The New England Patriots' primary objective this offseason is to improve enough to get back to the Super Bowl and win it. They'll need to ace both free agency and the draft again as they did in 2025 to achieve that goal.
To free up cash for better players, they'll have to cut ties with players who didn't measure up. One who Pro Football Focus (PFF) thinks is a candidate is edge Anfernee Jennings.
Other players can go who'll free up a barrel full of cash, but they're better players. One is guard Mike Onwenu. He's the team's best offensive lineman, but he plays guard and is making tackle-level money. He could be traded to save a minimum of $17.5M on the cap.
Another cap casualty may be 2025's starting center, Garrett Bradbury. He could be cut and save more than $5M on the cap if the Patriots are convinced that Jared Wilson can play that position. The NFL is a tough business, but if a team wants to win, the offseason is all about improving.
Anfernee Jennings is an easy cut candidate for the Patriots this offseason
Anfernee Jennings was a third-round pick in 2020 and has played five seasons in Foxborough. Edges need to produce sacks, yet he's only managed to notch 7.5 in those five years, mostly as a backup. He's not a starting-level player and is marginal even as a backup.
PFF has cited edge Anfernee Jennings as a cut candidate by the Patriots. They're not wrong.
"Anfernee Jennings was an early trade candidate at the start of the Mike Vrabel era. After staying put, he notched a 67.1 PFF grade in 2025, coming up with 20 pressures from Week 12 until the Super Bowl. Jennings was an important pass-rusher at times, but the team could still move on from him this offseason.
Jennings is just one of a few cut candidates who make sense for the Patriots. Releasing him will save just $3.8 million, but it might be necessary if the team hands K’Lavon Chaisson a big extension."
Jennings can be a trade candidate again in 2026, but his market value certainly will be in the sixth or seventh-round value area. The team usually gets a sixth-round pick for anyone they trade, but they'd be fortunate to get even that for Jennings.
Mike Vrabel should cut ties with all of his marginal players
The Patriots' Head Coach Mike Vrabel was not reluctant to wield the hammer on his poor 2024 inherited roster. Former staters, including captains, were broomed to make way for better players. He should do the same this offseason, and Jennings should go.
Unproductive players are a drain on the team's salary cap, no matter how little they earn. Saving $3.8M on the cap by releasing or trading Jennings is found money. He's had little production in five years, and it's time for Vrabel to cut ties and bring in better edge players.
Mike Vrabel needs to pare his salary wherever he can to afford top free agents. There's no room for keeping players around who aren't earning their salaries, no matter how long they've been here. If you're not improving your roster, you'll stagnate.
Vrabel's top objectives this offseason are to again rebuild his offensive line, add two or three sack-producing edges, and add offensive weapons for Drake Maye. Cutting players like Anfernee Jennings is key to meeting those objectives.