The Patriots made quite a splash on the first day of the legal tampering period but have been relatively quiet since. With free agency officially beginning on Wednesday at 4 pm EST, they are expected to pick up where they left off earlier in the week and sign some more talent, especially for the offense.
Although they have already spent a good portion of their available cap space from all of the defensive players they have already signed, they only brought in two offensive players: right tackle Morgan Moses and wide receiver Mack Hollins. They're quality signings and will fill a hole on the roster, but there is more work to do to put the offense over the top for the 2025 season.
Finding a left tackle is at the top of the priority list, but adding a game-changing wide receiver leads the Patriots to a guy like Cooper Kupp. When he was put on the trade block last month, reports claimed they would not pursue a deal.
However, because he is set to be released by the start of the new league year later today, they could attempt to sign him as a free agent instead. And according to the latest rumor, Kupp, too, appears to be interested.
Cooper Kupp being intrigued by the Patriots is a great sign for their chances to sign him
In a new report by Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald, Kupp is said to be "curious" with the Patriots, potentially due to reuniting with his former college teammate Kendrick Bourne, and that could help the new regime get him under contract for the upcoming season.
"According to a league source, Kupp is curious about the prospect of playing in New England and has shared that curiosity with some close to him. Kupp has personal and professional connections to Patriots, starting with ex-college teammate and fellow wideout Kendrick Bourne, who has repeatedly advocated for Kupp to come to New England on social media. The two remain friendly, sources say."
Considering their other free agent options, Kupp would be their best bet to land a proven veteran ahead of the draft, especially since their more desirable additions would need to be acquired through a blockbuster trade. Kupp can be signed as a free agent without giving up any draft capital to do so, which immediately moves him to the top of the list.
Given his contract history, it likely won't be cheap to sign him, even with his age and injury history working against him. But the Patriots need a player of his caliber for Drake Maye to work with and they have the cap space to afford to get that done this offseason.
Adding Kupp to the roster would also allow the Patriots to feel more comfortable holding off on taking a receiver in the first round of this year's draft while also giving an incoming rookie another great player to learn from. It seems like a win/win situation for everyone.