The Patriots need to reload.
Lucky for their fans, the Pats have a lot of money to spend on players with NFL free agency starting next week after a 4-13 finish and no playoff wins in five years.
The Patriots have over $100 million in cap space, the most in the league, and they have to start spending cash to meet the league’s spending floor. The NFL’s open tampering period begins Monday at noon ET, when teams can talk to players' agents. The new league year officially starts Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, when teams can make new deals with free agents.
After parting ways with Bill Belichick, the Patriots have new leadership with head coach Jerod Mayo and director of scouting, Eliot Wolf. They have also added almost an entirely new staff on offense and a partly new defensive staff.
The team hit rock bottom in 2023 and now needs help across a mostly empty roster. To preview free agency, the Herald is publishing daily articles about free agents at key positions of need.
Defense
Most of the attention this offseason will be on improving the Patriots' offense, but their defense, one of the best in the NFL in 2023, could use some help in free agency as well.
The Patriots need a player to fill the spot opposite 2023 first-round pick Christian Gonzalez at outside cornerback. Additionally, two edge defenders drafted in 2020, Josh Uche and Anfernee Jennings, are both free agents. Jennings usually plays on early downs as a run defender, while Uche specializes in rushing the passer. The Patriots could sign two players to fill these roles separately or find one player who can perform in all situations.
In general, the Patriots need more assistance in rushing the passer, so they should look for players who can make a difference on third down.
CB L’Jarius Sneed (Chiefs)
Acquiring Sneed would require a trade, as he was given the franchise tag this offseason, but Sneed, 27, is one of the best free-agent defenders available. It would likely take just a second- or third-round pick to make a deal for the Chiefs cornerback.
Sneed, who’s 6-foot-1, 192 pounds, would work well with Gonzalez, allowing Jonathan Jones and Marcus Jones to play in the slot. He allowed 42 catches on 81 targets for 406 yards with no touchdowns, two interceptions, a career-high 10 pass breakups, and a 55.9 passer rating in 2023.
EDGE Danielle Hunter (Vikings)
Hunter is the kind of edge defender who can play every down and could fill the roles of both Uche and Jennings.
He excelled in a similar unit led by Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, creating 80 pressures, 16.5 sacks, and seven QB hits in 2023. Hunter, a captain in Minnesota, will be costly, but he fills a major need to make the defense more threatening in 2024.
CB Chidobe Awuzie (Bengals)
Awuzie was a fantastic signing for the Bengals in 2021, but he tore his ACL in 2022, and his performance declined last season.
However, the 6-foot, 202-pound cornerback would pair well with Gonzalez on the outside, and the Patriots wouldn’t need to give up a draft pick to get him. He allowed 38 catches on 56 targets for 488 yards with three touchdowns and three pass breakups in 2023.
LB Frankie Luvu (Panthers)
Luvu has not received enough recognition as a defender in the NFL in the past three years while playing for Carolina. Pat Stewart from the Patriots was part of the Panthers when Luvu joined from the Cowboys.
Now Luvu is about to earn a good amount of money again after causing 20 pressures and getting 5.5 sacks as one of the best blitzing linebackers in the NFL in 2023. Luvu mostly plays in the box but can also line up on the edge.
EDGE Kyle Van Noy (Ravens)
Could there be a reunion? Dont’a Hightower, the new inside linebackers coach, used to be Van Noy’s teammate, and Drew Wilkins, the outside linebackers coach, coached him in Baltimore last season.
Van Noy will be 34 years old next season, but his performance as a versatile edge defender has not declined. He would bring leadership as a defensive player with two Super Bowl rings.
