The biggest areas for improvement on the Patriots' roster were apparent after their Super Bowl loss to the Seahawks, so their motives heading into free agency couldn't have been clearer. Fortunately, for them, there were plenty of intriguing players to inquire about.
The most dire positions needing upgrades were the defensive line (specifically edge rusher) and the receiving corps. Because of that, the team was heavily connected to some of the top names, even those who were expected to be traded, but didn't land any of them in the spring.
Among the most notable names were pass rushers Jaelan Phillips and Trey Hendrickson, both of whom signed massive contracts with new teams this offseason, which may have made it a more positive thing for the Patriots to miss out on getting them in the door.
That appears to be the case, according to Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report, who ranked both contracts among the worst deals in the league. Even worse, wide receiver Chris Godwin, whom the Patriots tried to bring in last offseason, is also on the list, so they certainly dodged a few bullets by failing to sign all three.
The Patriots avoid having multiple players with some of the worst contracts in the NFL
On Gagnon's list of worst contracts ahead of the 2026 season, Phillips comes in at No. 10, as he signed a massive 4-year, $120 million contract with the Panthers earlier this year. He has $80 million in guarantees, but his injury history and lack of explosiveness throughout his career warrant some hesitation about the money Carolina was willing to dish out.
He had been on the radar for New England in free agency, but considering the kind of contract they would have needed to offer to convince him not to take the deal from the Panthers, it's probably better that they didn't pursue him further.
Hendrickson comes in at No. 7 on the list, signing a 4-year, $112 million contract with the Ravens a few months ago, after spending the entirety of his career with their divisional rival, the Bengals.
The Patriots were heavily linked to the 31-year-old since rumors began to circulate that he wanted out of Cincinnati last year, but now that he's on this list of the worst contracts in the league, it's looking even better that Mike Vrabel and Co. missed out on another superstar.
The same can be said about Godwin, who holds the No. 2 spot on Gagnon's list. The career-long Buccaneer signed a 3-year, $66 million deal in 2025, and has dealt with several injuries in recent years that have almost kept him off the field more than on it.
If he had become Drake Maye's go-to weapon, it would have been a disaster for his development and the state of the offense, especially had they given him a similar contract.
It just goes to show that although flashy names will always get the most media coverage and fans will cling to them as if they're the only ones who can help fill the voids on a roster, the money isn't always worth it.
Imagine how much worse things could be if the Patriots had multiple players labeled as the worst contracts in the league. They definitely wouldn't need that after falling to the bottom of the league over the last six years.
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