The New England Patriots are back at the drawing board now that the Super Bowl has come and gone. Now, they will look to improve the roster by adding more talent this offseason. The offense will take the front seat in terms of resources allocated towards those additions.
Despite making this Super Bowl run, the protection up front on the offensive line, along with the playmakers around them, must be better. Drake Maye's continued development is the most important thing for New England moving forward, which is why center Garrett Bradbury should be looking over his shoulder this offseason.
Garrett Bradbury Could Be Fighting for Job with Patriots
Last offseason, Bradbury signed a two-year, $12 million deal, but it included only $3.8 million in guaranteed money. He was brought in to be a veteran, stabilizing force in the middle of the offensive line. Despite starting in all 17 games for the Patriots, he had an uneven season.
He didn't allow a sack or commit a penalty all season, but he still gave up 20 pressures and had his fair share of problems as a run-blocker. According to Pro Football Focus, Bradbury had a 60.1 overall grade (30th among 40 graded centers), a 56.2 run-blocking grade (35th among 40 graded centers), and a 63.1 run-blocking grade (23rd among 40 graded centers).
Playing in every game isn't anything to scoff at, but the Patriots need better play from the offensive line as a whole. Will Campbell got the most slate following the Super Bowl loss, yet Bradbury was the third-worst player on the field per PFF. In the loss, he posted a 49.2 overall grade. Bradbury allowed six pressures, five hurries, and a sack.
The offensive line didn't give Maye and the passing attack a chance in the biggest game of the year. This was his second straight game with an overall grade of 60 or lower, per PFF. The Patriots enter the offseason with $41 million in cap space, per OvertheCap.
They have more than enough money to make meaningful additions to the roster, and fans should expect the offensive line to be at the top of the list. There are plenty of other quality options set to hit the open market. That list includes Connor McGovern, Ethan Pocic, Cade Mays, and Tyler Linderbaum.
Any of those guys would raise the floor for the offensive line and would push Bradbury to the bench. It's also worth noting that Bradbury is on the books for 2026 at $7.4 million, but New England could release him to create $6.2 million in cap space. They are likely to keep him around for the 2026 season, but they could add another presence to that room.
If they can get better at center this offseason, there's a good chance Bradbury isn't the player at the top of the depth chart. It wouldn't be a shocker to see the Patriots create competition there, so the NC State product must bring his A-game to keep his job.