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3 Patriots Whose Exits Would Be Addition by Subtraction This Offseason

The New England Patriots could come back better than ever next season if they walk away from these three players this offseason.

By Devon Platana

Mike Vrabel addresses the media at a press conference to announce his hiring as the New England Patriots head coach at Gillette Stadium.
Mike Vrabel addresses the media at a press conference to announce his hiring as the New England Patriots head coach at Gillette Stadium. / Eric Canha-Imagn Images
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Now that Mike Vrabel has officially been named the franchise's new head coach, the New England Patriots can turn their attention to the remainder of the NFL offseason.

The 2024 campaign was a disastrous year for the Patriots as they finished with a 4-13 record, missing the playoffs for the third consecutive season. It's going to take a lot of work to turn the current roster into a postseason contender. However, New England can improve its situation by parting ways with certain players.

Addition by subtraction can help teams turn things around, which is why the Patriots must say goodbye to these three players in the coming months.

1. Demontrey Jacobs, OT

The Patriots owned one of the NFL's worst offenses in 2024 and a big part of that stemmed from an inability to protect their quarterbacks. They finished the year with the second-worst pass block grade on Pro Football Focus and offensive tackle Demontrey Jacobs played a big role in those woes.

Jacobs played 15 games (13 starts) for New England after being claimed off waivers at the end of August. The former South Florida blocker struggled to provide adequate protection, finishing the year as the worst-graded eligible tackle in terms of total offense (38.4) and run blocking (41.9).

Additionally, his 43.1 grade as a pass blocker, ranked fourth-worst among his peers.

Jacobs, 26, is now scheduled to hit free agency in March. Although he's an exclusive rights free agent, the Patriots might decide not to tender his qualifying offer given that he was a negative asset on the gridiron more often than not.

At the end of the day, the Patriots only need blockers who can properly protect Drake Maye. Jacobs clearly isn't good enough to fit that bill, meaning it's already time to say goodbye to the Gonzales, LA native after one season.

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