Patriots' Biggest Keys to Having Successful NFL Offseason

The New England Patriots have a ton of financial flexibility heading into the offseason. Assuming the salary cap for 2021 is around $180 million (which has yet to be set), the Pats will have about $62 million of cap space, according to Over the Cap, which would be the third-most in the NFL.

Not only will New England have a large budget, but it also owns the No. 15 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, which will be its highest selection since using the No. 10 pick in the 2008 draft (which it acquired in a trade).

Coming off a season in which they went 7-9 and finished below .500 for the first time since 2000 (which was head coach Bill Belichick's first year at the helm), the Patriots will likely be making quite a few moves before returning to action this fall. And if they make the right ones, perhaps they'll be back in the playoffs and won't begin a streak of missing out on the postseason.

Here's a look at three of the biggest keys for the Pats having a successful offseason.

Draft a New Franchise Quarterback

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After Tom Brady ended his 20-year tenure with the Patriots by signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last offseason, the Patriots went to free agency to sign their new starting quarterback. It didn't end up working well, however, as Cam Newton struggled and couldn't return to MVP form, and the 31-year-old is again a free agent this year.

There likely won't be many top quarterbacks on the free-agent market this offseason, so instead of going that route again, the Patriots need to acquire a new franchise quarterback in the 2021 NFL draft. There are five quarterbacks in this year's draft class who are potential first-round picks, and at least one could still be available when New England is on the clock at No. 15.

The Pats won't be able to get Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who should go to the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 1. But it's unlikely that BYU's Zach Wilson, Ohio State's Justin Fields, North Dakota State's Trey Lance and Alabama's Mac Jones are all drafted prior to the No. 15 pick. And if it looks like they will be, New England could trade up so that it can add one of these quarterbacks (or potentially have more of a choice than if it waits).

"They don't pick this high often," ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. wrote in his latest mock draft, in which he projected the Patriots to select Jones. "Why not go and get your guy and build around him?"

Kiper is right, as New England's offense needs direction after a lackluster 2020 season. It's time for the Patriots to find their new franchise quarterback to lead them into a new era.

Improve the Offense by Signing a Top-Tier Wide Receiver

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Even by adding a quarterback, the Patriots' work won't be done on improving their offense. Newton wasn't the only reason the unit struggled in 2020, as New England had a lackluster receiving corps and a group of tight ends that didn't make much of an impact in the passing game.

The Pats have the cap space, so they should go out and sign one of the top wide receivers available on the free-agent market. That group includes JuJu Smith-Schuster, Allen Robinson II, Will Fuller V, Chris Godwin, Kenny Golladay and more.

New England's leading receiver last season was Jakobi Meyers, who had 729 yards in 14 games and didn't score a touchdown all year. The only Patriots players with multiple receiving touchdowns were running back Rex Burkhead (three) and wide receiver N'Keal Harry (two), the latter of whom hasn't lived up to expectations after getting drafted in the first round in 2019.

It could also be a wise move for the Patriots to add a tight end via free agency, especially with standouts such as Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith on the market. New England's offense has relied on tight ends heavily in the past, and that's led to positive results.

So, while the Patriots should add a top-tier wide receiver, they could benefit from potentially adding several playmakers to their offense. And they could also explore trades and add one in the draft as well, if free agency doesn't work out.

Add to the Linebacker Corps, Even If Hightower Returns

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Dont'a Hightower hasn't announced his plans for 2021 after he opted out of last season, which was played amid the coronavirus pandemic. If he returns, he should provide a boost to the Patriots' defense, as the soon-to-be 31-year-old linebacker was a standout player over his first eight NFL seasons.

But even if New England gets Hightower back, it should likely still look to add another strong linebacker this offseason. It was one of the weaker units for the Patriots last season, a year after they had one of the best defenses in the league.

The top linebacker on the free-agent market will be Lavonte David, who has been a consistently strong player over his first nine NFL seasons, all of which have been with the Buccaneers. But if the Patriots want to pursue a linebacker younger than the 31-year-old David, perhaps they could go after a free agent such as Jayon Brown (soon-to-be 26) or Matt Milano (26).

New England could also potentially look to add a linebacker during the NFL draft, even if it's not with its first-round selection. There should be some solid players available at the position even as the draft gets into the later rounds.

If the Patriots can improve their linebacker corps, they still have some other strong players on defense (such as cornerback Stephon Gilmore), so they could quickly get back to having success in 2021.