The New England Patriots Roster Analysis and Potential Improvement Plan for the Offense

Summary of the Plan

I am writing a two part plan to fix the New England Patriots. The New England Patriots are a complete mess and they need to completely overhaul the roster, there is no way they can do this in one year because of the nightmare they face just on the offensive side of the ball. You can change the coach, offensive coordinator and all the chairs on the deck but the titanic is still going to sink. The players are who win games, for example Tom Brady enough said. How do they fix the crap talent deficit on both sides of the ball?

The draft picks they have are the following…

Pics: 2024
Their own 1-6th round picks, plus extra 6th round pick and two 7th round picks

Pics 2025
Their own 1-5th round picks
Round 7th their own +3 more

Patriots Offense by Position:

QB:

1. Mac Jones: Grade C- Contract: 3.9M Expires 2026
2. Bailey Zappe: Grade F (No NFL Value) 1.75M expires 2025
3. Malik Cunningham: Grade F (No NFL Value) .750M expires 2024
4. Will Grier Grade F .06M Expires 2024
   How to fix: Everyone wants the Patriots to spend their 2024 1st round on a QB, however that may not be the smart move as throwing a young QB to the wolves with no help is not a good way to reshape this team for the future. It might be worthwhile to draft and create a strong team like San Francisco did and get the QB as the last piece or after rebuilding some of the roster. You have no trade value at QB, all the value at this position must be added and Mac Jones only has 1 year left before released if no fifth year option is picked up. If you can trade Mac Jones for any draft capitol at all I would do it.

In 2024 offseason I would try to sign Joshua Dobbs or one of the below QB’s to a two to three year deal. Then I would draft a QB in the middle rounds 3-5 who has potential but could also be a solid backup QB moving forward. This gives you a bridge gap. If Dobbs plays well enough you can trade him for draft capitol, and if the draft picks is better than expected you have a new starter for cheap. If you cannot get a Dobbs and you can’t trade away Mac Jones, then let him compete with the mid round pick and …

In the 2025 draft, the Patriots should still be picking near the top ten in the draft, I would move up in the draft to even the 1st spot and try to draft Shegeur Sanders, or whoever is the consensus best QB in that draft. If there is a Trevor Lawrence caliber pick I would sacrifice the 2025 1st round pick to move up and get the franchise QB moving forward.

Potential Top Free Agents 2024:

1. Joshua Dobbs
2. Kirk Cousins
3. Ryan Tannehill
4. Baker Mayfield
5. Gardner Minshew

1st Round Picks:

1. Caleb Williams
2. Drake May
3. Michael Pennix
4. Sheguer Sanders (May be in 2025 draft)

2025 Draft:

1. Cade Klubnik
2. Drew Allar
3. Ty Simpson

2026 Draft

1. Arch Manning
   If the plan fails and the franchise QB you drafted sucks again like Mac Jones. Remember there is Arch Manning waiting in the wings, coming out roughly in the year 2026 and you could try over again and draft a Manning.

WR:

1. Ju Ju Smith-Schuster: Grade C- Contract 8.8M Expires 2026
2. Kendrick Bourne: Grade B- Contract 5M Expires 2024
3. Devante Parker: Grade C- Contract 5.4 Expires 2027
4. Tyquan Thornton: Grade D Contract 1.7M Expires 2026
5. Kayshon Boutte: Grade C- Contract 1M Expires 2027
6. Demario Douglas: Grade C+ Contract 1M Expires 2027
7. Mathew Slater: Grade F Contract 2.7M Expires 2024
8. Ty Montgomery: Grade F Contract 1.2M Expires 2024
9. Tre Nixon: Grade F: Contract 0.75M Expires 2024

Potential Top Free Agents 2024:

1. Tee Higgins
2. Mike Evans
3. Calvin Ridley
4. Michael Pittman Jr.
5. Josh Reynolds
6. Gabe Davis
7. Marquise Brown
8. Rashid Shaheed
9. Curtis Samuel
10. KJ Osborn
11. Tyler Boyd
12. Nelson Agholor

The Pats WR Group may be the worst in the NFL. The only player with any trade value is Kendrick Bourne. There are no true number 1 WR’s available via free agency. They have 1 player with talent worth keeping for the future in Demario Douglas, and maybe Boutte (but we will never no because Bill won’t play him).
Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster I feel like we are stuck with him and his broken knee, so might as well just keep him around and see if he can recover to being at least a B- level player. Kendrick Bourne I would try to trade away for a draft pick, I would take a 5th rounder or better for him. Devante Parker is horrible, and should be cut or traded for a 7th round pick. If anyone is willing to take on that horrible contract deal him away for free or cut him and lower this cost if possible. Tyquan Thornton should just be cut to save a roster space or traded for a 7th round pick. Matthew Slater should retire. Ty Montgomery and Tre Nixon should never play in the NFL again because they suck.

How to fix tis group in 2024…
Draft Marvin Harrison Jr. 1st round pick, trade up if you have to. This is a no doubt number 1 WR, you can put him at the top of the WR room for the next 8 years. Sign Tee Higgins in free agency, no more getting the 2nd best in the draft or in free agency at WR. Go out and get the TOP player in the draft and in free agency.

WR Group moving forward:

1. Marvin Harrison
2. Tee Higgins
3. Demario Douglass
4. Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster
5. Kayshon Boutte
   All young, all decent especially if Ju-Ju can return to any sort of his former self. Either way your top 3 all are decent and provide weapons any QB would love to throw to.

TE:

1. Hunter Henry Grade B- Contract 12.5M Expires 2024
2. Mike Gesicki Grade C- Contract 4.5M Expires 2024
3. Pharoah Brown Grade C- Contract 1M Expires 2024

Top Free Agents 2024:

1. Dalton Schultz
2. Gerald Everette
3. Austin Hooper
4. Robert Tonyan
5. Colby Parkinson

TE is a tough position, however the Patriots need to have a decent TE set to help the run game and young QB’s. I would try to resign Hunter Henry if possible, and add Dalton Schultz if possible via free agency, and then draft a TE in the mid rounds of the draft who is primarily a decent blocking TE.

Ideally: 1. Hunter Henry, Dalton Schultz, and a 4th round pick are your 2024 roster

Tackle has been killing this team since Nate Solder and Sebastian Vollmer left. How do we fix this?

T:

1. Calvin Anderson: Grade D- Contract 3.5M Expires 2025
2. Riley Reiff: Grade F Contract 5M Expires 2024
3. Vederian Lowe Grade D+ Contract: 1M Expires 2026
4. Tyrone Wheatley Grade F Contract 0.75M Expires 2024
5. Trent Brown Grade C Contract 6.5M Expires 2024

Top Free Agents 2024:

1. Tyron Smith (34 years old)
2. Andrus Peat (G) 30 years old
3. Duane Brown (39 years old)
4. Jonah Williams (26 years old) B- level player
5. Yosh Nijman (28 Years old)
6. Donovon Smith 30
7. Jermain Eluemenor RT 28
8. James Hurst RT 32

Holy Moly, so Calvin Anderson, Vederian Lowe are cheap and under contract for two years, basically depth pieces. Riley Reiff should have retired already. Tyrone Wheately see ya later. Trent Brown is horrible and injury prone, unmotivated and fat, part of the problem not solution. You basically need two starters and one solid backup player.

Since you drafted Marvin Harrison, you have no first round pick for T. I would use the 2nd round pick on what is the best Tackle remaining in the draft, hopefully you can draft a starting level player at the top of the 2nd round. I would sign Jonah Williams to be a starter and if possible Donovon Smith or Jermain Eleumenor to be a super backup / spot starter.

T moving forward: LT Jonah Williams, RT 2nd Round Pick, Backups: D Smith, Lowe, Anderson

G

1. Cole Strange Grade D+ Contract 3M Expires 2027
2. Sidy Sow Grade D: Contract 1.1M Expires 2027
3. Antonio Mafi Grade D+ Contract 1M Expires 2027
4. Mike Onwenu Grade C Contract .9M Expires 2024

Top Free Agents

1. Andrus Peat G 30
2. Kevin Zeitler G 34 Years old
3. Connor Williams C / G 26 years old
4. Lucas Patrick G 30 years old
5. Phil Haynes G 28 years old
6. Dan Feeney
7. Hala Vaitai
8. Dalton Risner

Guard is a tough one, I do like Mike Onwenu and I think he is having a tough year for whatever reason, I would bet on him moving forward that he can recover to form as a B to B+ RG. I would resign him and hope to get a lower deal as he has been off the field for most of the season thus far. If you can lock him up for a long contract for cheap money that would be ideal. Cole Strange on the other hand is not the right body type or player for this offense. He has shown good tape in the past, I would assume you could get a decent draft pick for him from some team as he is under contract till 2027 and is a relatively cheap contract. I would then use whatever pick you got for Strange say a 2024 3rd round pick to draft a Guard to replace him. I would also sign Dalton Risner to a deal as a super backup O lineman and potential spot starter.

Moving forward I would have G Mike Onwenu, G Dalton Risner, 2024 3rd pick.

At center I would just go with the status Quo, David Andrews is a good leader and a decent center, Jake Andrews could develop, both are under contract for next two plus years.

C.

1. David Andrews Grade B- Contract 4.75M Expires 2025
2. Jake Andrews Grade D+ Contract 1.1M Expires 2027

Top Free Agents:

1. Jason Kelce 37 years old
2. Connor Williams
3. Andre James
4. Aaron Brewer

RB.

1. Rhamondre Stevenson Grade B Contract 1M Expires 2025
2. Ezekial Elliot Grade C Contract 3M Expires 2024

Top Free Agents:

1. Derrick Henry
2. Josh Jacobs
3. Tony Pollard
4. Saquon Barkley
5. Dalvin Cook
6. Austin Ekeler
7. D’Andre Swift
8. Cordarrelle Patterson
9. Gus Edwards
10. Cam Akers
11. Zack Moss
12. Josh Kelley

RB has become almost insanely easy to roster build. I would just let Elliot walk after 2024. I would shop Rhamondre around and if any playoff bound desperate team offered a 1st or 2nd rounder for him I would trade him instantly. Likely that would never happen. So just keep Stevenson and add a James White type to compliment him.

Ideally: RB Stevenson, RB D’Andre Swift and a 2024 6th round RB

Starting offense 2024:

QBs: Ryan Tannehill (or any of the top free agents on a two year deal), 2024 fourth round selection
WR: Marvin Harrison (1st round pick), Tee Higgins, Demario Douglas, Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster, Kayshon Boutte
RB: Stevenson, Swift, 2024 6th round pick
TE: Hunter Henry, Dalton Schultz, 2024 4th round pick
T: LT Jonah Williams, RT 2nd Round Pick, Backups: D Smith, Lowe, Anderson
G Mike Onwenu, G Dalton Risner, 2024 3rd pick, Sidy Sow, Antonio Mafi
C: David Andrews, Jake Andrews
FB: Draft a player in 6th round

Summary

You could bring the whole thing back for 2025, or make slight changes and then just add your new franchise QB at the helm to bring the whole team to the next level. Ideally you draft Sheguer Sanders in 2025 draft and you are a top offense with young weapons at WR, some veteran talent at TE and a decent O line that can be build up with top draft picks as the years go on and you already have a top WR and QB combo.

The above is a good offense minus a franchise QB, which would allow you to go all in for the 2025 consensus number 1 QB, while at the same time rebuilding the entire TEAM because no rookie QB can step into a situation like Mac Jones did with no weapons and no offensive line. This is also within the cap space the Patriots will have, without sacrificing the defense. Pats can still use picks round 3, 5, and two 7’s to either move up to make the above happen or bolster the defense. If you got a pick for Bourne and Parker those could be added to defense or for depth as well.

Let’s say they have Picks rounds: 3, 5, 5, 7, 7, 7. Left for part 2. Thanks and I will do a part 2

I added up the contracts, if you sign Tee Higgins for 18M per year, and Jonah Williams for 17M per season and Onwenu for 10M per season, all top values for their positions, this offense with Tannehill making 12 Million at QB only costs 115 Million with all depth players included against the 256M Cap. Leaving 141 Million in cap space for defense.