It’s a brand new period in New England — once more.
Beneath new coach Mike Vrabel, the Pats are once more overhauling their soccer operations after a 4-13 season. Vrabel’s imaginative and prescient is now the franchise’s imaginative and prescient as they proceed to rebuild, although the Patriots retained govt vp of participant personnel Eliot Wolf to guide their personnel division. This offseason, the Patriots are projected to carry a league-leading $120 million in cap house, and 4 draft picks within the high 80, beginning at No. 4 total.
To place the Patriots again on observe, the Herald is publishing a each day sequence with 5 offseason fixes that cowl the draft, free company and training.
No. 1: Sign Tee Higgins or Chris Godwin
No. 2: Draft and sign new offensive tackles
No. 3: Rebuild the pass rush
No. 4: Six potential trade candidates
No. 5: Fill hidden roster holes
The Patriots’ greatest wants are apparent and well-known.
Vrabel’s squad wants determined assist at large receiver, offensive deal with and defensive finish.
However the NFL’s weakest roster gained’t instantly be fastened with a pass-catcher, higher safety and an elite cross rusher. It requires fixes throughout the board.
Listed below are 4 much less apparent wants the Patriots need to fill this offseason.
Tight finish
The Patriots have simply three tight ends on their roster in Hunter Henry, 2024 seventh-round choose Jaheim Bell and 2024 undrafted free agent Jack Westover.
The best solution to deal with this group is by re-signing Austin Hooper, an unrestricted free agent. Hooper displayed good chemistry with Drake Maye in 2024 and has a historical past with Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, taking part in for the Titans below Vrabel in 2022 and the Raiders below McDaniels in 2023.
And, sure, the Patriots ought to re-sign Hooper, however that’s solely actually placing a band-aid on the scenario. Bell and Westover have potential, however there’s a purpose why they entered the NFL the way in which they did.
If the Patriots needed to intention excessive, they may go after Penn State tight finish Tyler Warren, among the finest pass-catchers in faculty soccer final season. It is a fairly strong draft for tight ends, nevertheless, so it might make extra sense to handle a special want within the first spherical and go after a participant like Michigan’s Colston Loveland, Texas’ Gunnar Helm, LSU’s Mason Taylor or Bowling Inexperienced’s Harold Fannin later.
Fannin is an particularly intriguing prospect. Nonetheless 20 years previous, he caught 117 passes for 1,555 yards with 10 touchdowns whereas including 9 carries for 65 yards and one other rating in 2024.
Past Hooper, Browns free-agent tight ends Jordan Akins and Geoff Swaim might be different suits.
Defensive deal with
The Patriots actually struggled defensively on the level of assault final season with Christian Barmore lacking a lot of the yr with blood clots. Barmore returned at midseason however was shut down early after a recurrence of the situation.
In a really perfect world, Barmore returns and fixes loads of the problems up entrance, however there’s so many unknowns with regards to blood clots that it’s tough to depend upon that situation.
If the Patriots wish to intention excessive to repair their want at defensive deal with, they may choose Michigan’s Mason Graham with their fourth total choose or try and commerce for Titans star Jeffery Simmons.
Some free agent choices embody the Cowboys’ Osa Odighizuwa and the 49ers’ Javon Hargrave.
For the Patriots, Daniel Ekuale is about to hit free company. They’ve Barmore, Davon Godchaux, Eric Johnson and Jaquelin Roy on their roster.
Linebacker
Getting Ja’Whaun Bentley again on the sphere and wholesome will assist, however the defensive captain’s damage final season proved the Patriots want higher depth at this place.
The Patriots will return Bentley, Curtis Jacobs, Monty Rice, Sione Takitaki and Jahlani Tavai at linebacker. Christian Elliss is an impending restricted free agent.
The Patriots have usually seemed for greater linebackers like Bentley and Tavai for the final 25 years, however that might change this season with Vrabel as head coach and Terrell Williams as his defensive coordinator. The Titans usually employed smaller linebackers, which is extra alongside the strains of what different NFL franchises search for, below Vrabel.
David Lengthy, who had two superb seasons with the Titans below Vrabel, is a free agent. Devin Bush is one other free agent that Vrabel labored with in Cleveland final season on the Browns.
Among the many finest free agent linebackers are Zack Baun, Nick Bolton, Dre Greenlaw and Ernest Jones.
Prospects like Chris Paul Jr., Jeffrey Bass and Jack Kiser may wind up being mid-round picks.
Cornerback
Cornerback Christian Gonzalez is the Patriots’ finest participant, however he wants extra assist round him at cornerback. Marcus Jones is a strong, if undersized, possibility within the slot, and Miles Battle, Isaiah Bolden and Alex Austin all confirmed potential in 2024, however the Patriots want one other reliable exterior cornerback.
Jonathan Jones is a free agent, however he is likely to be finest served as a flexible chess piece within the secondary, able to filling roles exterior, within the slot and at security.
D.J. Reed is the very best free-agent possibility at cornerback, although Carlton Davis comes with ties to Williams from their time final season on the Lions. Charvarius Ward, Rasul Douglas and Byron Murphy Jr. are different free-agent choices.
If the Patriots need the very best cornerback pairing within the NFL, then they may intention to draft Travis Hunter or Will Johnson at No. 4 total. This draft is loaded with huge cornerbacks, nevertheless, so it might be a greater want addressed on Day 2 or 3.
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