Patriots Rumors: WR, OT, TE 'Top Priorities' Ahead of 2024 NFL Free Agency

As NFL free agency quickly approaches, the New England Patriots have reportedly identified their biggest needs this offseason, all of which reside on the offensive side of the ball.

According to The Athletic's Chad Graff and Jeff Howe, the Patriots' "top priorities in free agency, according to team and league sources, are, in order, wide receiver, offensive tackle and tight end."

The Patriots are coming off a lost season in which they finished with a 4-13 record and missed the playoffs for the third time in four years. Longtime head coach Bill Belichick mutually agreed to part ways with the team after 24 seasons and was replaced by Jerod Mayo, who spent his entire playing career in New England and served as the team's inside linebackers coach for the last five years.

With the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL draft, the Patriots face a crucial offseason that will shape the franchise's future. Graff and Howe noted that New England is likely to cut cornerback J.C. Jackson, which would open up more than $14 million in cap space and allow the team to "likely enter free agency in mid-March with more than $100 million in cap space."

Despite the Patriots' desires to improve their talent on offense, this year's free agency class isn't very deep, especially at the wide receiver position. The Cincinnati Bengals have already used their franchise tag on Tee Higgins, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are reportedly working on re-signing Mike Evans.

Graff and Howe named Calvin Ridley as the receiver New England is most likely to have a shot at, but they warned that the team could end up overspending for him. The Patriots have been without a true No. 1 wideout for quite some time, so they might have no choice but to pay a premium to fill that void.