5 Patriots Leaving New England in the New Year
After a painful last four months, the New England Patriots will finally wrap up the 2024 NFL regular season against the Buffalo Bills in Week 18.
It's been a horrendous year for the Patriots, who are heading into Sunday's finale tied with three other teams for an NFL-worst 3-13 record. Whether Jerod Mayo's team beats or loses to the rival Bills, one thing is certain: a plethora of changes are coming to New England this offseason.
With a good chunk of the roster leaving much to be desired, several players are likely playing their final game in a Patriots jersey this weekend. Trimming the fat is an absolutely necessity if the Pats want to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2021 next season.
Keeping that in mind, here are five Patriots who are likely leaving New England in the New Year.
1. Jacoby Brissett, QB
The Patriots secured their quarterback of the future when they drafted ex-UNC product Drake Maye third overall next year. Although the dual-threat signal-caller possesses the tools to become a legitimate franchise QB, management didn't view Maye as being NFL-ready, leading to a reunion with veteran gunslinger Jacoby Brissett.
Brissett, 32, was once seen as Tom Brady's potential successor after the Patriots drafted the former with a 2016 third-round pick. The 6-foot-4 QB left New England one year leader to prove that he had the potential to be a starter, going 18-33 with 11,000 passing yards, 53 touchdowns, and an 84.3 passer rating while playing for four franchises since leaving the Pats.
Unfortunately, Brissett hasn't shown a similar level of consistency this season.
The West Palm Beach, FL native's run as the Patriots starter only lasted the first five weeks of the 2024 campaign. Brissett was quickly usurped by Maye after leading the team to a 1-4 record, completing just 58.5% of passes for 696 yards with two TDs to one interception while also fumbling the ball three times on just 12 carries.
His 74.2 passer rating is also, by far, the worst mark in any season where he's made at least five starts.
Now that Maye — despite his flaws — looks like he can handle the NFL workload, there isn't a good reason to bring Brissett back in 2025. At the end of the day, the veteran QB just isn't a good fit for Mayo's offense and will likely be replaced by another experienced (and more reliable) backup option via free agency.