4 Patriots Starters Fans Want Replaced This Offseason

The New England Patriots have a big offseason ahead of them after missing the playoffs for the third time in four seasons. With the Bill Belichick era in the rearview mirror, Jerod Mayo is the new head coach steering the ship and it's now up to management to give him the proper pieces to succeed going forward.

If the Patriots want to produce better results in 2024, shaking up the starting lineup is an obvious move. While some of New England's starters had decent showing last seasons, others were key reasons behind the team's shortcomings.

Here are four Patriots starters who must be replaced this offseason.

1. WR JuJu Smith-Schuster

The Patriots hoped that JuJu Smith-Schuster would become their No. 1 wide receiver when they inked him to a three-year, $33 million contract last offseason. After all, the ex-USC Trojan is a former 1,400-yard wideout and just won Super Bowl LVII with the Kansas City Chiefs last February.

Unfortunately, the 27-year-old left much to be desired. Smith-Schuster started in seven of his 11 appearances, converting 29 receptions into 260 yards with one touchdown — by far the worst performance of his career. He also carried an abysmal 48.2 passer rating on the 47 targets he saw.

It's become increasingly clear that Smith-Schuster might not be the everyday starter that he once was. Yes, he nearly had 1,000 yards in 2022, but that had a lot to do with Patrick Mahomes passing him the ball. I just can't see him returning to that level in New England — especially with the Patriots likely using a rookie QB next season.

If the Patriots can replace Smith-Schuster with a WR1 through the draft or free agency, they can't afford to hesitate.