INDIANAPOLIS — Barely two weeks after shedding the Tremendous Bowl, the Patriots flew most of their teaching workers and front-office members to get again to work on the NFL Scouting Mix.
After talking with a number of coaches, scouts, brokers and executives across the league, right here is all the things the Herald realized in regards to the Patriots’ plans without cost company, a star-studded commerce market, the 2026 draft, and past:
A.J. Brown commerce talks
The Patriots have explored commerce talks involving Eagles star huge receiver A.J. Brown, however really feel the present asking worth is unserious, in response to one supply.
A number of league sources consider Brown might nonetheless be dealt, and the return could possibly be a step above what the Seahawks acquired once they traded D.Ok. Metcalf and a sixth-round decide to Pittsburgh final 12 months for a second-rounder at 52nd general and a seventh-round decide.
Government vice chairman of participant personnel Eliot Wolf stated this week that the crew can be prepared to commerce their first-round decide in the precise state of affairs.
Buying Brown would handle the Patriots’ chief offensive goal this offseason: including extra firepower. Brown is coming off of a 1,000-yard season with 78 catches and 7 touchdowns. He would qualify because the No. 1 receiver the crew has lengthy been in search of, having topped 1,000 yards yearly of his profession, excluding an injury-shortened 2021 marketing campaign.
Patriots coach Mike Vrabel has maintained a relationship with Brown from their three years collectively in Tennessee, the place Brown entered the league as a second-round decide. Brown has been public about his lifelong fandom of the Patriots in interviews and on social media. He’s due a $29 million choice on Sept. 1 and one other $19.4 million choice in 2027, plus minimal $1.3 million salaries in every of the subsequent two seasons.
The construction of his deal seems to be complicating talks. Buying and selling Brown earlier than June 1 would subtract $20 million from the Eagles’ cap due to all of the useless cap hits that may speed up onto their present books from future years. A post-June 1 commerce would liberate $7 million in cap house for the Eagles, however ready till then turns into tough for a crew just like the Patriots, which would want a Plan B at receiver within the occasion a Brown commerce falls by means of and be properly previous the draft and free company.
Maxx Crosby nearer?
Are the Raiders truly prepared to play ball? That’s the query on the minds of Patriots’ decision-makers.
League sources don’t consider the Raiders are critical about buying and selling Professional Bowl defensive finish Maxx Crosby, so negotiations might very properly drag into the draft this April. Buying Crosby nonetheless feels extra practical than buying and selling for Brown right now, per one crew supply, who believes a first-round decide and different lesser belongings, together with one of many Patriots’ two fourth-round picks, can be truthful compensation. The Raiders are reportedly in search of two first-round picks and a participant.
Any Crosby negotiations could possibly be held up by how far the Patriots view themselves from returning to the Tremendous Bowl. Vrabel and Wolf each remarked this week that the crew is “constructing,” a sentiment crew sources echoed in personal. One high-ranking government from a crew that performed the Patriots final 12 months believes they have to be sure they are going to contend once more in the event that they do pull the set off on a Crosby deal.
Crosby, 29, would fill a serious want for the Patriots as an elite edge rusher. He’s been one of many NFL’s best move rushers since he entered the league, accumulating 69.5 sacks, 164 QB hits and 133 tackles for loss in seven seasons.
Stefon Diggs dilemma
In response to crew sources, Diggs’ return to New England is not any assure, although a number of high-ranking members of the group consider his present contract is truthful sufficient he might proceed to play on it.
The issue, in response to Patriots evaluators, is whether or not Diggs stays a No. 1 huge receiver.
Diggs is a declining participant who disappeared in opposition to elite defenses within the playoffs after a 1,000-yard common season. He’ll flip 33 in November and will resemble a No. 2 wideout subsequent 12 months, to not point out his excellent authorized issues dealing with strangulation and assault fees. However Diggs additionally doubled because the emotional chief of the locker room and a flag bearer for Vrabel’s tradition final 12 months, one thing the pinnacle coach valued vastly as he constructed out his new program.
Finally, a number of choices stay on the desk: holding Diggs on his present contract, restructuring his deal after a renegotiation or parting methods by way of a launch or commerce. Chopping ties with Diggs would create a roster gap they can’t fill in free company and are unlikely to resolve within the draft, one thing the Patriots are aware of as they weigh their choices and a attainable restructure.
Diggs’ base wage subsequent season is $20.6 million, and solely $1.7 million is assured by means of March 13, when he can be assured one other $6 million if he stays on the roster. His $26.5 million cap hit feels heavy for an growing older receiver, although the Patriots are among the many league leaders in cap house and don’t count on to splurge this offseason.
Whereas most exterior league sources solid doubt on Diggs’ return this week, together with some accustomed to the Patriots’ pondering, there’s stronger perception internally he can be again.
Free company
Final 12 months, the Patriots handed out $364 million in free-agent contracts and almost $175 million assured at signing.
Don’t count on them to return near matching these numbers this spring.
A number of crew sources consider there aren’t any game-changers in free company. The Patriots are nonetheless conscious they’ve vital wants, and their free-agent record, sources stated, begins with a number of edge defenders.
Count on the entrance workplace to pursue move rushers a step beneath Bengals star Trey Hendrickson, Eagles defensive finish Jaelan Phillips and Ravens exterior linebacker Odafe Oweh, and particularly if they’ll’t re-sign Ok’Lavon Chaisson after a breakout season. Chaisson, league sources projected, might land between $10 and $12 million per 12 months, if no more. The Patriots view Chaisson in an analogous group as Seahawks edge rusher Boye Mafe and Bengals defensive finish Joseph Ossai, amongst others.
Hendrickson, Phillips and Oweh enchantment to the Patriots — notably Phillips — however the entrance workplace is ready to be priced out in what’s anticipated to be a red-hot edge rusher market. Due to this fact, it’s possible the Patriots double dip with one other, cheaper choice like Titans-turned-Ravens defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones or ex-Packers draft decide Kingsley Enagbare. Each gamers drew curiosity from the Patriots on the commerce deadline, although talks involving Jones had been by no means critical, in response to a supply.
Like edge rusher, the Patriots view security as a deep place on this 12 months’s free-agent class, which incorporates their very own Jaylinn Hawkins. His market, per sources, has been unexpectedly cool for a participant who had 4 interceptions and 1.5 sacks over 15 begins final season. One AFC crew doesn’t even view Hawkins as a starting-caliber participant, and that in the end might result in a reunion in New England, the place each side have curiosity in a brand new deal.
If Hawkins leaves, Chiefs security Bryan Cook dinner, Rams veteran Kamren Curl and Seahawks up-and-comer Coby Bryant are the names to know. The Patriots have a transparent sort at security beneath Vrabel and safeties coach Scott Booker, preferring smaller, rangier gamers that may cowl, sort out and talk properly. Gone are the times of hulking field safeties like Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers, which ought to rule out Bears security Jaquan Brisker from consideration.
The Patriots are additionally susceptible to shedding Khyiris Tonga in a depressed defensive sort out market. As first reported by MassLive, the entrance workplace almost inked Tonga to an extension final December solely to have talks collapse close to the end line. Tonga’s worth has solely risen since, in response to sources across the league who challenge he may have extra suitors than anticipated.
On offense, one league supply believes the Patriots will signal a Y (blocking) tight finish and draft an F (receiving) tight finish, given the provision of each forms of gamers in free company. Behind Hunter Henry, No. 2 choice Austin Hooper will hit the open market once more after a middling season. If Hooper leaves, don’t count on the Ravens’ Isaiah Seemingly or the Titans’ Chigoziem Okonkwo to switch him. Gamers like Cade Otton (Tampa Bay) and Charlie Kolar (Baltimore) are considered as higher matches, in response to a crew supply.
Although the Patriots want receiver assist, 5-foot-8 Giants wideout Wan’Dale Robinson will not be in consideration on account of his measurement, per crew sources. The most effective accessible receiver, Alec Pierce, can also be extensively anticipated to be retained by the Colts. The Pats have additionally kicked the tires on lower-level operating backs and have curiosity in retaining backup left sort out Vederian Lowe, in response to league sources.
Barmore’s future
As hypothesis rose across the mix that the Patriots will half with Christian Barmore, crew sources stayed grounded.
Excessive-ranking executives count on Barmore to stay in New England, barring one thing sudden.
For starters, the Patriots have few choices to switch the 26-year-old defensive sort out, notably if Tonga walks. Workforce sources are usually not excessive on the defensive tackles accessible on this 12 months’s draft or free company class. Barmore has nonetheless given the crew a number of causes to not less than think about a divorce.
There’s his sporadic manufacturing, well being points (together with a knee damage the crew manages), felony fees following an alleged home incident involving his one-time girlfriend and $17 million cap hit. Sources additionally cited maturity points, with one euphemizing his angle by saying: “He’s all the time been an emotional man.”
Like Diggs, the deadline for a call is March 13, when the remaining $10 million of his $12 million wage can be assured. If the Patriots select to discover the commerce market, two AFC executives consider they might land what quantities to a late-round decide for Barmore.
One estimated the crew might land a sixth-rounder straight up, whereas the opposite stated Barmore would fetch a fourth-round choice in a pick-swap commerce the place the Patriots additionally ship a sixth- or seventh-rounder to his new crew.
NFLPA report card
For a second straight 12 months, the Patriots acquired an “F” for journey on their NFLPA report card.
Gamers cited multi-year points with the crew aircraft, together with an absence of WiFi and inadequate house, with one describing it as feeling “borderline unsafe.” That participant isn’t alone.
Present staffers describe a way of unease every time they land for street video games. No incidents have ever been reported, however one former member of the group was unsurprised on the crew’s unhappiness, evaluating his expertise with the aircraft to opening the door of a contemporary luxurious automotive solely to search out facilities and seats inside that belong in a 40-year-old sedan. Different crew sources stated they really really feel reduction when touring internationally as a result of they need to take one other aircraft.
One crew supply objected to grades levied in opposition to the place coaches, who acquired a “B-,” good for twenty eighth within the league. Gamers accomplished the survey midseason, earlier than the Patriots got here collectively for a Tremendous Bowl run.
Further factors
Christian Gonzalez’s contract extension stays solely a matter of time, per sources. One front-office member prompt Gonzalez and Drake Maye are the one really protected gamers on the Patriots’ roster, underscoring the crew’s want to maintain the star cornerback. The timing of Gonzalez’s deal will rely on the crew’s different transactions and outgoing money circulation, together with cash owed to free brokers they signed final 12 months. … The Patriots are pleased that the strengths of this draft class, particularly edge rusher and tight finish, have aligned with their wants. Ohio State’s Will Kacmarek is thought to be one of many high “Y” tight ends, and Stanford’s Sam Roush additionally matches that profile … Veteran proper guard Mike Onwenu is anticipated to stay with the crew, regardless of carrying a $25 cap hit with zero assured cash in his $16 million base wage. … A supply confirmed NFL Community reporting that Mack Hollins suffered a lacerated spleen through the Patriots’ Week 16 win at Baltimore and added one startling element: Hollins damage himself on the primary play of the sport. He completed with seven catches for 69 yards. He truly needed to keep away from injured reserve and felt he might play by means of the ailment. … One crew evaluator hoped to improve the fullback place midseason, which might open the door to a free-agent addition like Patrick Ricard (Baltimore) or Reggie Gilliam (Buffalo).
