5 biggest signing mistakes by the Patriots in 2023

The Patriots signed ten free agents from other teams in 2023; 6 were on the offensive side of the ball. And, since the offense was less than spectacular, not many of them really fulfilled their true potential.

But who were the biggest signing mistakes overall?

Trace McSorley 

Admit it, you’d forgotten the Patriots signed him back in April, hadn’t you? That’s probably because he was only in New England until August. Yes, he was only a Patriot for 137 days, but that’s time that could have been invested in someone who could have actually contributed to the regular season.

The Patriots weren’t the only team to dip their toe into the McSorley waters in 2023, though. He spent 35 days as a Bear and closed his season with 37 days as a Steeler. Just think of all the free stash he’s collected. 

Riley Reiff 

Some would say paying a 35-year-old offensive lineman who hasn’t played an entire season since 2015 $5 million was unwise. And they’d be correct. It’s impossible to evaluate Reiff’s performance during the 2023 season since he only played 46 snaps this season. 

On paper, an offensive line featuring the veteran presences of Reiff, Trent Brown, and David Andrews looked like the basis for an efficient offense. In reality, that hardly ever happened, and 3 Patriots quarterbacks were sacked a total of 48 times. That’s three times as many sacks as touchdown passes.