The Patriots will have north of $123 million to spend in free agency, by far the most in the NFL.
The question is, does anyone want to take their money? New England isn’t a desirable place to play right now thanks to their current state of the team and other factors. However the hiring of Mike Vrabel and the potential of quarterback Drake Maye makes the Patriots more appealing.
Despite that, they will still have to pay the suck tax to attract free agents. Spending over asking and front loading contracts will be a thing. They will have to overspend.
Here are 25 players the Patriots could target in free agency.
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1. Ronnie Stanley, OT: The 31 year old Stanley will be the Patriots top target in free agency. He is exactly the veteran left tackle they need to shore up the offensive line. Stanley will have to be overpaid so he won’t come cheap but the Patriots need to prioritize him. Injuries are a bit of a concern. Stanley’s length and athleticism are elite and he would be the best left tackle the team has had since Trent Brown’s first season with the team.
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2. Josh Sweat, DE: Improving an anemic pass rush is a priority and that is where Sweat could make a big difference for the Patriots. One of the most underrated pass rushers in the game, he is coming off of a dominant Super Bowl performance and after taking a pay cut at the start of this past season, he is going to look to break the bank.
3. Milton Williams, DT: Williams burst onto the scene this past season and became an integral part of one of the most dominant fronts in the NFL. The 6’0 290 pound Williams is tailor made to play the shade tackle in the Patriots multiple 40 front defense. His quickness, ability to stack and shed blockers and make plays down the line of scrimmage make him an ideal target to play next to Christian Barmore.
4. Chris Godwin, WR: Godwin is a proven veteran who has produced and won championships. He would give the Patriots a number one receiver but the cost of landing him and his injury history coupled with being 29 going on 30 make him a questionable signing. The Patriots may have to target the trade market to upgrade at receiver.
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5. Cam Robinson, OT: Robinson is Plan B if the Patriots do not land Stanley. To some Patriots fans, Robinson might be a downgrade but he was a good player in Jacksonville and is familiar with new line coach Doug Marrone. He has the length and athleticism to be a solid left tackle starter and hold the fort down.
6. Nick Bolton, OBLB: Bolton will more than likely stay with the Chiefs but they will have to be creative to keep him. He is a three down linebacker who can stop the run, drop into zone coverage and make plays as a blitzer. He will get plenty of offers as off ball linebackers are starting to become an integral part of defenses again.
7. Patrick Mekari, OG/OT: Mekari could be an affordable option if Stanley or Robinson are not an option. He has primarily played guard but could also play right tackle. He is not an all pro caliber player but he is consistent, tough, smart and brings quality leadership to an offensive line that needs it.
8. Darius Slayton, WR: Slayton is not the number one receiver the Patriots are looking for but he would complement the current receiving corp well by giving them size and a vertical play maker who can line up in the F or Z alignments. He can be the X in certain formations as well. Slayton is coming off of a season in which he caught 39 passes for 573 yards and 2 touchdowns.
9. Charvarius Ward, CB: Ward is looking for a fresh start after dealing with the unimaginable loss of his infant daughter. When healthy and on the field, he has been one of the best corners in the NFL the past five seasons. Cornerback is a sneaky need for the Patriots. One that I can see them addressing both in free agency and the draft. Ward would be a good schematical fit in the Patriots new defense opposite Christian Gonzalez.
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10. Ernest Jones, LB: The 25 year old Jones has played for the Seahawks, Rams and Titans in his career. He has terrific instincts and is physical against the run. He has 458 career tackles so he is more than capable of a 100 plus tackle season in the Patriots scheme. He can play the MIKE, SAM or WILL linebacker spots. With the Patriots emphasizing the linebacker position more in this new scheme, Jones could be an affordable option to add a starter and depth.
11. Carlton Davis, CB: Davis is ideally suited to play in a predominately man to man cover scheme. The Patriots will play a lot of Cover 1 (Man Free) and a fair amount of Cover 5 (2 Man). If that is the case, a player like David with his size, toughness and experience could be a good addition. He will have an active market and he will command a big contract.
12. Haasan Reddick, EDGE: Reddick had a season to forget with the Jets last season. After holding out for a new contract into the season, he finally reported to the team in October but failed to make a difference. When in the right scheme and focused, Reddick has elite pass rush potential. The problem is, he has an inflated opinion of himself and may not necessarily be the best teammate. I think he is a long shot to sign with the Patriots but you never know. He would certainly give them a capable, veteran edge player.
13. Poona Ford, DT: Ford is coming off of a great season with the Chargers where he was a force in the middle of their defense, especially on early downs. The 5’11 310 pound shade defensive tackle is undersized from a height standpoint but he makes up for it with quickness, strong hands and absorbing double teams. After last season, he will be a popular veteran option and he will garner interest. Ford is the type of player defensive coordinator Terrell Williams likes at tackle.
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14. Dayo Odeyingbo, DE: Odeyingbo is a player that several teams will be interested in. He is one of the more underrated free agents in this class. The 6’6 285 defensive end offers scheme versatility. He can play the nine technique defensive end in a 40 front and the five technique defensive end in a 30 front. He can also kick inside in sub packages and play defensive tackle. The 24 year old is just scratching the surface of his potential and could be a very nice chess piece in New England’s attacking defense.
15. Byron Murphy, CB: The Patriots will be a player in the cornerback market and if they do not decide to spend big on one of the top tier cornerbacks, then a player like Murphy could be a good option. He has good size, top end ball skills and is a versatile system fit. He has been a productive player the past three seasons and would complement Christian Gonzalez well.
16. Azeez Ojulari, EDGE: The Patriots need to improve their pass rush. Ojulari has been inconsistent at times in his career but when he has gotten reps, he has made them count. He has 22 career sacks in four seasons but could put up better numbers with more consistent playing time. He is undersized at 6’2 230 but Ojulari could be a versatile on ball, off ball piece for the Patriots.
17. Treshawn Wharton, DT: Wharton’s best football is ahead of him and he could be an affordable addition to the defensive line. The Chiefs will want to keep him but the Missouri S&T product will have a market and fits well into the Patriots scheme as a shade nose tackle.
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18. Dan Moore Jr. OT: Moore is far from flashy but he has been a consistent player for the Steelers at both right and left tackle. The 6’5 315 pound Moore has started 64 games in his career and while he has struggled at times, he would certainly an upgrade at the tackle for the Patriots, especially on the right side.
19. Marquise Brown, WR: Brown did not have the season most people expected after signing with the Chiefs last off-season. He misses most of the season due to a sternoclavicular injury. When he returned, he made a limited impact. The Chiefs would be interested in retaining him but they will not give him a lengthy contract. Brown could be a good Plan C option for the Patriots if they strike out in the receiver market.
20: Baron Browning, EDGE: Browning has had an up and down career and struggled in Arizona after he was traded to the Cardinals. He only had 2 sacks last season and 11 tackles but he could be an affordable depth, special teams piece who could be productive in sub packages.
21. Kristian Fulton, CB: Vrabel is well aware of who Fulton is. He drafted him after all in 2020. Fulton had a good season with the Chargers and could be another second tier cornerback option for the Patriots should they chose to pursue cornerbacks in free agency. The 5’11 197 pound Fulton can play field corner and line up in the slot in certain sub packages.
22. Dyami Brown, WR: Brown really came on in the playoffs for the Commanders and proved he can be a viable second option in the passing game. He has been inconsistent in his career but if he gets an opportunity to play more snaps, he could develop into a top three receiver and be a focal point of the passing game in the red zone. Like Maye, Brown played at North Carolina as well.
23. Kenneth Gainwell, RB: Gainwell has been a big part of the Eagles offense the past four seasons and losing him would be tough. He is similar to his former Memphis teammate Antonio Gibson but not as big. Gainwell has been productive with the Eagles amassing 1,185 rushing yards in his career and scoring 12 rushing touchdowns. He could be a true third down back in the Patriots offense because he is a good receiver and pass blocker. Reminds me of Kevin Faulk.
24. Mo Alie-Cox, TE: Cox is a big body who would be the perfect U tight end option opposite Hunter Henry. The former basketball player runs good routes, has plus hands and he uses his size to his advantage as a receiver. He also offers formation versatility. He could also be had at an affordable number.
25. Jedrick Wills, OT: Wills has battled injuries the past two seasons but when healthy, he has been good for the Browns at left tackle. He could be a good Plan C option if the Patriots strike out on Stanley, Robinson or Moore. Health is the key with Wills.