NFL Patriots Off Season
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Interesting selection
Kupp and Bourne were college teammates and i think I read roommates- Bourne trying to recruit him
Baker seems like a knuckle head
Baker, Polk, Bouttie all did more talking than producing on the field
They all should be scared shitless of opening their mouths
Surprised how slight he is
Kupp would have been great 2-3 years ago, not sure who else in FA that would be better, Cooper? Diggs? May be better to trade.
Doubt it can't see him being anything he didn't just suck he was terrible at everything. I'd be throwing him in a Milton trade.
Do a 1 year deal bc even if you get a good season he'll be cooked by the end of it. We can't use all our cap room.
I think Cooper is still good. Diggs is a psychopath pass.
He had a good run here, got a ring. I wish him well
Thought his play fell off last year
Great place for him. They wanted him in the draft. Did well when Lawrence was out.
Wish him well
I like Boutte, think he'll be a decent third receiver behind #2 Douglas and hopefully a #1 guy.
Quality players remain available for Patriots as free agency hits lull point
With the first wave of free agency completed, most of the top players who hit the market this offseason have already signed with new teams. The Patriots made a big splash on the first day of the legal tampering period, signing seven players (mostly on defense) and spending more than half their projected available cap space.
The reaction was primarily positive, given the players they signed which included a couple of the top available players, but there was a noticeable absence of offensive help.
That will inevitably force the new regime to look more heavily into the players still available as the second week of free agency is set to begin. Fortunately for them, there are quite a few top names still unsigned and could be immediate boosts to the offense around Drake Maye, even if they weren't necessarily their top choices.
There are also some notable defensive players looking for new contracts that could pique their interest, given how impactful they could be for what they're trying to build defensively for the 2025 season.
Keenan Allen is one of the top remaining names that have piqued the interest of fans in recent days, mainly because of his impressive lone season with the Bears in 2024. Despite playing for a new team for the first time in his career and working with a rookie quarterback, he recorded 70 receptions for 744 yards and seven touchdowns. Adding that kind of production coupled with his invaluable veteran experience would be great for Drake Maye in his second season.
Other candidates like Amari Cooper and Stefon Diggs, both of whom have been impressive for almost their entire careers, also remain in the mix for the Patriots. Diggs is coming off an ACL injury, however, with his timeline to return uncertain and Cooper had an underwhelming 2024 season between the Browns and the Bills.
It doesn't necessarily eliminate either from contention to be signed by New England, but there might be more risks involved in doing so than by signing others on this list.
One of the last interesting players is longtime Seahawk Tyler Lockett. Seattle released him after spending 10 years with the team and could be a solid asset for Maye to work with. Despite having a similar player on the roster already in DeMario Douglas, Lockett is an experienced veteran that they don't currently have.
Since then, they haven't had anyone fill that role, mainly because there aren't many players still at that position currently in the league. But perhaps one of the best fullbacks of the last decade has recently become available and there's no reason for the Patriots not to look into signing Kyle Juszczyk.
The 9-time Pro Bowler was recently released from the 49ers after spending eight seasons in San Francisco primarily due to cap space reasons. He's now looking for a new team to be a sneaky good weapon for an offense, and the Patriots could certainly benefit from giving Drake Maye another weapon to work with.
Fortunately, a few players could be solid help at multiple positions, which they need even more after David Andrews' departure.
With that in mind, a guy like Mekhi Becton sits near the top of the list, but mostly because he's a talented player. The problem is that the Patriots already signed a starting right tackle in Morgan Moses, allowing Mike Onwenu to move back to right guard. That makes signing Becton a bit more unlikely unless he can be moved to another position, like left tackle, the position he was drafted as in 2020.
At left tackle, Trent Brown is still available after leaving the Patriots in 2024 but spent nearly the entire following season injured with the Bengals. He's still a trusted option and had one of the best seasons of his career in 2023.
They also have Cam Robinson and Tyron Smith to consider, with the latter being the better option. Smith spent last year with the Jets and recorded excellent grades as a run and pass blocker, both of which were significant weaknesses for the Patriots offensive line last year. That makes Smith one of the more desirable players on the list, as he could hold down at left tackle and allow the team to focus their efforts elsewhere in the draft.
A few notable names available are Brandon Graham, who just won a Super Bowl with the Eagles, Emmanuel Ogbah, who recorded six sacks last year, and Azeez Ojulari, who has shown potential to be a great player if put in a better situation.
If the Patriots want to put their defense over the top and massively improve their pass rush, they should consider these three players, especially before the draft where they are predicted to select a defensive end with one of their early round picks. They could add another solid mentor for him to learn from by adding another veteran to the roster in free agency.
There are a few linebackers worth monitoring, including Eric Kendricks, who might be the most intriguing option of all, C.J. Mosley, and Devin White. Collectively, they could all become impactful players for the Patriots, with Kendricks seemingly having the highest ceiling and most consistent production, elevating their linebacker room to a new level along with their other latest signings of Harold Landry and Robert Spillane.
They could also look to add a trusted defensive tackle like Calais Campbell, who has played with five teams during his 17-year career. While he wouldn't be a long-term answer by any means, he has remained consistently productive against the run and applies pressure to the quarterback at an impressive rate.
Because of injury concerns surrounding Davis, who has never played an entire season during his seven-year career in the NFL, it might be wise for the Patriots to bring someone in who is reliable and productive in case the worst case scenario happens with their latest signing.
Gilmore is still a starting caliber cornerback in the league and could easily swap in for Davis if need be. But he also might be headed toward being a more rotational piece rather than a full-time starter, making him an even more appealing player for the Patriots to bring back.
It all depends on what Gilmore is looking for at this stage in his career and if he hopes to continue being a starter. Regardless, he is still a valuable asset to the defense and a great locker room guy to have around, which is clearly something Vrabel and Co. are prioritizing with their free agency signings thus far.
With the first wave of free agency completed, most of the top players who hit the market this offseason have already signed with new teams. The Patriots made a big splash on the first day of the legal tampering period, signing seven players (mostly on defense) and spending more than half their projected available cap space.
The reaction was primarily positive, given the players they signed which included a couple of the top available players, but there was a noticeable absence of offensive help.
That will inevitably force the new regime to look more heavily into the players still available as the second week of free agency is set to begin. Fortunately for them, there are quite a few top names still unsigned and could be immediate boosts to the offense around Drake Maye, even if they weren't necessarily their top choices.
There are also some notable defensive players looking for new contracts that could pique their interest, given how impactful they could be for what they're trying to build defensively for the 2025 season.
Patriots still have plenty of free agent options to consider signing for the 2025 season
Wide receivers
Keenan Allen, Amari Cooper, Stefon Diggs, Tyler Lockett
If the new regime would prefer to sign a free agent receiver rather than either pulling off a blockbuster trade or waiting until the draft, they fortunately still have some intriguing players to look at.Keenan Allen is one of the top remaining names that have piqued the interest of fans in recent days, mainly because of his impressive lone season with the Bears in 2024. Despite playing for a new team for the first time in his career and working with a rookie quarterback, he recorded 70 receptions for 744 yards and seven touchdowns. Adding that kind of production coupled with his invaluable veteran experience would be great for Drake Maye in his second season.
Other candidates like Amari Cooper and Stefon Diggs, both of whom have been impressive for almost their entire careers, also remain in the mix for the Patriots. Diggs is coming off an ACL injury, however, with his timeline to return uncertain and Cooper had an underwhelming 2024 season between the Browns and the Bills.
It doesn't necessarily eliminate either from contention to be signed by New England, but there might be more risks involved in doing so than by signing others on this list.
One of the last interesting players is longtime Seahawk Tyler Lockett. Seattle released him after spending 10 years with the team and could be a solid asset for Maye to work with. Despite having a similar player on the roster already in DeMario Douglas, Lockett is an experienced veteran that they don't currently have.
Fullback
Kyle Juszczyk
The Patriots used to be a team known for utilizing a fullback on their offense during the Tom Brady era, a position that seems to be slowly but surely going extinct in the NFL. They last rostered Jakob Johnson from 2019 to 2021 after James Develin was forced to retire due to a neck injury.Since then, they haven't had anyone fill that role, mainly because there aren't many players still at that position currently in the league. But perhaps one of the best fullbacks of the last decade has recently become available and there's no reason for the Patriots not to look into signing Kyle Juszczyk.
The 9-time Pro Bowler was recently released from the 49ers after spending eight seasons in San Francisco primarily due to cap space reasons. He's now looking for a new team to be a sneaky good weapon for an offense, and the Patriots could certainly benefit from giving Drake Maye another weapon to work with.
Offensive line
Mekhi Becton, Trent Brown, Cam Robinson, Tyron Smith
With the offensive line being one of the main focuses of this year's offseason, which hasn't looked to be the case so far, it wouldn't be a bad idea for the Patriots to look into those who remain unsigned heading into the second week of free agency.Fortunately, a few players could be solid help at multiple positions, which they need even more after David Andrews' departure.
With that in mind, a guy like Mekhi Becton sits near the top of the list, but mostly because he's a talented player. The problem is that the Patriots already signed a starting right tackle in Morgan Moses, allowing Mike Onwenu to move back to right guard. That makes signing Becton a bit more unlikely unless he can be moved to another position, like left tackle, the position he was drafted as in 2020.
At left tackle, Trent Brown is still available after leaving the Patriots in 2024 but spent nearly the entire following season injured with the Bengals. He's still a trusted option and had one of the best seasons of his career in 2023.
They also have Cam Robinson and Tyron Smith to consider, with the latter being the better option. Smith spent last year with the Jets and recorded excellent grades as a run and pass blocker, both of which were significant weaknesses for the Patriots offensive line last year. That makes Smith one of the more desirable players on the list, as he could hold down at left tackle and allow the team to focus their efforts elsewhere in the draft.
EDGE
Brandon Graham, Emmanuel Ogbah, Azeez Ojulari
Although the defensive line was prioritized in the first batch of signings, there is room to add even more top performers to the Patriots roster. They already signed the best available defensive end, Milton Williams, to the biggest contract in franchise history, and they have room to add even more talent to play alongside him.A few notable names available are Brandon Graham, who just won a Super Bowl with the Eagles, Emmanuel Ogbah, who recorded six sacks last year, and Azeez Ojulari, who has shown potential to be a great player if put in a better situation.
If the Patriots want to put their defense over the top and massively improve their pass rush, they should consider these three players, especially before the draft where they are predicted to select a defensive end with one of their early round picks. They could add another solid mentor for him to learn from by adding another veteran to the roster in free agency.
Defensive line
DT Calais Campbell, LB Eric Kendricks, LB C.J. Mosley, LB Devin White
Sticking with the defensive line, there are still some more great talents to add that would be immediate upgrades for the Patriots next season.There are a few linebackers worth monitoring, including Eric Kendricks, who might be the most intriguing option of all, C.J. Mosley, and Devin White. Collectively, they could all become impactful players for the Patriots, with Kendricks seemingly having the highest ceiling and most consistent production, elevating their linebacker room to a new level along with their other latest signings of Harold Landry and Robert Spillane.
They could also look to add a trusted defensive tackle like Calais Campbell, who has played with five teams during his 17-year career. While he wouldn't be a long-term answer by any means, he has remained consistently productive against the run and applies pressure to the quarterback at an impressive rate.
Cornerback
Stephon Gilmore
The Patriots might be mostly good at cornerback with Christian Gonzalez and now Carlton Davis, but it doesn't seem like a bad idea to, at the very least, inquire about bringing back the former Defensive Player of the Year.Because of injury concerns surrounding Davis, who has never played an entire season during his seven-year career in the NFL, it might be wise for the Patriots to bring someone in who is reliable and productive in case the worst case scenario happens with their latest signing.
Gilmore is still a starting caliber cornerback in the league and could easily swap in for Davis if need be. But he also might be headed toward being a more rotational piece rather than a full-time starter, making him an even more appealing player for the Patriots to bring back.
It all depends on what Gilmore is looking for at this stage in his career and if he hopes to continue being a starter. Regardless, he is still a valuable asset to the defense and a great locker room guy to have around, which is clearly something Vrabel and Co. are prioritizing with their free agency signings thus far.
