4 low risk, high-reward free agents the Patriots could still sign for 2024

With teams expected to bring their rosters from 90 players to the season-allotted 53 by Tuesday, August 27, there will be new opportunities for the Patriots to add players who are still free agents to fill their biggest holes and weaknesses.

The most prominent issues remain on offense, with the offensive line being the most problematic. There are still some high value players looking for a team to play for this fall, and there's no reason for the Patriots to not pursue them, even if there is an obvious reason to explain why they're still unsigned.

That's what makes them the perfect low-risk candidate with the potential to be highly rewarding to the state of their team.

At least four free agents should be monitored by the new regime in New England, especially since the team's biggest issues were still present in its preseason finale against the Commanders on Sunday.

4 low risk, high-reward free agents the Patriots could still sign for 2024

LT Charles Leno Jr.

The Patriots were awarded two tackles from the waiver wire on Wednesday, but given the significant issues they appear to have with their offensive line protection, it wouldn't be a bad idea to look into adding an experienced veteran like Charles Leno Jr.

The 32-year-old left tackle spent most of his career with the Bears and played the last three seasons with the Commanders, protecting various quarterbacks.

Because of that and his impressive PFF grades as a pass blocker, Leno would be great insurance for any quarterback the Patriots choose to put under center. Given his age, he won't necessarily be a long-term solution, but his experience and size are invaluable and would immediately boost the success of the offensive line and the quarterback.

WR Michael Thomas

Perhaps one of the more controversial options the Patriots could still sign is wide receiver, Michael Thomas, a player who has gone from the top of the league at his position to dealing with nagging injuries that have halted much of his career during the last four years.

The Patriots receiving corps has been one of their weakest groups for quite some time and is projected to remain that way this upcoming season. The new regime certainly made efforts to improve the roster by heavily pursuing Calvin Ridley in free agency and Brandon Aiyuk via trade this summer. However, nothing panned out, and DeMario Douglas and, eventually, Kendrick Bourne will still lead the group.

That could lead to bringing in a guy like Thomas, who has proven he can be a WR1 and a game-changer, a factor the team has lacked. He showed he can still be productive during the 2023 season, catching passes from Derek Carr, recording 39 receptions for 448 yards and a touchdown.

Since he's still a free agent and most teams are likely reluctant to take a chance, New England could snag a potentially high-value talent for a low price tag and a significant boost to an otherwise unexciting offense.

DE Yannick Ngakoue

The decision to trade their best pass rusher earlier this month was met with conflicting responses, mainly because Matthew Judon had become a fan favorite and had already performed well enough to land himself within the top ten sack leaders of all time in Patriots history.

There will be a significant hole on the defensive line, which doesn't bode well for the team's chances of maintaining a dominant defense for the season ahead. But they've made it clear they believe their young defenders can handle the task at hand, even if there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the group.

Because of that, a guy like Yannick Ngakoue could increase their chances of remaining competitive through their defense. Adding an eight-year veteran to the lineup would bring security and proven production immediately, which seems enough reason to take the risk in signing him.

It would be even more beneficial in the absence of Christian Barmore, who will likely miss the entire 2025 season due to health issues. Last year, he was the leading pass rusher, totaling 8.5 sacks, mostly near the end of the season.

So adding Ngakoue\, who has recorded 23.5 sacks over the last three years, would be a massive help to a group needing to prove themselves without their best defensive players.

TE C.J. Uzomah

Besides Hunter Henry, the Patriots tight end room is far from complete. The assumption has been that Austin Hooper would take the role of Henry's backup, mainly because of his connection to offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, but his performance thus far has been anything but solid enough to lock up a spot on this season's roster.

Hooper and rookie Jaheim Bell will likely compete for that spot, but there's still potential to add another productive player like recently released C.J. Uzomah.

The 31-year-old showed flashes of great play during his seven years with the Bengals and attempted to do the same with the Jets over the last two years. However, with Tyler Conklin having already earned the trust of the New York offense, Uzomah didn't get as many opportunities as he should have.

Despite that, he could be a good backup for Henry if Hooper and Bell aren't cutting it.

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