NFL free agents: Best available players Patriots could pursue originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The deadline for all 32 NFL teams to trim their rosters to 53 players is next Tuesday, so there will be a lot of player turnover over the next week as teams release new players.
The Patriots have a few positions in need, primarily the offensive line. Left tackle is a weak spot for the Patriots that wasn’t adequately addressed in the draft or free agency. Tight end is another position where another veteran could be valuable to New England, especially if Hunter Henry isn’t 100 percent in Week 1.
Salary cap space isn’t an issue for the Patriots. They have just under $51 million in salary cap space, according to OverTheCap, which is the second-highest amount in the league.
Here is a list of the best players still available as free agents. This list will grow in the coming days as teams move their rosters around.
Quarterback
The Patriots don’t need a quarterback. They already have four on their roster — Jacoby Brissett, Bailey Zappe and rookies Drake Maye and Joe Milton. Brissett and Maye are competing for the starting job.
The best-case scenario for the Patriots is that Maye takes over at some point this season and plays well. Brissett is a veteran who played under offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt in Cleveland, so he knows the offense better than anyone. There’s no reason to bring in another QB unless Brissett gets injured.
Run back
Rhamondre Stevenson is a very good running back, but after playing in just 11 games last season due to injury, the Patriots would be wise to manage his workload. Antonio Gibson was brought in as a free agent to be the backup. Kevin Harris and JaMycal Hasty are also on the depth chart.
Jerick McKinnon could be a useful third-down receiving back. He’s thrown 14 receiving touchdowns with the Chiefs over the last three years, including a career-high nine during the 2022 campaign. Latavius ​​Murray is a capable veteran with 11 years under his belt. He’s thrown fewer than four rushing touchdowns in just two of those seasons.
Wide receivers
Wide receiver is a position where the Patriots don’t necessarily need more depth unless a true No. 1 wideout like Brandon Aiyuk becomes available via trade. The quality of wideouts available in free agency right now isn’t great.
It makes more sense for the Patriots to simply let their many young wide receivers practice and hope that a few of them develop into reliable pass catchers.
Tight end
If Henry is ready to play in Week 1, the Patriots likely won’t need to invest in another tight end. But if there’s any doubt about Henry’s status for the opener, it might be wise to bring in a veteran. Austin Hooper hasn’t been particularly impressive in preseason play. Jaheim Bell has had good moments, but he’s also a rookie.
Logan Thomas suffered a hamstring injury early in training camp and was released by the 49ers a few weeks ago. If healthy, he could be an interesting option. He had 55 receptions for 496 yards and four touchdowns for the Commanders last season. Those are pretty solid numbers.
Offensive line
The left tackle position could use more depth and an upgrade. Vederian Lowe, Chukwuma Okorafor and rookie Caedan Wallace are the best options at the position, and none of them inspire much optimism.
The list of available players at offensive tackle isn’t great either, but Donovan Smith could be a good option. Smith started and played in 12 games for the Chiefs last season. He was also a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Super Bowl LV-winning team in 2020.
The Patriots are reportedly among several teams that have inquired about Dennis Daley, who was released by the Arizona Cardinals earlier this week. Daley has played both left tackle and left guard in the pros. He has started 15 of 17 games at left tackle for the Titans during the 2022 season.
