There’s no doubt the New England Patriots have had some incredible success over the last 25 years, led by the greatest quarterback and coach of all time. Thirteen AFC Championship appearances, nine Super Bowl appearances, and six Super Bowls in the last quarter century is unheard of, and there’s no doubt that the decision making both on and off the field was a huge part of that success.
Off the field, though, there have been a few questionable moves the Patriots have made.
Speaking more specifically, the Patriots have made some very puzzling releases and trades in recent years, specifically since Tom Brady’s departure before the 2020 season. Given their lack of success since his departure, specifically over the last three years, where they’ve gone 16-35, blame can be put on some of these releases.
So, who were the Patriots' most puzzling departures over the last half-decade?
These departures directly led to the Patriots’ downfall at these positions
A changing of the guards: Shaq Mason & Ted Karras, Guards, 2022
I initially pared this down to five moves, but the offensive line saga revolves around the departure of both guards in 2022. The Patriots finally have what appears to be a rebuilt line in 2025, but that rebuild didn’t come without its challenges.
Shaq Mason was traded in the offseason following Mac Jones’s rookie season for a fifth-round pick, and Karras was allowed to leave in free agency for $6 million per season after being a staple of the unit and beating out a young Mike Onwenu.
In terms of sacks, the Patriots were the third-best line in 2021, but slipped all the way to 19th the following year. In ’23 and ’24, they were in the mid-20s. Cole Strange was selected in the first round to (unsuccessfully) alleviate a need that never should have needed remedying, and they traded out of the pick with which the Chiefs selected All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie.
Mason was a fixture on the Buccaneers' offensive line the following season, and Karras moved to center for the Bengals, where he’s a captain. The Patriots selected seven interior linemen since the departure of the 2021 duo.
A not so one-for-one swap: Jakobi Meyers - Wide Receiver, 2023
The Patriots opted to let homegrown talent Jakobi Meyers walk in favor of Juju Smith-Schuster after his first stint in Kansas City. Juju had a solid resume, with a near 1,500-yard campaign in 2018 to his name, and a 2022 with Mahomes and company that saw him catch 78 balls for 933 yards. He also nabbed the most catches of anyone in the Super Bowl that year.
Despite his impressive resume, doubts persisted about him in the offseason, given his rumored knee injury. He was out for most of the summer, and the Meyers replacement had 29 catches in his Patriots career before being released. He’s had a depth role since signing with Kansas City for a second time, but has never hit the 2018 high when he looked like a true superstar.
Meyers had a slightly better first season in Vegas than his last in New England, and last year he hit the 1,000-yard benchmark for the first time in his career. The icing on the cake was an eight-catch, 97-yard performance against his former team in Week 1 of 2025.
A recent mistake: Jabrill Peppers - Safety, 2025
Don’t get ahead of yourself; they’ve hardly had a chance to show what they can do without Peppers. Fair enough, they haven’t. But does the current group inspire?
Jaylinn Hawkins is a depth option, Craig Woodson and Dell Pettus have upside, and Kyle Dugger is a glorified linebacker at this point. The unit would be a solid one if each player was bumped back a slot on the depth chart: maybe if they had a player like Jabrill Peppers?
The recently signed Steeler was a shocking release before Week 1, especially considering what an integral part of the defense he appeared to be. His significant uptick in snaps during the final preseason game raised eyebrows, but it was largely dismissed at the time as Kyle Dugger looked to be the safety on the outs. In the end, Dugger stayed despite his bloated contract, and Peppers was shown the door.
Admittedly, Peppers wasn’t an elite coverage player, but he was the most proven option. Dugger’s horrendous PFF coverage grade from last season made him a candidate to move to linebacker, and while Pettus has shown flashes, he shouldn’t be relied on. Against the Raiders, the Patriots allowed nine 20+ yard passing plays, while no other offense in the league had more than five.
A proven veteran safety likely would have helped. As the season goes on, we’ll get a better idea to see if the safeties are developing or need overhauling, and we can only hope it’s the former.