FOXBOROUGH – The patriots Enter this offseason with plenty of ammunition to improve your roster.
They will enter free agency with the most cap space in the NFL and head into the 2025 NFL Draft with the fourth overall pick. The patriots they will have plenty of opportunities to plug their roster holes and build a better team for next fall.
Of course, Mike Vrabel you already know the highest priority.
After being announced as the Patriots’ new head coach, Vrabel made it clear what he thinks the Patriots’ top needs are going into the offseason.
“I think player acquisition, you look at what’s available in free agency and what you like (that) you can sign and then see where you go from there,” Vrabel said. “Certainly, you look at teams that are able to protect the quarterback and dictate the flow of the game offensively, making sure that up front we’re solid, we’re strong, whether it’s through free agency or the draft, that’s something. That’s critical. The D-linemen are getting better and better. So while they’re trying to disrupt our quarterback, we have to compensate”.
For the Patriots, the top priority entering this offseason has to be bolstering their offensive line to help Drake Maye.
Last year, the team started nine different offensive line combinations. The lack of continuity factored in, but in the end, the Patriots didn’t look like they had two capable tackles. Right tackle Demontrey Jacobs finished the season ranked 138th out of 141 tackles, according to Pro Football Focus. Left tackle Vederian Lowe finished the season ranked 103rd.
By the end of the season, the Patriots’ offensive line had one of the worst pass protection performances in franchise history.
Last year, Patriots quarterbacks were sacked 52 times. That’s the sixth most in franchise history, more than any quarterback has been sacked in the Bill Belichick era and the most since 1999 (58). Over the past two seasons, Patriots quarterbacks have been sacked 100 times. This is the second most in a two-season span and behind only the 1991 and 1992 seasons (128 sacks).
To help Maye, the Patriots need to protect him better.
Center David Andrews, right guard Michael Onwenu and left guard Layden Robinson return. The team needs to build better depth, but the priority should be strengthening the plate position.
This offseason, the best tackle available in free agency is Baltimore left tackle Ronnie Stanley. There are also Minnesota’s Cam Robinson, New York’s Tyrone Smith, Pittsburgh’s Dan Moore and Los Angeles’ Alaric Jackson.
In the upcoming draft, the top two tackles available are Will Campbell (LSU) and Kelvin Banks Jr. (Texas).
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