While Mike Vrabel tries to rework the New England Patriots defense, Chad Johnson — for some reason — urged the organization to sign Stefon Diggs. Regardless, here is the Patriots’ biggest need they must address after the first week of 2025 NFL free agency.
Vrabel inherited a mess of a team. The Patriots finished 4-13 last season and seemed to earn every one of those setbacks. Looking at the Patriots’ depth chart at wide receiver, they certainly need to do something.
It’s not likely the Patriots will get a lot done on offense with a receiver room led by DeMario Douglas. Also, Kendrick Bourne and Kayshon Boutte are joined by Mack Hollins, Ja’Lynn Polk, Javon Baker, and other relatively unknown ball catchers.
But as much as the receiver room is shaky, the offensive line needs even more attention.
Patriots’ needs are many, but specifically OL
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel discusses the teamís recent free agent additions with the media at Gillette Stadium. Eric Canha-Imagn Images
The Patriots have not been able to reel in a left tackle. They missed out on the Rams Alaric Jackson and Baltimore’s Ronnie Stanley when they both re-signed with their teams.
Vrabel said he hasn’t forgotten about the offensive line, according to espn.com.
“We will target the offensive line,” Vrabel said. “We’ll continue to look at the wide receiver position as it relates to free agency, explore every option with other teams. And potentially then we’ll get to the point where we’re looking at the draft. There’s a lot of time. I know everybody is like ‘it’s over in free agency.’ It’s never over.”
If the Patriots lined up for Week 1 tomorrow, they would have Vederian Lowe protecting the blind side of young quarterback Drake Maye. Lowe started 13 games for the Patriots in 2024, but had only eight starts in his first two NFL seasons. He got drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 draft by the Vikings.
Other keys to the line are left guard Layden Robinson, center Garrett Bradbury, right guard Mike Onwenu, and right tackle Morgan Moses.
Vrabel said the key to making things work at any position is that the players are on board with what the organization is doing, according to masslive.com.
“I think a successful season is going to be one where the players believe in what we’re doing,” Vrabel said. “This is what’s going to help us, this is what’s best for us. These people care. That allows us to get better as the season goes on, that allows us to improve as the season goes on, and the teams that improve as the season goes on usually have an opportunity to play in January.”
But what options are remaining on the offensive line?
But the Patriots don’t have a huge amount of players to chase. They’ve watched line talent like Cam Robinson (Texans) sign with other teams.
The Patriots’ addition of Moses helps but isn’t the answer, according to musketfire.com.
“While the addition of a veteran like Morgan Moses is a good move, as he will be the starting right tackle, the blind side is more of a concern and has been for New England for many years now, which is not a great spot for a young quarterback like Maye to be in,” Sara Marshall wrote.
Keep in mind the Patriots arguably had the worst offensive line in the NFL last season. They knew it needed a major fix. And so far the answers haven’t been found.
The big question looming is whether the Patriots can acquire help through free agency, or whether they would spend their No. 4 overall pick on a player like Armand Membou. Or they could look at LSU’s Will Campbell. Some draft analysts have Membou ahead of Campbell while others are vice-versa. NFL Draft Buzz has Ohio State’s Josh Simmons in that mix as well.
A problem that could emerge for the Patriots is how the first three picks in the draft. The Patriots might not be able to draft a lineman if the order of picks goes the way nbcsports.com thinks it will go. Phil Perry has the Titans taking quarterback Cam Ward and the Browns following with linebacker Abdul Carter. Then the New York Giants would grab Shedeur Sanders.
Suddenly, the Patriots could find themselves in a can’t-pass-up-situation of having Travis Hunter still on the board.
“If the first three picks fall this way, the Patriots shouldn’t have to stew on this decision for any length of time,” Perry wrote. “Hunter is one of two blue-chip non-quarterbacks in the class, and he’d slot in immediately as New England’s most talented pass-catcher.”
It would be a good problem to have, getting a player like Hunter. But the Patriots will likely have trouble finding consistency on offense if they can’t fix the offensive line.
