On paper, the New England Patriots find themselves in the exact same position they were in a year ago, coming off a 4-13 season that was good for last place in the AFC East. However, unlike last year, there are some glimmers of hope that the organization will soon drag itself out of the NFL’s basement.
The Patriots have seemingly found their quarterback of the future in Drake Maye, and have now paired him with head coach Mike Vrabel after moving on from Jerod Mayo after one season. That coach-quarterback duo has the promise of getting New England back into contention, but this offseason will be critical in that endeavor as there is plenty to be done to increase the talent across the roster. Luckily for the Pats, they enter this offseason armed with the most amount of cap space in the entire NFL and have the No. 4 overall pick at the 2025 NFL Draft in their quiver as well. So, the tools are there to vastly improve the team, but now it’s time for Vrabel and the front office to execute.
As we await the unofficial start to free agency with the legal tampering window opening on March 10, let’s take an overall look at the Patriots and where they stand entering this key period on the calendar.
Patriots free agency lookahead
Unrestricted free agents: Jonathan Jones (CB), Jacoby Brissett (QB), Deatrich Wise Jr. (EDGE), Chukwuma Okorafor (OT), Sione Takitaki (LB), Austin Hooper (TE), Daniel Ekuale (IDL), JaMycal Hasty (RB), Jaylinn Hawkins (S), Oshane Ximines (EDGE)
Projected cap space: $128,071,728
Team needs: OT, WR, EDGE, CB, DT, IOL, LB, RB
Key free agents
Jonathan Jones: Jones has been with the Patriots since the club signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Auburn in 2016. He’s helped the organization to two Super Bowl titles over that tenure, serving as a solid figure in the secondary. He started 14 of his 17 games played last season and totaled 58 tackles and six pass breakups. Jones (or any free agent the Patriots currently have) shouldn’t be too costly to retain, but it could come down to whether or not New England wants to inject more youth into the position with the veteran set to turn 32 over the first month of the 2025 campaign.
Jacoby Brissett: Brissett began the year as the Patriots starting quarterback, getting the nod in the first five games of the season before ultimately giving way to Maye. Brissett is a serviceable backup, who has 53 starts under his belt over the course of his career. That said, New England does have Joe Milton III currently on the roster and he could prove to be the backup to Maye in 2025, especially after a promising showing in Week 18. If Milton is traded, however, that possibly paves the way for Brissett to stay in Foxborough.
Austin Hooper: Hooper could end up being one of the free agents who sign elsewhere this offseason with the tight end market across the league pretty thin. The veteran is set to enter his 10th season in the league and was one of the few solid contributors in New England’s passing game in 2024. He caught 45 of his 59 targets for 476 yards and three touchdowns. His receiving yard totals were his highest since his Pro Bowl season in 2019.
Deatrich Wise Jr.: Wise, a team captain, has spoken about his desire to stay with the Patriots, but it will be interesting to see how he possibly fits in the new defensive scheme run by new defensive coordinator Terrell Williams. Wise, who’ll turn 31 in July, has spent his entire career with the Patriots since he was drafted by the club in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Arkansas.
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Josh Edwards
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How does New England spend its money?
As we mentioned, the Patriots have by far the most cap space in the entire league at $128 million. For reference, the next-highest team is the Las Vegas Raiders, who currently clock in with $96.7 million in available space. This is a great place to be if you’re New England, which has an array of needs across the roster. Luckily, quarterback isn’t one of them, and have Drake Maye currently playing on his rookie deal, which should drive the franchise to spend aggressively around him. While there is money to spend, the question is how they’ll ultimately use it.
The obvious candidate to throw a bag of cash at is wideout Tee Higgins. The Patriots have been starved of a top-tier wideout and Higgins could be the closest they get to securing one, but he will cost a pretty penny. Of course, there’s the question of whether or not Higgins will even be available to the Patriots when free agency unfolds as the Cincinnati Bengals have reportedly been working to keep him and could possibly deploy the franchise tag.
There’s also the recent report from The Athletic, that New England isn’t going to pursue Higgins altogether, and instead focus on bolstering both lines.
If Higgins is off the board or not pursued, Chris Godwin, Amari Cooper, Stefon Diggs and Marquise Brown are a handful of potential free agent receivers who could be on the market, but none command the sizable contract that Higgins will.
Elsewhere, offensive tackle is a massive need. The Patriots could use the No. 4 overall pick to address it, but one could make the argument that they need to double dip, finding a left tackle and a right tackle. Baltimore’s Ronnie Stanley is atop the tackle free agent market, along with Minnesota’s Cam Robinson and Alaric Jackson of the Rams.
Another need for the Patriots comes on the defensive side of the ball at edge rusher. New England had the fourth-lowest pressure rate in the league last season, so it’d be wise for the club to look for some top-tier talent at that position. Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher Josh Sweat is the top pass rusher on the market.
Trade possibilities
While free agency is largely about simply signing players on the open market, it’s also a window where trades are prevalent. In that spirit, here’s a look at a trio of players who have been in trade rumors and their possible fit in New England.
Cooper Kupp: The Rams have told Kupp that they are looking to trade him this offseason, and the former Super Bowl MVP could be an ideal weapon for Drake Maye. While Kupp may not be a long-term answer as he’ll turn 32 in June, he would be New England’s top receiver upon arrival. The Patriots saw firsthand that Kupp still has fuel left in the tank as he went off for 106 yards and two touchdowns against them last season. He’d also bring a level of gravitas that has been missing in the room since Julian Edelman’s retirement.
Deebo Samuel: The 49ers have permitted Samuel to seek a trade, and could be looked at similarly to Kupp from a Patriots standpoint. He’d certainly be a versatile weapon in Josh McDaniels’ offense, similar to how he’s been used in San Francisco as a receiver while also lining up in the backfield. The key concern with Samuel and his fit with the Patriots (or any team) is his durability.
Myles Garrett: Garrett, who requested a trade from the Browns earlier this offseason, would be a massive splash for the Patriots. The former Defensive Player of the Year would immediately become the face of the unit alongside ascending corner Christian Gonzalez. Given Mike Vrabel coming from the defensive side of the ball and also working with the Browns as a consultant last season, there is a connection to Garrett to at least toss this trade idea around. While inserting Garrett into this defense would be seismic, it’d also cost a pretty penny, likely in the form of multiple first-round picks.
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