There's no doubt the Patriots have become one of the most improved teams this offseason. From free agent additions to the draft, the team should perform drastically better in 2025 compared to their 4-13 2024 record. Vegas agrees: they're now favored in 11 games compared to last year's zero.
CBS's Josh Edwards praised the Patriots in his latest article, saying only the Bears set themselves up for more success in 2025 based on their offseason. What Edwards brings into question, however, is the longevity of their additions. Milton Williams and Carlton Davis, 26 and 28, should be productive through their contracts, but it's more up in the air for other players.
Morgan Moses will be 37 by the end of his contract, Stefon Diggs is 31 and coming off an ACL tear, and Harold Landry will reach 30 years old during the season while already having an ACL tear on his injury record.
Nonetheless, Moses allowed just two sacks last season, Diggs was on pace for a thousand yards yet again before his injury, and Landry still registered nine sacks. Furthermore, despite Robert Spillane recording a career high in tackles, he's 29 and will be 32 at the end of his contract. Paying $12M a season to a linebacker who will be in his thirties doesn't seem wise.
The short term success the Patriots will reap will be worth it
Drake Maye, Will Campbell, and Christian Gonzalez are a solid young core of players to lead the Patriots (potentially) through the next decade. Nonetheless, they'll need help if they want to add tallies in the win column. The short-term support provided by the free agent class is significant. Allowing Maye to have the security that comes with a bookend in Moses and a legit wide out in Diggs is massive.
Defensively, allowing Williams and Christian Barmore free rein to get to the QB with the support of a veteran like Spillane behind will be huge. As the team develops younger players like 25-year-old K'Lavon Chaisson or rookie Bradyn Swinson, Harold Landry can serve as a short-term solution with double-digit sack potential.
Contractually, the Patriots are still in a solid spot. In Diggs's case, the Patriots can cut ties after a season easily. Spotrac also reports the Patriots have outs after the second year of Moses, Landry, Spillane, and even Davis's contracts. In other words, if any of the players aren't living up to their contracts, the Patriots can cut them after their second year without much of a sweat.
By that time, the team will likely have an idea whether the aforementioned core of Maye, Campbell, and Gonzalez is the real deal. They'll then have the option to pay them or reset with the cap from potential cuts.
If all goes as planned, no cuts will be made, and the team will thrive under Vrabel. Independent of future cuts, Patriots have every reason to be excited. In addition to short-term improvements expected to significantly enhance the team's performance in 2025, we can also anticipate notable development from Maye and other young players.
Not only do the Patriots have short-term upside, but they should also see their young core develop with the influence of experienced veteran additions.