2025 free agency preview: Top players at each position of need for Patriots originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
It’s no secret that the New England Patriots have a ton of roster weaknesses to upgrade before the 2025 NFL season.
The 2025 NFL Draft obviously will provide a great opportunity for the Patriots to address some of these roster concerns, but a meaningful part of this process needs to come in free agency.
The Patriots are projected to have the most salary cap space of all 32 teams next offseason — well over $100 million, per OverTheCap.
It’s very important for the Patriots to surround quarterback Drake Maye with as much talent on offense as possible. Maye looks like the real deal in his rookie campaign, but he won’t reach his full potential without better weapons at the skill positions and a stronger offensive line.
The defense can’t be forgotten, either. Finding another top-tier cornerback to play alongside Christian Gonzalez should be a priority, too, as well as adding a formidable edge rusher who can consistently pressure the opposing quarterback.
Which players at these positions can become free agents in March? Here’s a rundown of the best who could be available.
Wide receivers
Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
Higgins is a legit No. 1 wideout and will be 26 years old in Week 1 of the 2025 season, so he’s right in the sweet spot of his career.
Here is part of what our Patriots insider Phil Perry wrote about Higgins in his five-point plan to fix New England’s offense over the offseason:
“The Bengals may be willing to let Higgins walk this offseason if they have no designs on paying him and Ja’Marr Chase top-of-the-market deals. With $118 million in effective cap space, the Patriots may be able to swoop in and offer Higgins more than anyone else. If they have any trepidation about Higgins not being a true ‘No. 1,’ they may be comforted by the fact that in five games without Chase since 2022, Higgins racked up 31 catches for 511 yards and six touchdowns.”
The only concern with Higgins is injuries. He missed five games in 2023 and has missed five this season, too. But when Higgins has played, he’s been quite productive with 43 receptions for 558 yards and five touchdowns in seven games.
Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
If Godwin is healthy, you can expect him to tally around 80 receptions and more than 1,000 yards. He’s as reliable as they come at wide receiver. Injuries are a potential concern with Godwin, though. He underwent ACL surgery in 2022 and had his 2024 campaign ended early when he suffered an ankle dislocation in October, which also required surgery. Godwin was in the midst of a great season when the injury occured. He tallied 50 catches for 576 yards and five touchdowns in seven games. He’ll be 29 years old next season.
Amari Cooper, Buffalo Bills
Cooper came into 2024 with 1,100-plus receiving yards in four of the previous five seasons. He’s very reliable and productive. His stats this season don’t jump off the page — 34 receptions, 386 yards, three touchdowns in 10 games — but after being traded from the struggling Browns to the first-place Bills in October, the veteran wideout has a great chance to improve his free agency stock through the end of the regular season and the playoffs.
Stefon Diggs, WR, Houston Texans
Diggs has been a model of consistency for a long time with four consecutive 100-catch seasons (five of his last six, too). But he’s currently on pace to finish well-below the century mark this season with 47 receptions for 496 yards and three touchdowns in eight games with the Texans. Diggs is still a very good wideout, but he’s 31 years old. Should the Patriots pay him superstar money when he’s probably going to start declining in production pretty soon?
DeAndre Hopkins, Kansas City Chiefs
The Patriots brought Hopkins to Foxboro for a free agent visit in 2023 but he ultimately ended up signing with the Tennessee Titans. He was traded to the Chiefs earlier this season and has played well for the defending champs. Hopkins has tallied 41 receptions for 498 yards and four touchdowns between the Titans and Chiefs this season. He’s still a very good player at 32 years old. Ideally, the Patriots would get a younger wideout such as Higgins, but Hopkins would be a solid second or third option.
Offensive tackle
Ronnie Stanley, Baltimore Ravens
Stanley has been one of the league’s top left tackles this season, especially in pass protection. The 30-year-old veteran is in his ninth season and is listed at 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds.
Garett Bolles, Denver Broncos
Here’s what our Patriots insider Phil Perry wrote about Bolles as part of his five-point plan to fix the Patriots offense:
“Good offensive tackles don’t often change teams, but Bolles is an interesting case. He’s just a few months away from free agency, and he’s having a terrific season for one of the best offensive lines in football.
“Still, he was involved in trade rumors soon after Sean Payton took over the Broncos last year, and it’s worth wondering if they’ll be willing to extend themselves in order to keep the 32-year-old in Denver. Among the 54 tackles with at least 500 snaps this season, Pro Football Focus has given Bolles its second-highest pass-blocking grade.”
Cam Robinson, Minnesota Vikings
Robinson was a good left tackle on a lot of bad Jaguars teams before being traded to the Vikings in late October. He’s a proven starting-caliber tackle and would be an upgrade for the Patriots.
Dan Moore Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers
Moore is having a breakout year for the Steelers, and most recently he shut down Bengals star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson in Pittsburgh’s Week 13 win at Cincinnati. Moore, who’s 26 years old, is also a durable player who has started all 61 of the games he’s played for the Steelers over the last four seasons (including 2024).
Morgan Moses, New York Jets
Moses has great size (6-foot-6 and 318 pounds) and strength and plays through pain. He’s also pretty durable. Moses is best suited at right tackle, and when healthy, he’s often a top 15 player at that position. The Patriots need a left tackle more than a right tackle, but if Moses is available, he would still be worth pursuing.
Edge rusher
Khalil Mack, L.A. Chargers
Mack has been a great player for a long time. He had a career-high 17 sacks for the Chargers last season, and even though he hasn’t been as dominant in 2024 — 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in 11 games — the veteran pass rusher is still a very effective player. He dealt with some injuries earlier in this career, but he’s missed only one game since the start of the 2022 campaign. Mack, at 33, wouldn’t be a long-term solution for the Patriots, but he’d be a nice short-term addition for a defense that hasn’t been able to generate a consistently good pass rush.
Josh Sweat, Philadelphia Eagles
Sweat has seven sacks in 12 games, so it’s fair to assume he will eventually eclipse his career high of eight sacks set in 2022. The 27-year-old veteran is a physical pass rusher with 42 career sacks and great strength at 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds.
Haason Reddick, New York Jets
Reddick was traded from the Eagles to the Jets in March but didn’t show up for work until October when he and New York finally agreed on an adjusted contract. The situation was a distraction for the Jets, and maybe it will prevent teams from seriously pursuing Reddick in free agency. But there’s no denying his talent. Reddick tallied at least 11 sacks in four consecutive seasons from 2020 through 2023.
Malcolm Koonce, Las Vegas Raiders
Koonce tallied career highs of eight sacks and 43 tackles in a breakout 2023 season for the Raiders, but a knee injury has prevented him from playing a single game this year. The injury poses some risk, but at 26 years old, Koonce could be a major home run signing for whichever team takes a chance on him.
Chase Young, New Orleans Saints
The 2020 No. 2 overall pick is still just 25 years old and a very good pass rusher who draws double teams. Young has tallied 3.5 sacks with 21 tackles and a forced fumble in 12 games for the Saints this season
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Cornerback
D.J. Reed, New York Jets
Can the Jets afford to pay both Reed and cornerback teammate Sauce Gardner mega extensions in the near future? If Reed does get to free agency, the Patriots would be wise to pursue him. He would give New England another elite level talent in that position group. Reed has tallied at least nine pass breakups in each of the last four seasons (nine in 2024).
Charvarius Ward, San Francisco 49ers
Ward is a very good cover cornerback, especially in man coverage. But with the 49ers having so many large salaries, it’s fair to wonder if they’ll be able to afford the 28-year-old veteran. The 49ers recently signed cornerback Deommodore Lenoir to a five-year, $92 million extension.
Rasul Douglas, Buffalo Bills
Losing Douglas to the division rival Patriots would be a setback for the Bills, whose defense has played quite well this season. Douglas is a dependable veteran with eight years of experience. He has tallied four or more interceptions in three of his last five seasons.
Carlton Davis III, Detroit Lions
Davis has been a fantastic addition for the Lions, who acquired him back in March in a trade with the Buccaneers. The 27-year-old veteran has tallied 40 solo tackles with two interceptions and 10 pass breakups for the Lions. He also has Super Bowl-winning experience from his time with the Bucs. Davis would be a strong addition to the Patriots opposite Christian Gonzalez.
Paulson Adebo, New Orleans Saints
Adebo suffered a season-ending injury in October and needed surgery to repair a broken femur. Before the injury, Adebo was playing very well for the Saints. He’s still only 25 years old and has 10 interceptions in four seasons with New Orleans.
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