The New England Patriots haven’t made the big splash in Free Agency that the fans had hoped for. So far, all they have done is extend their own players, add in some depth pieces, and a bridge quarterback in Jacoby Brissett.
The Patriots have made some moves that fans approve of, such as extending star offensive lineman, Mike Onwenu. Onwenu has been one of the few bright spots on the offensive side of the ball, and keeping him in Foxboro was a huge priority for Eliot Wolf and the New England front office.
Fans could be surprised by a trade coming out of nowhere, or maybe Eliot Wolf has decided to move onto the Draft. Either way, there are a lot of holes on this roster and the front office needs to start improving it now.
Opportunities the New England Patriots Lost Out On
There have been quite a few players extending their contracts, but some fans are very critical of this. The main reason is because coming off a 4-13 season, why would New England just keep the same squad together and not make any big time additions?
New England missed out on free agent receiver Calvin Ridley yesterday, after having a strong offer on the table for him. Ridley ended up signing with the Tennessee Titans for four years, and ninety two million dollars. Which is roughly twenty three million dollars per year, a contract that is very high for a receiver on the older side coming off an average season.
At this number, Patriots fans should be glad they didn’t break the bank the way the Titans did. Could New England look to another free agent at this point? Perhaps Mike Williams could be a starting caliber X receiver. The X position is something in need in Foxboro after they cut Devante Parker. Williams shouldn’t cost too much though, at the age of thirty coming off his second ACL tear, he could be a great bargain in this receiver class. He could also be a reliable target that allows a rookie receiver to come in and shine, creating a more dynamic offense for 2024.
It is obvious many Patriots fans are upset at the lack of big moves this off-season. But, it is still early and Director of Scouting, Eliot Wolf, may want to prove himself worthy as the potential next General Manager for New England.
This time of year is notorious for false reports coming out of the NFL world, so there could be a big splash brewing at Gillette Stadium that nobody knows about. Overall, the Patriots shouldn’t limit themselves to the NFL Draft to add offensive talent, because it is not good business to rely solely on rookies to turn around the organization. They need veteran leadership, and veterans with playoff experience who understand the culture of winning.
Patriots fans are getting angrier as each minute passes
Patriots fans are used to no big time signings or trades after twenty years under Bill Belichick, who would almost always refuse to pay big money for veteran players. But after Jerod Mayo assured fans they would be bringing in talented players, and Eliot Wolf said they need to weaponize the offense, there haven’t been any changes made.
Social media is packed with angry Patriots fans, calling for big moves and changes to the roster, and for good reason. After a 4-13 season, it was expected that New England would be heavily involved in trade talks and the Free Agency market, but so far, we have seen nothing of the sort. For the sake of the Foxboro Faithful, let us all hope that some big changes are made soon.
