Mike Vrabel had a tall task ahead of him going into the Patriots' offseason as the newest head coach, with most believing it would inevitably take far more than just one year for the roster to be improved to the point it needed. Although we haven't seen how they will perform on the field yet, Vrabel addressed nearly every vulnerability with the team during free agency and the draft, making it seem like there aren't many other positions left to deal with.
While that might be mostly true, adding much-needed experience and solid depth pieces is never a bad idea, especially for positions that needed the most improvement.
The Patriots have plenty of cap space remaining to add those kinds of players. With an estimated $67 million available, there's a good chance they will add veteran depth to groups like the offensive line. That could draw them to a familiar name like guard Shaq Mason, whom Bill Belichick regrettably traded to the Bucs in 2022.
The Patriots might be desperate to jam pack the offensive line that they'll bring back Shaq Mason
The priority to surround quarterback Drake Maye with the proper talent was made very apparent this offseason by the Patriots' front office, prompting the team to use the No. 4 overall pick on the best tackle of the class, LSU's Will Campbell.
They've upgraded the rest of the line, as well, by signing veteran starting right tackle Morgan Moses, drafting their next starting center, Jared Wilson, after releasing David Andrews, and adding more stability by signing Garrett Bradbury and Wes Schweitzer in free agency.
They could make the group even better by signing Mason, and they might be desperate enough to do it on the right side of the offensive line. It's not necessarily where they need the most help, as the left side has been far more problematic. But it's hard to argue against signing a career-long starter to provide even more stability.
If they can get him on a fair contract and he's willing to be a rotational piece rather than a starter, there's no reason not to get a deal done. The Patriots need all the help they can on the offensive line to make Maye's second season much easier, and Mason could be a part of that. Mason would ensure that happens, especially in the case of a disaster like what the team has dealt with in recent years due to the piling up of injuries.