The New England Patriots’ dynasty is long gone and in the beginning stages of a rebuild. The organization does have a couple players they can build around, but the front office has to do their part in signing big-name free agents and drafting players that can help the Patriots become a dynasty again.
The past few years, the Patriots have struggled to lure big-name players to Foxborough. There was no reason to join, as the Patriots showed little promise as a rebuilding team. They didn’t have a quarterback that skill position players wanted to play with. Mac Jones did show some promise in his rookie year, throwing for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions, but never elevated his play above that. He regressed in his next two seasons in New England until he got traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars this past offseason. It really is unfortunate how his career unfolded in New England considering his hot start, but his bad attitude and inability to elevate his teammates led to his departure.
It may seem obvious, but good players like to play with other good players. From 2020-2023, being a New England Patriot wasn’t all that glamorous. They had Bill Belichick, but not many young talented players to build around. While the Patriots are a bit of a dumpster fire right now, they do have two outstanding players who will potentially be the face of the franchise. Two is not much, but these guys can be elite difference-makers very quickly, which is especially helpful for a team hoping to make a splash in free agency. Quarterback Drake Maye and cornerback Christian Gonzalez are rising stars who should be useful marketing tools to get more talent drawn to Foxborough.
Nothing in life is guaranteed. But, Drake Maye appears to be as close to a guaranteed franchise quarterback as you can get. He is everything the Patriots need in a quarterback right now. He is young, tough, coachable, and has all the talent in the world. He does have a bit of a turnover problem, having 13 turnovers in 11 starts, but that will likely change as it takes time to develop as an NFL quarterback. He has shown an enormous amount of potential, and the Patriots just need to surround him with quality pieces to see what he can become.
We’ve got our franchise quarterback and we’ve got our shutdown corner. “Gonzo” is only in his second season as a pro, but has already solidified himself as a top corner in the NFL. He is PFF’s 10th-ranked cornerback this season and has already locked down a handful of elite receivers. As he continues to develop as a player and leader, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if he were to be in the conversation of best defensive backs in the NFL.
The Patriots’ two biggest needs this offseason are offensive line and wide receiver. The Patriots are ranked 32nd in both pass block and run block grade per PFF. Throughout the season, they have played musical chairs with the line, rotating players around, pulling players from the practice squad, and throwing them into the starting lineup. Drake Maye rarely has a clean pocket to operate from and our offense never seems to get into any sort of rhythm since we cannot block in the run game either. It must be a priority to keep our franchise quarterback upright. No matter how big or tough you are, hits from NFL defensive linemen start to pile up.
The receiver room isn’t as bad as the offensive line, but it’s close. The leading receiver for the Patriots is tight end Hunter Henry, with only 66 receptions for 674 yards and two touchdowns this season. His total receiving yards are 45th in the league, behind players like Jakobi Meyers and Jonnu Smith (both ex-Patriots). While Henry is a solid tight end, he should not be leading the Patriots in receptions, yards, and touchdowns, especially with the average numbers he has this season. The Patriots need to get Drake Maye a true number-one receiver. Luckily due to their draft spot and cap space, they have a great chance at landing an elite prospect.
The Patriots have the most cap space in the NFL and need to go on a spending spree this offseason. They cannot keep rolling with average-joes and expect to win football games. Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins is a free agent and needs to be aggressively pursued by New England. They need to offer him whatever he wants and lock up Drake Maye’s top receiver for the foreseeable future. It is unlikely that Cincinnati will resign him since they already have to pay Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase; Tee Higgins on top of that is just too expensive.
Tee Higgins needs to be a Patriot. It isn’t often a receiver this young and talented hits the open marker. He will instantly become a difference-maker for the Patriots offense and lead the team in every major receiving category as long as he stays healthy.
On the offensive line side of things, there are a few good free-agent options as well. It may be tricky to acquire them because NFL teams rarely let good offensive linemen walk, but there is still a chance the Pats could get one or two of these guys. Trey Smith of the Kansas City Chiefs will likely be the top offensive lineman in the free agent pool.
He is only 25 years old and is PFF’s ninth-rated guard this season, so signing him should be a priority. Offensive Tackle Ronnie Stanley of the Baltimore Ravens is another player who should be on the Patriots’ shopping list. While he is a bit older of a free agent, 30, he would immediately upgrade the Patriots’ offensive line and improve protecting Drake Maye’s blindside.
The Patriots currently hold the number two pick in the 2025 NFL draft. Towards the beginning of the year, drafting an offensive lineman with their first pick seemed like the only decision, but it may not be anymore. The Pats have a lot of holes to fill and it may be in their best interest to draft the best player available, outside of quarterback of course. With only one game after this week, it is likely that New England will have a top-five pick and could even get the first overall pick depending on how the season unfolds.
The Patriots need a spark both offensively and defensively, so why not knock out two birds with one stone? Travis Hunter is an elite athlete and played both WR and CB at the University of Colorado. It’s not certain what position he’ll play in the NFL, but the athleticism and versatility he possesses is rare.
He could come to New England and immediately be the team’s number one receiver and play on defense in certain situations, or vice versa. The Maye/Hunter combo could be the next great NFL duo and unlock Maye’s potential. And if New England happens to sign Tee Higgins as well? The offense goes from being one of the worst in the league to an ascending, high-powered offense.
The Patriots do have something going for them with both Drake Maye and Christian Gonzalez, but there is still a long way to go. Head coach Jerod Mayo and GM Eliot Wolf have done a poor job in acquiring talent, but they can change their track record this season. Having a premium draft pick and tons of cap space gives them an excellent opportunity to speed up New England’s rebuilding period. They need to be aggressive in the off-season and get some difference-makers.
Coach Mayo and Mr. Wolf, please don’t mess this up.
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