5 great free agents Patriots could've signed but didn't

Patriots could have signed tight end Noah Fant

Maybe they were never going to have a real opportunity to pursue him because he re-signed with the Seahawks, but it would've been nice to see Noah Fant on the Patriots in 2024, even more so than Austin Hooper.

It was clear New England would address the tight ends in free agency, with Mike Gesicki and Hunter Henry looking for contracts with them or somewhere else. Henry was re-signed on a 3-year deal but remained the only player at the position signed for next season.

Gesicki moved on to sign with the Bengals, and Pharaoh Brown signed with the Seahawks, so there was a big need to add talent to play alongside Henry. That's why Fant became a popular name and felt like a potentially great fit for the Patriots right now and in the future.

The 26-year-old landed with the Seahawks as part of the trade package with the Broncos for Russell Wilson in 2022 and quickly became the TE1 in a loaded offense. He recorded two pretty good seasons and then headed to free agency this year but re-signed with Seattle on a 2-year, $21 million contract not long after hitting the market.

Fant would've been a great addition to the roster, especially to pair with Henry. Instead, Eliot Wolf went the safe route and signed a guy he's familiar with (Hooper) and hopes he can revert to the player he once was in New England.

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