With teams expected to trim their rosters from 90 players to the season’s planned 53 by Tuesday, August 27, new opportunities arise for the Patriots to sign players who are still free agents to fill their biggest holes and weaknesses.
The biggest problems remain on offense, with the offensive line being the most problematic. There are still some quality players looking for a team to play for in the fall, and there’s no reason for the Patriots not to sign them, even if there’s an obvious reason why they haven’t been signed yet.
This makes them the perfect candidate with low risk and the potential to have a highly rewarding impact on their team’s performance.
At least four free agents should be kept in mind by the new regime in New England, especially since the team’s biggest problems were still present in the last preseason game against the Commanders on Sunday.
LT Charles Leno Jr.
The Patriots were awarded two tackles from the waiver list on Wednesday, but given the obvious issues they have defending their offensive line, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to consider signing a seasoned veteran like Charles Leno Jr.
The 32-year-old left tackle spent most of his career with the Bears and played the last three seasons with the Commanders, where he protected various quarterbacks.
Because of that, and his impressive PFF numbers as a pass blocker, Leno would be a great backup to whatever quarterback the Patriots choose to start at quarterback. Considering his age, he’s not necessarily a long-term solution, but his experience and size are invaluable and would immediately boost the success of the offensive line and quarterback.
WR Michael Thomas
Perhaps one of the more controversial options the Patriots could still sign is wide receiver Michael Thomas, a player who was once at the top of the league at his position and is now battling persistent injuries that have derailed his career for much of the last four years.
The Patriots’ receivers have been one of their weakest groups for some time now and that will likely continue to be the case next season. The new regime has certainly made an effort to improve the roster by heavily courting Calvin Ridley as a free agent and Brandon Aiyuk via trade this summer. However, nothing has worked out and DeMario Douglas and eventually Kendrick Bourne will continue to lead the group.
That could lead to bringing in a guy like Thomas, who has proven he can be a WR1 and a game-changer, a factor the team has lacked so far. He showed he can still be productive in the 2023 season by catching passes from Derek Carr, recording 39 receptions for 448 yards and a touchdown.
Since he’s still a free agent and most teams probably aren’t willing to take the risk, New England could snag a potentially high-caliber talent for a low price and give a significant boost to an otherwise unexciting offense.
EN Yannick Ngakoue
The decision to trade their top pass rusher earlier this month was met with mixed reactions, mainly because Matthew Judon had become a fan favorite and had already performed so well that he earned a place among the top 10 sack leaders in Patriots history.
There will be a significant gap in defense, which does not bode well for the team’s chances of maintaining a dominant defense next season. But they have made it clear that they believe their young defenders can handle the task ahead, even if there are many uncertainties surrounding the group.
For this reason, a player like Yannick Ngakoue could increase their chances of remaining competitive through their defense. Adding a veteran with eight years of experience to the lineup would immediately bring security and proven performance, which seems like reason enough to take the risk of signing him.
It would be even more beneficial if Christian Barmore, who will likely miss the entire 2025 season due to health issues, is out. Last year, he was the leading pass rusher and totaled 8.5 sacks, mostly toward the end of the season.
Therefore, signing Ngakoue, who has recorded 23.5 sacks over the past three years, would be a tremendous help to a group that has to prove itself without its best defensive players.
TE CJ Uzomah
Aside from Hunter Henry, the Patriots’ tight end roster is far from complete. Austin Hooper was expected to take on the role of Henry’s replacement, largely due to his connection to offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, but his performance so far has been far from solid enough to earn a spot on this season’s roster.
Hooper and rookie Jaheim Bell will likely compete for that spot, but there is still the potential to add another productive player like the recently released CJ Uzomah.
The 31-year-old consistently performed well during his seven years with the Bengals and tried to do the same with the Jets over the past two years. However, with Tyler Conklin already earning the trust of New York’s offense, Uzomah didn’t get as many chances as he should have.
Still, he could be a good replacement for Henry if Hooper and Bell aren’t enough.
