The Patriots made several key additions in free agency this offseason to enhance their roster on both sides of the ball. The most notable one on offense, where the team needed a lot of upgrades, came from the signing of wide receiver Stefon Diggs to a three-year contract.
With the offseason OTAs in full swing, the Patriots' roster already appears to be in pretty good shape on both sides of the ball. A strong draft peformance certainly solidified that. But if Eliot Wolf and Mike Vrabel wanted to make another splash - or two - plenty of talented free agents remain on the board.
Top free agents the Patriots could make a splash by signing
1. WR Keenan Allen
The Patriots' wide receiver room looks solid on paper, especially if Diggs can be the 1,000-yard receiver he has been throughout his career. But New England could shock the NFL landscape by snatching the 33-year-old Allen, particularly on a cheap one or two-year contract.
Not everyone in the wide receiver group will survive training camp, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see a veteran like Kendrick Bourne traded before the start of the season. It was just two years ago that Allen had a 1,000-yard season with the Los Angeles Chargers, and he would give Maye a big target in the red zone.
2. WR Amari Cooper
Cooper's situation mirrors that of Allen's, and it remains a surprise that he hasn't been signed yet. He was billed as the guy who would get the Bills past the Chiefs, but that didn't happen.
That doesn't mean Cooper isn't talented, as he had a 1,200-yard season in Cleveland just two seasons ago, but he's another player who would probably have to accept a low-cost contract as a receiver in his 30s.
A tandem of Cooper and Diggs along the outside would be a potential dynamic tandem in New England, but again, it could all depend on who stays healthy and what moves the team makes towards the bottom of the wide receiver depth chart between now and September.
3. S Justin Simmons
Given his age - Simmons is another guy in his 30s - he'd probably like to go to a contender, perhaps even reuniting with Vic Fangio in Philadelphia. But the Patriots could shock the league and add one more talented piece to their secondary by swooping on Simmons.
Jabrill Peppers and Kyle Dugger give the Patriots a good 1-2 combination at safety, but if one of those guys goes down, the back end of the Patriots' secondary could be in trouble.
Simmons is a strong cover safety with 32 career interceptions and would probably like a fresh start after a rough 2024 season in Atlanta.