2025 free agency preview: Top players at Patriots’ position of need originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
It’s no secret that the New England Patriots need to upgrade a lot of weaknesses on their roster before the 2025 NFL season.
The 2025 NFL Draft will obviously provide a great opportunity for the Patriots to address some of these roster concerns, but a meaningful part of this process must come through free will.
The Patriots are expected to have the most salary cap space of all 32 teams next season – well over $100 million, per OverTheCap.
It is very important for the Patriots to surround quarterback Drake Maye with as much offensive talent as possible. Maye looks like the real deal in his rookie campaign, but he won’t reach his full potential without better weapons at the skill positions and a stronger offensive line.
Defense should not be forgotten either. Finding another top-level cornerback to play alongside Christian Gonzalez should also be a priority, as well as adding a formidable edge rusher who can consistently pressure the opposing quarterback.
Which players in these positions could become free agents in March? Here’s an overview of the best people who might be available.
Wide receivers
Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
Higgins is a legitimate No. 1 wideout and will turn 26 years old in Week 1 of the 2025 season, so he’s in the sweet spot of his career.
Here’s some of what our Patriots insider Phil Perry wrote about Higgins in his five-point plan to fix New England’s offense this offseason:
“The Bengals may be willing to let Higgins walk this season if they have no plans to pay him and Ja’Marr Chase top deals. With $118 million in effective cap space, the Patriots may be able to step in.” and offer Higgins more than anyone else. If they have any fear that Higgins isn’t a real ‘No. 1’, they can take comfort in the fact that they haven’t played a Chase since. In 2022, Higgins had 31 catches for 511 yards and six touchdowns.
The only concern with Higgins is injuries. He missed five games in 2023 and has also missed five this season. But when Higgins has played, he has been quite productive with 43 receptions for 558 yards and five touchdowns in seven games.
Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
If Godwin is healthy, you can expect him to rack up around 80 receptions and over 1,000 yards. He’s as reliable as they come at wide receiver. However, injuries are a potential concern with Godwin. He underwent ACL surgery in 2022 and his 2024 campaign was ended prematurely when he suffered an ankle dislocation in October, which also required surgery. Godwin was in the middle of a great season when the injury occurred. He racked up 50 catches for 576 yards and five touchdowns in seven games. He will be 29 years old next season.
Amari Cooper, Buffalo Bills
Cooper entered 2024 with over 1,100 receiving yards in four of the previous five seasons. He is very reliable and productive. His stats this season don’t jump off the page — 34 receptions, 386 yards, three touchdowns in 10 games — but after being traded from the struggling Browns to the first-place Bills in October, the veteran wideout has a great chance to earn his free agent agency shares through the end of the regular season and the playoffs.
Stefon Diggs, WR, Houston Texans
Diggs has long been a model of consistency with four consecutive 100-catch seasons (five of his last six as well). But he’s currently on pace to finish well under the century mark this season with 47 receptions for 496 yards and three touchdowns in eight games with the Texans. Diggs is still a very good wideout, but he is 31 years old. Should the Patriots pay him superstar money when production likely starts to decline soon?
DeAndre Hopkins, Kansas City heads
The Patriots brought Hopkins to Foxboro for a free agent visit in 2023, but he ultimately signed with the Tennessee Titans. He was traded to the Chiefs earlier this season and has played well for the defending champions. Hopkins has racked up 41 receptions for 498 yards and four touchdowns between the Titans and Chiefs this season. At 32 years old he is still a very good player. Ideally, the Patriots would get a younger wideout like Higgins, but Hopkins would be a solid second or third option.
Offensive tackle
Ronnie Stanley, Baltimore Ravens
Stanley has been one of the top left tackles in the league this season, especially in pass protection. The 30-year-old veteran is in his ninth season and is listed at 6-foot-1 and 310 pounds.
Garett Bolles, Denver Broncos
Here’s what our Patriots insider Phil Perry wrote about Bolles as part of his five-point plan to fix the Patriots offense:
“Good offensive tackles don’t change teams often, but Bolles is an interesting case. He’s just a few months away from free agency and he’s having a great season for one of the best offensive lines in football.
Still, he was involved in trade rumors shortly after Sean Payton took over the Broncos last year, and it’s worth wondering if they’ll be willing to branch out to keep the 32-year-old in Denver. Under 54 tackles with at least 500 snaps this season, Pro Football Focus has given Bolles the second-highest pass-blocking grade.”
Cam Robinson, Minnesota Vikings
Robinson was a good left tackle on many bad Jaguars teams before being traded to the Vikings in late October. He is a proven starting caliber tackle and would be an upgrade for the Patriots.
Dan Moore Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers
Moore is having a breakout year for the Steelers, most recently shutting down Bengals star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson in Pittsburgh’s Week 13 win at Cincinnati. Moore, who is 26 years old, is also a durable player who has appeared in all 61 games he has played for the Steelers over the past four seasons (including 2024).
Morgan Moses, New York Jets
Moses has great size (6-foot-1 and 318 pounds) and strength and plays through pain. It is also quite durable. Moses is best suited at right tackle, and when healthy he is often a top 15 player at that position. The Patriots need a left tackle more than a right tackle, but if Moses is available, he would still be worth pursuing.
Edge slider
Khalil Mack, LA Chargers
Mack has been a great player for a long time. He had a career-high 17 sacks for the Chargers last season, and while he hasn’t been as dominant in 2024 — 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in 11 games — the veteran pass rusher is still a very effective player. He dealt with some injuries earlier in this career, but has only missed one game since the start of the 2022 season. Mack, at 33, wouldn’t be a long-term solution for the Patriots, but he would be a nice short-term addition to a defense that has failed to generate a consistently good pass rush.
Josh Sweat, Philadelphia Eagles
Sweat has seven sacks in 12 games, so it’s fair to assume he’ll eventually eclipse his career high of eight sacks in 2022. The 27-year-old veteran is a physical pass rusher with 42 career sacks and great strength at 6-foot-1. -5 and 265 pounds.
Haason Reddick, New York Jets
Reddick was traded from the Eagles to the Jets in March but didn’t show up for work until October, when he and New York finally agreed to an amended contract. The situation has been a distraction for the Jets, and perhaps it will deter teams from seriously pursuing Reddick in free agency. But his talent is undeniable. Reddick had at least 11 sacks in four consecutive seasons from 2020 through 2023.
Malcolm Koonce, Las Vegas Raiders
Koonce had eight sacks and a career-high 43 tackles for the Raiders in 2023, but a knee injury kept him from playing one game this year. The injury carries some risk, but at 26 years old, Koonce could be a major home run for whichever team takes a chance on him.
Chase Young, New Orleans Saints
The 2020 No. 2 overall pick is still just 25 years old and a very good pass rusher who draws double teams. Young has collected 3.5 sacks with 21 tackles and a forced fumble in 12 games for the Saints this season
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Cornerback
DJ Reed, New York Jets
Can the Jets afford to pay both Reed and cornerback teammate Sauce Gardner mega-extensions in the near future? If Reed hits free agency, the Patriots would be wise to pursue him. He would give New England another top-level talent at that position group. Reed has tallied at least nine pass breakups in each of the past four seasons (nine in 2024).
Charvarius Ward, San Francisco 49ers
Ward is a very good cover cornerback, especially in man coverage. But with the 49ers having such high salaries, you might wonder if they can afford the 28-year-old veteran. The 49ers recently signed cornerback Deommodore Lenoir to a five-year, $92 million extension.
Rasul Douglas, Buffalo Bills
Losing Douglas to the division rival Patriots would be a setback for the Bills, whose defense has played quite well this season. Douglas is a trusted veteran with eight years of experience. He has recorded four or more interceptions in three of his last five seasons.
Carlton Davis III, Detroit Lions
Davis has been a fantastic addition for the Lions, who acquired him in a trade with the Buccaneers in March. The 27-year-old veteran has 40 solo tackles to his name, with two interceptions and 10 pass breakups for the Lions. He also has Super Bowl-winning experience from his time with the Bucs. Davis would be a strong addition for the Patriots opposite Christian Gonzalez.
Paulson Adebo, Saints of New Orleans
Adebo suffered a season-ending injury in October and required surgery to repair a broken femur. Before the injury, Adebo was playing very well for the Saints. He’s still just 25 years old and has 10 interceptions in four seasons with New Orleans.
