The New England Patriots have some work to do this offseason. They accomplished a lot in the 2021 NFL season, but after getting thrashed by the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round, it’s clear that the gap between the Patriots and the top of the league still is pretty large.
Unfortunately, it will be easier said than done for New England to drastically improve over the offseason. Their salary cap situation isn’t the greatest due to their spending spree from free agency last year, but there are some different avenues the front office could take when it comes to freeing up cap space.
In the draft, the Pats will find themselves with the 21st pick in the first round, giving them a chance to bring in a high level playmaker on either side of the ball. For a defense that looked slow and lethargic for much of the final stretch of the season, and an offense that lacked a true top tier playmaker, the ability to add NFL level talent for cheap can never be overlooked.
But before we get into the fun part of the offseason, the Patriots have to decide what they are going to do with their own free agents. New England has 20 of their own players set to hit the open market, and it’s safe to assume that all 20 of them will not be returning to the team next season. The front office has to figure out who to keep, and who to let go, so let’s take a look at the top three free agents the Pats should look to re-sign.
New England Patriots free agent that needs to be re-signed No. 3: Ja’Whaun Bentley
Ja’Whaun Bentley found himself getting forced into a role he almost certainly was not ready for in 2020. With Dont’a Hightower opting out of the season due to COVID concerns, Bentley was forced to take over his role as leader of the defense despite playing sparingly over his first two seasons. For the most part, Bentley held his own, although his inexperience was on full display at times throughout the season.
This season, Bentley saw his responsibilities lessened to an extent with the return of Hightower, and he put together his best season right before he hits free agency. Bentley finished at the Patriots leading tackler with 109, picked up a sack, and force three fumbles along the way too. Bentley displayed a lot of potential early in his career, and he has continually gotten better with each passing season.
Now New England finds themselves in a bit of a pickle. Both Bentley and Hightower are set for free agency, and it feels like there is only room for one of them on the roster. The harsh truth is that Bentley outperformed Hightower this past season, and if the Patriots want to get younger and faster on defense, it starts with bringing back Bentley to anchor the defense from the middle.
Bentley doesn’t come without his flaws though. While he excels against the run, Bentley struggles in coverage, and he’s going to need to improve on that if he wants to become a true three-down linebacker. Bentley showed a bit of improvement this past season, but he still has some work to do there.
In the same way that Hightower was tasked with replacing Jerod Mayo at the start of his career, it’s time for Bentley to take over for Hightower now. He shouldn’t have to do it alone, as Kyle Van Noy can play inside to help in coverage too, and I wouldn’t be surprised if an early pick is used in an attempt to find Bentley’s partner of the future at linebacker. Bentley could have a robust market, but that shouldn’t prevent the Patriots from bringing back their developing young linebacker.
New England Patriots free agent that needs to be re-signed No. 2: Trent Brown
The 2021 season didn’t get off to a great start for Trent Brown. After getting traded back to the Patriots from the Las Vegas Raiders in the offseason, Brown suffered a calf injury just seven snaps into the season, and wouldn’t find his way back to the field until Week 10. But once he did, the Patriots offensive line finally found their rhythm.
Brown took back his spot at right tackle and the offense was instantly better. Brown would consistently open up huge holes for the ground game to take advantage of, and he remained as solid as ever in pass protection. When you are going up against a guy who is 6’8, 380 pounds, you aren’t going to get by him very often.
He may not have had his best season to date, but Brown is going to be a hot commodity on the market if he opts to test it. The demand for capable tackles in the NFL has really never been higher, and when he’s healthy, Brown is one of the best in the game. If the Patriots want to keep their most prized possession, Mac Jones, healthy for the foreseeable future, they should do whatever it takes to bring back Brown.
The good thing is it seems fairly reasonable to expect both sides to find common ground. Brown seemed thrilled to be back in New England after two rough seasons with the Raiders, and he’s already getting pitches made to him by guys like Kendrick Bourne for him to stay with the Pats. It wouldn’t surprise me if the two sides were able to reach a deal before free agency begins.
Brown is a bit of unicorn of sorts in the NFL, and his return to the team would ensure the Patriots offensive line would have some much needed continuity moving forward. Brown can play both of the tackle positions on the line in a pinch, and he rarely allows his opponent to get the better of him. Bringing Brown back has to be the top priority for the offense this offseason, and they could end up paying dearly if they end up letting him walk.
New England Patriots free agent that needs to be re-signed No. 1: J.C. Jackson
The Patriots top priority this offseason is without a doubt J.C. Jackson. Jackson has developed into a true number one cornerback who can hang with the opposing teams’ top wideout, and you cannot really put a price on that. Jackson had the unenviable task of replacing Stephon Gilmore this season, and he made most Patriots fans forget that Gilmore was even a part of the 2021 team.
The problem is that the Patriots don’t have a lot of room to work with here. Both sides have shown an interest in reaching a deal, but at this point, New England would have to utilize a large chunk of their cap space to bring back Jackson. Considering how thin the Pats salary cap situation is right now, it doesn’t exactly make the situation look great.
The good news is that the front office is only just getting started with their offseason work. There’s a lot of dead weight on the roster as currently constructed, and it’s safe to expect moving on from those unhelpful pieces will clear up some cap space. Jackson could be looking at deal worth somewhere near $20 million per year, so the next few weeks could be crucial if the team intends on bringing back Jackson.
The other avenue the team could use is the franchise tag, but that’s obviously a less than ideal scenario. Franchise tag valuations aren’t set yet, but it’s looking like the tag for a cornerback would be around $17 million. Of course, New England could tag Jackson and then look to trade him, but I would consider that one of the least likely solutions at this point.
Since the Patriots season has ended, no new information has really come out regarding Jackson’s status. He seems to want to to re-sign with New England, but he also wants to get paid. It’s a delicate line for the Pats to walk, but if they play their cards correctly, they will end up with Jackson taking back the spot he made his own this season as the team’s top cornerback.