Early Free-Agent Contracts the Patriots Must Consider

After the New England Patriots' 11-year streak of making the playoffs ended in 2020, this could be an offseason of change for the team. The post-Tom Brady era got off to a rocky start for the Pats, but they could potentially put the pieces in place to have better results in 2021.

Not only does New England own the No. 15 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, but it's also going to have a lot of cap space to help it fill the holes on its roster. According to Over the Cap, the Patriots are projected to have $57.3 million of available cap space (assuming a $176 million base salary cap), which will be the fourth most in the NFL.

One of the most important decisions New England will have to make is who its quarterback will be moving forward. Cam Newton wasn't great in his first season with the Pats, and now, he'll again be a free agent. It's possible the Patriots will use their top draft pick on a quarterback, or they could potentially seek out a trade (perhaps with the Detroit Lions for Matthew Stafford or with the Houston Texans for Deshaun Watson).

New England could also go after a free-agent quarterback, but there may not be many great options, especially if Dak Prescott can work out a deal to stay with the Dallas Cowboys. So, it could end up being better for the Patriots to address other positions through free agency.

Here's a look at several players who the Patriots should consider going after during free agency, which begins March 17 (with the legal tampering period beginning 48 hours earlier on March 15).

JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

No matter who the Patriots end up getting to play quarterback, they're also going to need to add some more playmakers to their offense. New England's receiving corps was one of its weak areas in 2020, so it could benefit from adding one of the top available free agents.

JuJu Smith-Schuster drew a lot of attention this past season for his TikTok dances on other teams' logos and his comments that provided bulletin-board material for the Steelers' opponents. But the 24-year-old wide receiver had a solid year on the field, hauling in 97 passes for 831 yards and nine touchdowns in 16 games.

If Smith-Schuster could limit those off-the-field actions while playing for head coach Bill Belichick in New England, it could be a great addition for the Patriots' offense, which had no players with more than three receiving touchdowns this past season (and no wide receivers with more than two). Pro Football Focus is projecting Smith-Schuster to sign for four years and $68 million, but that could be money well spent for the Pats.

Although the Steelers could try to sign Smith-Schuster or potentially give him a franchise tag, they have depth in their receiving corps with Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool. So, Smith-Schuster could be one of the top impending free agents to make it to the market.

The Patriots could potentially pursue multiple wide receivers to boost their offense. They should start with Smith-Schuster, though, as he could give them strong play for multiple years and help them return to having a top unit.

Hunter Henry, TE

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Here's another pass-catcher who the Patriots could pursue during free agency. New England may need a tight end even more than it needs a wide receiver, considering neither Ryan Izzo nor Devin Asiasi made much of an impact this past season. And the Pats' offense has fared better when they've had a top tight end, like they had with Rob Gronkowski from 2010-18.

Hunter Henry will be the top tight end on the free-agent market after he spent his first five NFL seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers. Although the 26-year-old has dealt with numerous injuries early in his career, he mostly stayed healthy in 2020, recording a career-high 60 receptions for 613 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games.

Before the Patriots played the Chargers during the regular season, Belichick told reporters (including Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal) that he's watched Henry since the tight end was in high school, calling him a "complete and very, very good football player." So it wouldn't be a surprise if New England pursues Henry this offseason.

Like Smith-Schuster, Henry will likely land a sizable deal this offseason. Pro Football Focus is projecting Henry to sign for four years and $48 million.

But the Patriots need more playmakers for their future quarterback to have success, and they're likely going to have to spend some money to make that happen. But Henry's impact on the offense with his receiving and blocking skills would likely be worth paying for.  

Lavonte David, LB

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The Patriots' offense isn't the only thing that needs to improve in 2021. Their defense also wasn't as strong as it had been the year before, and part of the reason for that was its linebacker corps.

Dont'a Hightower opted out of the 2020 season, and it's unclear if he'll return to the Patriots' defense in the near future. His decision left New England with a group of linebackers that wasn't quite as strong as previous seasons, so it could use a boost this offseason to improve in 2021.

Lavonte David has spent his first nine NFL seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, playing in 137 regular-season games during that stretch. He's had more than 100 tackles eight times in that span, including in 2020, when he had 117 tackles, 1.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception in 16 games.

Projected by Pro Football Focus to sign for three years and $40 million, David is going to be one of the best defensive players available on the free-agent market. And he still has one last opportunity to impress potential suitors, with the Bucs set to face the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV on Feb. 7.

But the 31-year-old David's career resume speaks for itself. And the Patriots could use a linebacker like him to help their defense get back on track after a lackluster showing in 2020.