New England has some work to do in the free agency department this spring.
Coming off a 2023 season that saw them win just four games and finish in last place in their division, the New England Patriots have plenty of work to do to return to relevancy. And while it remains to be decided who will oversee the organization’s football operations moving forward, they will luckily have considerable resources to work with.
Besides selecting third overall in the upcoming NFL Draft, the Patriots also are projected to be among the league leaders in salary cap space in 2024. According to cap expert Miguel Benzan, the team is currently projected to be $69.85 million under a $242.5 million cap — a number that could increase even further with a handful of additional moves.
The Patriots are going to need that money. Not only will they have to add talent to a roster not having enough of that, especially on offense, they also have several players up for new contracts.
In total, 22 members of New England’s 2023 roster are headed for free agency. A majority of them — 16, to be exact — will be unrestricted and therefore head straight to the open market; the other six carry the exclusive-rights label and can therefore be easier kept in the fold before the market opens in mid-March.
Offensive free agents
WR Kendrick Bourne (UFA): Bourne had an eventful three-year stint in New England but showed that he can be a productive player for the team. His status for 2024 and his trip to free agency is in question due to the ACL tear he suffered in late October, but bringing him back would make sense for a team in need of consistent production at the wide receiver position. Bourne had plenty of that this year, catching 37 passes for 406 yards and four touchdowns in his eight games.
TE Pharaoh Brown (UFA): Arriving via the practice squad shortly after roster cutdowns, Brown had a surprisingly active season as a rotational option at tight end: playing 38.0 percent of offensive snaps, he finished with 13 catches for 208 yards and a touchdown. The veteran might return as an inexpensive depth piece.
OT Trent Brown (void): The behemoth left tackle played some good football for the Patriots in 2023, but staying on the field proved to be a problem. Dealing with a variety of medical issues ranging from ankle, chest and hand injuries, to a concussion, to an illness, Brown was limited to only 11 games. He indicated that he would be open to returning for what would be a fifth season as a Patriot, but there are legitimate questions on both sides — questions that seemingly make a continuation of the working relationship unlikely.
RB Ezekiel Elliott (UFA): A training camp pickup, Elliott proved himself a productive and durable member of the Patriots’ backfield. Despite playing behind a makeshift offensive line for much of the year, he still finished with a team-leading 955 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns. The team’s leader in both carries and catches, Elliott returning would bring some stability to a skill position group likely to look a lot different in 2024.
TE Mike Gesicki (UFA): Gesicki arrived in New England with high expectations during the offseason, and appeared to earn a starter-level role in training camp. However, his production in 2023 was lacking and he finished the year with just 29 catches for 244 yards and a pair of scores. Him returning on a cost-effective deal to build off of his experience could be an option, but it is clear the Patriots need to upgrade their tight end production.
TE Hunter Henry (UFA): The third tight end out of contract, Henry failed to live up to his $37.5 million contract after arriving in 2021. That being said, he was a respected player in the locker room as well as still a relatively reliable and productive player for the team; he ended his third season as a Patriot with 42 catches for 419 yards and a team-leading six scores before a knee injury robbed him of his final three games. If the price is right, the two sides continuing to work together would not come as a surprise.
WR Tre Nixon (ERFA): The Patriots have 90 roster spots available in the offseason, meaning that the bottom usually gets filled out with players like Nixon. That said, after three seasons of virtually no production the former seventh-round draft pick would be a long-shot to make the team even if he gets tendered.
OT Michael Onwenu (UFA): One of the Patriots’ biggest free agents both literally and figuratively, Onwenu proved himself a good player since joining the team as a sixth-round draft pick in 2020. While brought aboard primarily as a guard, he saw semi-regular action at right tackle as well — a position he also settled in this season. Given the uncertainty along New England’s entire offensive line, he projects as a priority free agent.
WR Jalen Reagor (UFA): Even though he averaged 19.7 yards on his seven receptions, Reagor’s overall contributions to the offense were limited. If he is willing to return on the cheap, however, there should be a spot on the Patriots’ offseason roster primarily due to his positive moments as a kickoff returner.
OT Riley Reiff (UFA): With injuries disrupting his 2023 season and limiting him to only one in-game appearance, Reiff’s one-year stint in New England was a disappointment. At age 35, there is a realistic chance he might have reached the end of the road — at least as a Patriot.
QB Nathan Rourke (ERFA): The Patriots claimed Rourke off waivers in December and by the season finale used him as their backup behind starting quarterback Bailey Zappe. He is a project first and foremost, but the team continuing to work with him in the offseason at a minimal cost could very well happen.
OT Tyrone Wheatley Jr. (ERFA): Like the aforementioned Riley Reiff, Wheatley Jr. also struggled with injury after arriving in New England via trade in late August. The Patriots need to upgrade their offensive tackle depth, and there are questions whether he can develop into a serviceable option, but at this point in the process filling out the roster is key. Wheatley Jr. getting tendered seems possible, therefore.
Defensive free agents
CB Alex Austin (ERFA): The Patriots signed the undrafted rookie in early November, and he received surprisingly steady playing time down the stretch. Austin likely has shown enough to be kept around via the exclusive rights tender; he should get a chance to compete for a backup spot on New England’s 2024 cornerback depth chart.
CB Myles Bryant (UFA): Coming off arguably the best season of his career, Bryant could find himself a popular player on the free agency market. The Patriots bringing him back to keep a level of stability in their secondary would also make sense, though: he has experience in the system, versatility, and special teams value — a good combination, at the right price.
S Kyle Dugger (UFA): If Michael Onwenu is the No. 1 free agency priority on offense, fellow 2020 draft pick Kyle Dugger is the same on the defensive side of the ball. While he did not make the same number of impact plays he had the previous season, he is still one of the league’s better players at his position and an important member of the New England secondary due to his combination of athleticism, experience, communication skills, and knack for the football. The Patriots defense is a better one with him in the lineup.
LB Terez Hall (ERFA): Hall is in the same category as the aforementioned Tre Nixon: two players whose recent contributions have been limited, and who would only fill “camp body” spots on the team. In that way, it would neither be a surprise to see the Patriots tender the linebacker nor if they allowed him to enter the open market in March.
ED Anfernee Jennings (UFA): After his first three seasons, Jennings looked like a player on his way out of town. However, the 2020 third-round draft pick played some high-level football as an early-down edge this year and was a big part why New England’s run defense was one of the best in football. His relatively limited contributions as a pass rusher might keep the price in manageable spheres, meaning that the team retaining him seems like a realistic outcome.
S Jalen Mills (void): Mills’ contract is scheduled to void in mid-March, but the Patriots could alter it by signing him to an extension. Whether they will might depend on other players in the secondary such as Kyle Dugger and Myles Bryant. If the team feels insecure about retaining one or both, bringing the experienced Mills back into the fold would be a possible play.
ED Josh Uche (UFA): Uche failed to build on his 2022 breakout season this year, registering only three sacks in 15 games. He has shown that he can be a disruptive player in the right setting, but he is likely too inconsistent and too one-dimensional a player to command top dollar. If another team comes in with an offer like that, the Patriots might not be willing to match.
LB Mack Wilson Sr. (UFA): The Patriots finally seemed to figure out how to properly use Wilson, turning him from a primary off-ball linebacker to more of a hybrid. That role suited him in 2023, and might set him up well for a trip to the open market. Another team scooping in to pick him up is a possible outcome, but New England would likely not be opposed to bringing him back — especially if Josh Uche departs.
Special teams free agents
S Cody Davis (UFA): A core special teamer, Davis saw his snap count decrease over the last few weeks of the season; the former five-unit special teamer appeared on only three of them in the final four games. Given his usage and age — he will turn 35 in June — it seems the Patriots-Davis collaboration might be nearing an end.
LB Christian Elliss (ERFA): Another in-season waiver claim, Elliss saw action on all four return and coverage units after joining the Patriots. Considering that he is a younger and cheaper option than, for example, Cody Davis, New England should be expected to keep him around on a one-year ERFA tender.
Special teams captain Matthew Slater and backup offensive lineman James Ferentz were also originally part of this list, with both scheduled to enter unrestricted free agency. However, the two veterans have since announced their retirements from pro football.
In addition to the remaining 22 free agents, there are others whose futures in New England are in question as well — a group that includes quarterbacks Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe, cornerback J.C. Jackson, edge defender Matthew Judon, and wide receiver DeVante Parker. However, all of them as well as the rest of the roster currently remain signed for the upcoming season.
No longer part of that group of TBDs are defensive tackle Lawrence Guy and safety Adrian Phillips. Both veterans have already been released.
There will be plenty of moving parts over the coming weeks and months, but from the current point of view only the players listed above face an uncertain contractual future.
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