5 lingering questions Patriots need to answer this summer

2. Who else needs to be extended before the start of the season?

Eliot Wolf has been hard at work since joining the Patriots earlier this year as the de facto general manager and eventually earning the title of executive vice president of player personnel. He made a great impression in free agency (for the most part) and really earned the praise of fans with the players he re-signed and extended, which continued this past week.

News broke earlier this week that Rhamondre Stevenson had agreed to a new four-year, $36 million contract with the Patriots. He's the latest player to be extended beyond the 2024 season, joining Christian Barmore, Kendrick Bourne, Kyle Dugger, Hunter Henry, Mike Onwenu, and Joshua Uche.

It's a great list of worthy players who have been integral to the team's success in recent years, but there are still a few who deserve extensions as well, which the team will need to decide before training camp.

Of course, the main player is Matthew Judon, who has produced more than his fair share over the last three seasons. The pass-rushing expert has already declared his desire to retire with the team, so it would be wise for Wolf to get a deal done ASAP.

Then there's Davon Godchaux, who appears to be doing a hold-in by not participating in mandatory minicamp earlier this month. He's also been a solid addition to the defensive line, adding another name in the mix for Wolf to consider extending.

To avoid any further holdouts, Wolf should get these deals done quickly.

3. Are the right pieces in place to form a sturdy offensive line?

One of the weakest parts of the Patriots' offense during the 2023 season, outside of the quarterback, was the offensive line. The new regime made sure to add talent to the unit in free agency and double-dipped at the position in this year's draft.

Although that's a great effort, the line remained a problematic part of OTAs and minicamp, looking slightly disheveled and concerning despite the lack of intense practices.

It was apparent they were trying to figure out the best lineup for the unit, as seen by the shuffling of players throughout the spring. We saw Mike Onwenu line up at right guard, Sidy Sow at right tackle, and even Caedan Wallace taking reps in multiple positions.

Mayo revealed they want the players to be versatile while also trying to figure out the best lineup for the offense. While this makes sense and should continue, it's also a bit concerning not to see the linemen look much better than they did one year ago.

There will need to be an emphasis on ensuring they are putting the best talent out on the field no matter who is in at quarterback, and that might mean looking at free agents to increase their chances of success.