The Patriots have been in the market for a clear WR1 for several years going into this past offseason, and although they seemed to have finally gotten that caliber of player by signing Stefon Diggs, he's not considered a long-term solution given his age.
That has many fans looking ahead to next year's free agency class to see who might be available for the Patriots to pursue, and one of the main candidates has been Broncos' receiver Courtland Sutton. He had been on the Patriots' radar as a possible trade target last season, but now that they have their next quarterback in place with Bo Nix, it's clear Sutton isn't going anywhere.
That was made official on Monday when NFL insider Ian Rapoport announced the receiver had reached an agreement with the Broncos for a four-year, $92 million extension, a contract that not many had predicted would happen.
The #Broncos have agreed to terms on a new contract extension for WR Courtland Sutton, sources tell The Insiders. It’s a 4-year, $92M deal.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 28, 2025
The deal done by Milk & Honey Sports locks Sutton in and properly compensates him at last. pic.twitter.com/nRTkiotU3W
That essentially eliminates Sutton from the Patriots' shortlist of desirable players next offseason and they'll have to shift their focus to other playmakers if they want to continue boosting the offense around Drake Maye.
The Patriots have other free agent WR options to consider in 2026
Assuming that Sutton was going to be on their radar, the Patriots are fortunate to still have a solid and maybe even better selection of other players to consider next year.
Because Mack Hollins was only signed to a one-year deal, there's a chance he could earn another contract next year. But if Mike Vrabel and Co. want to add even more talent, they could also consider players like Mike Evans, Christian Kirk, Terry McLaurin (if he doesn't receive an extension this year), George Pickens, or Deebo Samuel, just to name a few.
There's also the possibility of a big-time trade if they carry over most of their remaining cap space into next offseason, as they still have an estimated $60 million left to use. That will be crucial because they only have around $8 million in 2026.
It's even more critical if they want to target one of the more proven talents, like Evans or McLaurin, because otherwise they won't have funds to afford getting talent such as them into the building. There will be a lot to consider, but at this point, they at least know Sutton won't be heading into free agency.