One of the biggest reasons this offseason will be highly anticipated and critically important is due to the amount of cap space the Patriots have to spend and the long list of incredible talent that will be available for them to sign. The team has desperately needed improvement, even before suffering their worst win/loss record in over two decades last season.
Now that Jerod Mayo is in charge, with presumed general manager Eliot Wolf, big changes are expected to be made regarding how the team approaches signing players. In years past, Bill Belichick was known for not wanting to overspend on any player, not even on a guy like Tom Brady.
It's a factor that frustrated many fans, and potentially even Robert Kraft, and seemingly led to many of the team's struggles over the last four seasons.
The offense suffered the most after watching the greatest quarterback of all time walk out the door just one season after Rob Gronkowski left. Just one year later, Julian Edelman retired, and the once-dominant offense has essentially been stuck in mediocre land since.
With a new head coach, staff, and philosophy ready to take on the 2024 season, the hope is they will make the right decisions and bring in the talent that will inch the Patriots closer to being a contender again.
It all starts with free agency, which begins on March 13, and there are at least ten free agents that could realistically become Patriots this offseason.
10 realistic free agents the Patriots could sign in 2024
1. Michael Pittman Jr.
The expected top receiver for the Patriots to pursue this offseason was Tee Higgins, a young receiver playing behind a WR1 in Cincinnati, looking to break out on his own somewhere new. But the Bengals made sure to prevent that by franchise-tagging him on Friday night, seemingly admitting their incompetence in reaching an agreement on an extension once again.
Now that Higgins is basically off the table for New England, they can pivot their focus to another talented receiver, Michael Pittman Jr.
The 26-year-old has had a bumpy start to his NFL career, mainly due to the Colts selecting him in the draft and failing to find a legitimate quarterback since Andrew Luck unexpectedly retired. Because of the revolving door of quarterbacks, we probably haven't seen the best Pittman can offer. But even with that in mind, he's been a consistently productive player on the dysfunctional offense in Indianapolis.
In 2023, he recorded the second 1,000-yard season of his career while taking on more responsibility as the WR1. He is set to hit free agency for the first time, and although the Colts likely don't want to see him leave the team, they will have some stiff competition from receiver-needy teams with plenty of cap space to spend, like the Patriots.
He would be a great addition to their offense that is in transition right now, and pairing him with Demario Douglas would make the job easier for whoever the next quarterback is.
2. Dalton Schultz
Maybe the Mike Gesicki experiment didn't work out as planned, but that shouldn't stop the Patriots from pursuing another tight end this season and how could you pass up the chance to sign Dalton Schultz?
With Gesicki heading to free agency along with Pharaoh Brown and Hunter Henry, there is not a single tight end signed to the Patriots roster for the 2024 season. They could prioritize the position in the draft, but signing a veteran would be ideal, and a guy like Schultz fits the bill perfectly.
His last three seasons between the Cowboys and the Texans have been the best of his career, averaging over 600 yards and six touchdowns per year. Pairing him with a guy like Henry, who they should also re-sign, would be the tight end duo they've been hoping to put together for years.
3. Stephon Gilmore
Why not bring back an old flame that has since become the one that got away?
Stephon Gilmore's tenure with the Patriots ended awkwardly and confusingly, seemingly coming down to a contract dispute that resulted in him being traded mid-season. Since then, he has bounced around the league, last playing for the Cowboys in 2023.
Because New England will be on the hunt for cornerbacks in free agency and Gilmore is still playing at a high level, it seems like a win/win situation. Not to mention, it was reported Belichick inquired about trading for him last offseason but was ultimately outbid by Dallas.
Now that he's a free agent, the time is right to bring back the former Defensive Player of the Year and really put the secondary over the top.
4. Calvin Ridley
Calvin Ridley is one of the more under-the-radar receivers that should be on the Patriots radar. He was reportedly a player of interest in 2022 before he was suspended for the entire season, but clearly, that interest didn't go very far because of that.
The Jaguars still traded for him while he was suspended, and when he returned for the 2023 season, he quickly became Trevor Lawrence's go-to guy and recorded a 1,000-yard, eight-touchdown performance.
Despite being away for an entire season, he hasn't missed a step and because he's a free agent now, the Patriots could finally make a move and hopefully sign him for the 2024 season. He would quickly become the team's best receiver and instill some fear in opponents who believe the Patriot's offense has become laughable over the last few years.
5. Chase Young
If the intention is to maintain a top defense in the league, the Patriots need to add some young talent around the studs they have on the roster already.
They could add a guy like Chase Young, who had been previously connected to the team when the Commanders were looking to trade him. And now that he's heading to free agency, they could get a deal done.
The former Defensive Rookie of the Year has all the tools to be a force on the field, and pairing him with Matthew Judon could be a sight to behold. The Patriots sack leader needs a lot of help rusher the pass since he mostly does it himself, and Young could become a great #2 to play alongside him.
6. Tony Pollard
With just Rhamondre Stevenson and unproven talents signed to the roster next season, there is a big need to add another running back to the offense. The plan last year was to have Ezekiel Elliott be the guy to play alongside Stevenson, and although that went pretty well, it may be time to invest in a younger player instead.
So why not go for the guy who replaced Elliott in Dallas?
Tony Pollard has broken out over the last few seasons and is a productive half-back who would be a perfect addition to the Patriots' backfield. He recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and over 300 receiving yards as well.
Since the offense has historically loved to utilize the type of player Pollard is, there's no reason not to pursue him in free agency to build an explosive backfield as they hope to rebuild the offense.
7. Mike Onwenu
Maybe it's not super exciting to say a player from the team is a realistic signing this year, but Mike Onwenu has played a pivotal role on the offensive line since he was drafted, and it would be a gigantic mistake to let him leave Foxboro any time soon.
Retaining the right tackle should be treated with the utmost importance, as he has been the best lineman on the team by far. The unit has already been problematic over the last two seasons in particular, and the other free agents at the position are not all that exciting.
Onwenu is easily the best of the class, and it's already reported that several teams have him high on their list of targets to pursue this offseason. Allowing that to happen would be a terrible way to kick off the 2024 season, so the Patriots should do all they can to keep him for as long as possible.
8. Devin White
Like Chase Young, the Patriots could pursue Devin White to put the defense over the top, especially in the pass rush. It's no secret that it has been a struggle for New England defenders over the years, particularly against mobile quarterbacks, and the job cannot rest on Matthew Judon's shoulders alone.
White could become his right-hand man, and this season could be the best time to get a deal done with him. Judon's former coach from his days with the Ravens, Drew Wilkins. That is if they let him play in his natural position as an outside linebacker.
Or he could be mentored by Patriots great Dont'a Hightower, who is pursuing his coaching career with the team as the next inside linebackers coach, a position White played the first three years in the league.
Regardless, he's a young player with all the potential in the world and could be a great addition to an already superb defense.
9. Hunter Henry
Another pending free agent that was last a Patriot, there are more reasons to re-sign Hunter Henry than to watch him play for a different team next season. Besides having the best season of his career in his first year with the team in 2021, he has been consistently productive in the two years since.
Henry had become Mac Jones's favorite red zone target and was reliable as a blocker, which came in handy even more with a struggling offensive line.
Because the plan is to build a formidable offense for 2024 and beyond, keeping a player who has already proven himself on the team, like Henry, would be a good move by Mayo, as long as it's on a cheaper contract.
10. Ezekiel Elliott
Although a handful of standout running back talents will be free agents in just a few weeks; most don't seem like realistic options for the Patriots, no matter how much money they have to spend. That's why re-signing Ezekiel Elliott could be in the team's future.
At this point in his career, he may not be the most exciting running back in the league anymore, but he was a solid asset to the offense last year.
With an entire season under his belt and (hopefully) a proper preseason as well, there's no reason to believe he couldn't continue to be the right one for the job, especially with a new offensive coordinator and an improved offense overall.