It has been a slow start for the Patriots in free agency so far, only signing a couple of players who hadn't been speculated to be on their radar, while also releasing a few to clear even more cap space to utilize. The worst part is that they've missed out on several players who were linked to them in recent weeks, most notably WR Alec Pierce.
But they can also add a defender to the list, as defensive lineman Boye Mafe had been considered a good fit for what Mike Vrabel wants for the Patriots' defense.
He was a player the head coach had called about ahead of last season's trade deadline, but the Seahawks were not willing to move on from their star. Instead, they let him walk in free agency.
Boye Mafe heads to the Bengals on 3 for 60M deal per his agent pic.twitter.com/NGJlgUrCFn
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 9, 2026
Luckily, they already added EDGE Dre'Mont Jones, as he was their first signing of the day, and that helps tremendously. But now they're going to have to find more elsewhere, despite a long line of players already signing new deals.
Missing out on Boye Mafe is a big blow to the Patriots' defensive plans
As one of the few players the Patriots attempted to trade for last season, it's devastating to see another free agency target sign elsewhere, especially on a deal like Mafe signed.
He was the kind of player who would've elevated their defense to the next level, which is what they need after the group's impressive showing last year, but also showed clear weaknesses in the Super Bowl.
This now throws another wrench into the Vrabel regime's plans to improve the defense and will likely prompt them to prioritize EDGE and the defensive line in general early in the draft. It's reportedly a deep class for pass rushers, so that certainly works in their favor, even if adding a veteran would've been nice, especially if it was Mafe.
That might be the next best decision.