5 free agents the Patriots could still sign before the 2024 season
By Rhys Knott
OT David Bakhtiari
Signing starting left tackles like David Bakhtiari or Donovan Smith would be a great idea, but Bakhtiari has more upside and Eliot Wolf knows him from his days in Green Bay.
The Patriots have said Chukwuma Okorafor will be playing left tackle in 2024, but he’s only played there in college and during preseason for the Steelers. In fact, he lined up as a tight end for the Steelers more during the regular season than he played left tackle. So that's a bit alarming.
Bakhtiari is still one of the premier blindsides in the league. The problem is he’s only played 13 games in the last three seasons.
K Randy Bullock
He’s a perennial contender for the owner of the funniest name in the league, but veteran kicker Bullock is also an accomplished goal kicker. He kicked 83.3% of the field goals he attempted in 2023.
That’s 19.3% more than Chad Ryland could manage in his rookie year. Bullock nailed 100% of his extra points too, 4% better than Ryland managed.
The Patriots have invited undrafted free agent Canadian kicker Vincent Blanchardmassive from Laval to minicamp. But a 25-year-old who’s never played in the league isn’t a huge upgrade on a 24-year-old who struggled last season.
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