The Patriots hit all-time low.
The excellent news? They’re already positioning themselves for a rebound.
Under new coach Jerod Mayo, the Pats have overhauled a training employees that oversaw one of many league’s worst offenses final season. Their entrance workplace is now led by longtime outsider turned director of scouting Eliot Wolf, a former govt in Green Bay and assistant GM for the Browns. The Patriots are projected to carry the third-most cap house within the league heading into free company, and are armed with important draft capital, beginning with the No. 3 total decide.
However the Pats proceed, the stakes are important.
The franchise hasn’t received a playoff sport in 5 years, and proprietor Robert Kraft mentioned he hopes their first-round decide positions the group “beautifully” for years to come back. To put the Patriots again on monitor, the Herald is publishing a day by day collection with 5 offseason fixes that cowl the draft, free company and training.
No. 5: Restock the offensive sort out place
No. 4: Maximize front-office flexibility
No. 3: Revamp receiver group
The No. 1 key to fixing the Patriots’ passing assault can be to discover a new quarterback, and (spoiler alert) we’ll get to that earlier than this five-fixes collection is over.
But the Patriots additionally want new blood at broad receiver and tight finish, and so they need to take a great, laborious have a look at the gamers at present underneath contract with tough selections on the horizon.
Eight broad receivers are signed for the 2024 season: Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas, DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton and future signings Kawaan Baker and T.J. Luther. Plus, Kendrick Bourne is a free agent who has expressed his want to return to the Patriots as he mends a torn ACL. Jalen Reagor can be a free agent.
Just one tight finish, La’Michael Pettway, is underneath contract. Hunter Henry, Mike Gesicki and Pharaoh Brown are all free brokers.
The Patriots actually have our bodies at broad receiver, but when they convey again Parker, Smith-Schuster and Thornton and re-sign Bourne, then past potential improvement for Boutte and Douglas, there’s little hope for this group to play considerably higher in 2024, even underneath new teaching with an enchancment at quarterback.
Parker took a step again in 2023 after signing a contract extension and managed simply 33 catches for 394 yards with no touchdowns because the Patriots’ beginning “X” receiver. Smith-Schuster signed a three-year, $25.5 million contract however caught simply 29 passes for 260 yards with one landing in 11 video games. Thornton didn’t even his the century mark in his second season. The 2022 second-round decide has been a bust. The Patriots might transfer ahead with Douglas within the slot and a returning Bourne within the “Z” function, however they want an improve at “X.”
Five broad receivers getting into free company – Tee Higgins, Michael Pittman Jr., Mike Evans, Marquise Brown and Calvin Ridley – would instantly enter Gillette Stadium as No. 1 choices with the Patriots. There’s a case to be made that Darnell Mooney, Gabriel Davis, Odell Beckham Jr., Tyler Boyd and Curtis Samuel could be upgrades, as effectively. The Patriots have loads of cap house (over $66 million) and money to spend.
It’s unlikely that each one of these broad receiver choices will really hit the open market when the free agent negotiating interval opens March 11, nonetheless. The franchise tag and contract extensions will take some receivers off the board.
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Henry is thought to be the second-best tight finish accessible in free company by PFF behind Dalton Shultz. It could possibly be tough to re-sign Henry, although. He was beforehand making $12.5 million per yr and certain will not garner that a lot on the open market this offseason, that means a pay minimize could be required to stay round. Gesicki was a disappointment on a one-year, $4.5 million contract. Brown could be stable to carry again as a reserve.
The Patriots personal the No. 3 total decide within the 2024 NFL Draft and have one decide in each different spherical, together with the thirty fourth total decide within the second spherical and the 68th total decide within the third spherical.
If Wolf does not take a quarterback at No. 3 total, then Ohio State broad receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., could be a worthy choice. Washington broad receiver Rome Odunze, LSU broad receiver Malik Nabers and Georgia tight finish Brock Bowers are additionally thought to be potential top-10 picks.
This is regarded as a robust broad receiver class. LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr., UNC’s Devontez Walker, Texas’ Adonai Mitchell, Florida State’s Keon Coleman, Oregon’s Troy Franklin, Texas’ Xavier Worthy, Georgia’s Ladd McConkey and Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley additionally rank in Daniel Jeremiah’s Top 50 rankings on NFL.com. One different tight finish – Texas’ Ja’Tavion Sanders – is included on the checklist.
Harrison and Bowers are checked out as can’t-miss prospects. Harrison would possible must be taken at No. 3 total, whereas Bowers might probably be chosen with a trade-down.
If the Patriots add extra broad receiver assist by way of free company or the draft (or a commerce?), then gamers like Parker, Smith-Schuster, Thornton or Boutte might get launched. The Patriots will not obtain any cap financial savings in the event that they launch Parker or Smith-Schuster earlier than June 1.
The clearest path to enhancing the pass-catching group is for the Patriots to make use of a first-round decide on a rookie broad receiver or spend $20 million-plus on a free-agent possibility.
Source: www.bostonherald.com