The New England Patriots are looking to make some splashes this offseason. After naming Mike Vrabel as their new head coach and Drake Maye entering his second season, New England hopes to take a jump in 2025.
According to Overthecap.com, New England has a league-high $151 million available in cap space, which should make them buyers in free agency. While the legal tampering period opens at Noon ET, the Pats are wasting no time making moves.
On Monday morning, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that New England is trading DT Davon Godchaux to the New Orleans Saints for a seventh-round draft pick.
Vrabel will put his imprint on this roster, and some other players won't be around for the 2025 season. Below, we'll discuss three guys who could be on the chopping block with Godchaux gone.
1. Ben Brown, C
Ben Brown was signed by the Pats last October off the Las Vegas Raiders practice squad. He was brought in after David Andrews went down with a season-ending shoulder injury.
They needed more bodies upfront and leaned on Brown. He ended up starting 10 games for them in 2024 but wasn't the most productive player. Per PFF, Brown finished with a 52.8 overall grade (54th among 64 eligible centers), a 47.3 pass-blocking grade (56th among 64 eligible centers), and a 59.7 run-blocking grade (38th among 64 eligible centers).
He also committed five penalties and gave up four sacks. Yes, Brown was able to step out on the field and stay healthy, but he wasn't a reliable force.
New England did give Brown a one-year, $1.03 million deal in February, but they could easily move on from him for a better player in free agency. They also have David Andrews slated to come back, and they could look for a more steady backup for him.