5 lingering questions Patriots need to answer this summer

4. Should other players be signed with the remaining camp space?

Even though fans' expectations for free agency this year weren't exactly met, the Patriots' new staff did a pretty good job with the free agents they signed and the players they extended. The team definitely seems to be in a better position to win this year than last, but improvements need to be made by adding more talent.

They have more than enough cap space to do just that, with over $40 million still available to sign free agents or trade for players if they choose to.

At this point in the offseason, most rosters are set, and not many additions are made, only cuts. However, a few enticing players are still looking for a team to play for this season, and the Patriots could be a good team to sign them.

If they want to improve their receiving corps even further, they could consider Michael Thomas. Or, if they want to add another lockdown cornerback to the roster to help out Christian Gonzalez and Jonathan Jones, Stephon Gilmore is still available.

Other quality players have gone under the radar this offseason and are still looking to be signed, but it's unclear if the Patriots are looking to add more players to their roster ahead of training camp. They should make this decision soon so they can have the best team possible for the most important practices of the offseason.

5. Which receivers will give the offense the best chance at being better than last year?

Since the end of minicamp, the Patriots have 12 receivers signed to their roster, yet only a few are likely locks for the 2024 season; Javon Baker, Kendrick Bourne, DeMario Douglas, and Ja'Lynn Polk. The rest are questionable at best, which isn't exactly the best position for the team to be in.

Although it's ideal to have a lot of players signed so you can get a good look at a lot of talent at the same time, a problem the Patriots haven't had in many years; most of them are not the caliber of player the team needs to improve their offense, which was a focus of this offseason.

But at the same time, the two receivers they picked up in the draft, Baker and Polk, have already shown to be explosive and hard-working through spring practices, which is an exciting development for a team that needs that type of energy and production from their receiving corps.

Douglas is the other top candidate to make the offense better than a year ago, especially since he hopes to become even more integrated on game day than he was as a rookie. He impressed as the team's leading receiver, recording 49 receptions for 561 yards, and is expected to break out even more now that he has a year of experience under his belt.

Bourne could be that playmaker, too, whenever he can get back on the field after rehabbing from a torn ACL suffered last season. He was on track to record the best year of his career before the injury, so hopefully, he can pick up where he left off.

Otherwise, the Patriots' only option is to make a blockbuster trade for a top-name receiver like Brandon Aiyuk or Tee Higgins. It's a decision they'll have to ponder over the next several weeks.

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