their money in investing in a stronger pass-catching group.

As for Kyle Van Noy, he has the privilege to sign anywhere. He should garner plenty of interest. He's a versatile pass rusher that brings a ton of talent to any team that acquires him. Any franchise needing a pass rusher and are making a serious run for the Super Bowl next year should be in the market to sign the former Patriots' star.

We'll see how free agency plays out for the Patriots and Van Noy. If New England can improve the offense then they should be viewed as a major player in the AFC East. Meanwhile, Kyle Van Noy is in a position to provide consistency for another contender next season.