5 under-the-radar free-agent targets for Patriots this offseason

Alohi Gilman

The free agent market is now overly saturated with safeties after the mass exodus of players at the position this past week, but with Jalen Mills and Adrian Phillips potentially not returning, Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers are going to need some help in the secondary, and Alohi Gilman could be the right one for the job.

Since entering the league in 2020, he's spent the first four years of his career with the Chargers and will test free agency for the first time. His value has significantly decreased recently due to how many safeties will now be available, but he remains a good under-the-radar candidate for the Patriots to consider.

Gilman's 2023 season was by far his most impressive. In almost every statistical measure, he received the highest PFF grades of his career, all while being on the field for double or triple the number of snaps from every previous season.

He could pair well with Dugger and Peppers, allowing them to get back into their primary roles in the box, while Gilman can be used more as the free safety. That's not his typical role, but he's been used that way enough in his career that utilizing him there more takes the two Patriots veterans out of the heavy rotation.

D.J. Chark

Because you can never have too many receivers, another the Patriots should look at is DJ Chark. He once looked like the perfect number-one guy during his days with the Jaguars and has struggled to replicate that production since then.

However, he is only 27 years old and has not had a season where he totaled under 500 yards since 2019. Considering that 561 yards was what the Patriots' leading receiver did last year, Chark's addition would ensure that was their floor instead.

He has previously been on the team's radar, and this could be the time to bring him in. His size would make him one of the bigger receivers on the team, and his quickness would also be a welcomed change.

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