Patriots' Team Needs to Fill in 2023 NFL Free Agency

The New England Patriots have one of the clearest sets of free agency objectives in the NFL.

Bill Belichick's team needs to improve at wide receiver and offensive tackle to help Mac Jones, and it needs to reinforce its secondary.

New England could keep the status quo by re-signing Jakobi Meyers, Isaiah Wynn and Jonathan Jones, but keeping the same talent may not be good enough to compete in the AFC East.

The Patriots need to get better on paper to prove they are able to match the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins in the AFC East. The New York Jets could be thrown into that category as well depending on how their quarterback hunt shakes out.

New England showed a willingness to spend in free agency two years ago, but the offensive additions brought in during the 2021 offseason did not pan out as well as the team expected.

The Patriots are under pressure to deliver a better free-agent class this offseason in order to compete for the divisional crown.

Wide Receiver

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ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 08: Jakobi Meyers #16 of the New England Patriots catches a touchdown over Taron Johnson #7 of the Buffalo Bills during the first quarter at Highmark Stadium on January 08, 2023 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)

New England's free-agent approach at wide receiver should have layers to it.

Re-signing Jakobi Meyers should be the first objective on New England's offensive to-do list.

Meyers significantly improved over the last two seasons of his rookie deal. He produced over 800 receiving yards in each of the last two years, and he recorded his career high in touchdown catches of six in 2022.

The fifth-year player is a quality pass-catcher to have in the offense, and bringing him back would help with some offensive continuity for Mac Jones.

Meyers can't be the only player signed at wide receiver. The Patriots need more weapons around Jones to compete in a conference that has some of the deepest wide receiver rooms in the NFL.

The Patriots could explore the trade market as well for the likes of Brandin Cooks, Jerry Jeudy and DeAndre Hopkins, all of whom enter the offseason with a new head coach in place with their respective teams.

JuJu Smith-Schuster is the best option on the free-agent market. He has experience as a No. 1 wideout from his time in Pittsburgh and Kansas City, but the Patriots have to decide if he can be the guy to take the offense to the next level.

If not, the Patriots could go after some more depth at wide receiver. Kendrick Bourne and DeVante Parker can be inconsistent at times, and Tyquan Thornton is not proven as a reliable pass-catcher yet.

The Patriots could cut Bourne and go after a better No. 3, or someone with a similar profile as Meyers as a No. 2 wideout.

Mack Hollins, Robert Woods and Mecole Hardman could be solid depth pieces if New England attacks the free-agent market in an aggressive manner at wide receiver.

Offensive Tackle

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New England Patriots offensive tackle Trent Brown moves to block against the Buffalo Bills during an NFL football game at Gillette Stadium Sunday, Dec. 26, 2021, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

New England needs to find the right complement to Trent Brown on the right side of the offensive line.

The Patriots are set to lose Isaiah Wynn in free agency, and that may be a good thing for the team given his injury history. Wynn started more than 10 games once in his four-year stint in New England.

Belichick and his staff could swing big and land Kaleb McGary or Mike McGlinchey at right tackle. They are the two best right-sided offensive linemen on the free-agent market.

A big swing on the interior would require a strong financial commitment, and the Patriots can produce that with $36 million in salary-cap space, per Spotrac.

The Patriots are benefiting from having a quarterback on a rookie contract. They need to do their best to maximize the rest of Jones' rookie deal window to contend in the AFC before they commit loads of money to him.

New England needs to commit to Jones this offseason in the form of help across the board on offense. That would allow Jones to prove he can thrive in the NFL with the best support possible around him.

Security on the right side is needed after the former Alabama signal-caller was taken down on 34 occasions in 2022, which was an increase from 28 sacks suffered in 2021.

Cornerback

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 30: Jalen Mills #2 of the New England Patriots warms up before a game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on October 30, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

A lot of New England's free-agent attention should come on offense because it needs to give Jones the best possible chance to win in his third season.

But the Patriots will also be keen to land help at cornerback to keep Josh Allen, Tua Tagovailoa and other opposing quarterbacks off the field.

New England could lose Jonathan Jones in free agency and be left with Marcus Jones, Jack Jones, Jalen Mills and Shaun Wade as the under-contract corners.

That is a solid group, but it needs to be upgraded for the Patriots to deal with the multi-faceted offenses strewn across the AFC.

A big swing for James Bradberry could happen with the team's salary-cap space, but if most of that money is committed to the offense, the Patriots could look to Cameron Sutton, Sean Murphy-Bunting or Patrick Peterson instead of the top corner available.

Peterson had the most interceptions of any free-agent cornerback in 2022. Sutton was one of five free-agent corners to record at least three picks.

New England could use an aggressive corner to replace the eight interceptions it could lose from Jones and Devin McCourty.