FOXBORO — The Patriots scheduled what they expected to be a celebratory press conference Thursday, introducing four of their high-priced free-agent signings.
But the news of longtime center David Andrews’ release Thursday put a damper on the proceedings and made it clear that the Patriots must continue to improve their roster.
“There’s still more work to be done,” executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said during his remarks Thursday. “Obviously, we’re not finished. We still have some more needs to fill.”
One of those is now center. Add that to the existing list that already included wide receiver and left tackle, and yes, the Patriots need to pursue all avenues to improve their roster to avoid drafting for need when late April rolls around.
The Patriots pursued top free-agent options at those positions like center Drew Dalman, wide receiver Chris Godwin and left tackle Ronnie Stanley, but they were unable to land them. They were successful in attracting defensive tackle Milton Williams, cornerback Carlton Davis, linebacker Robert Spillane and right tackle Morgan Moses, all of whom were introduced Thursday.
So, the Patriots should be applauded for being aggressive and filling major holes early in free agency, but the fact that there are still so many gaps illustrates how shallow the team’s roster has become over the last three years.
Head coach Mike Vrabel explained how the team plans to keep searching for wide receiver help.
Cooper Kupp hit free agency on Wednesday, and the team is expected to pursue the former Rams wide receiver. There are still avenues for the Patriots to acquire a wide receiver, like Brandon Aiyuk or Tee Higgins, via trade. The team added free-agent signing Mack Hollins to their wide receiver group that already included Javon Baker, Kendrick Bourne, Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas and Ja’Lynn Polk.
“We’ll continue to look at the wide receiver position as it relates — through free agency, explore every option with other teams, and potentially, you know, then we’ll get to the point where we’re looking at the draft,” Vrabel said. “And there’s just a lot of time. And I know that everybody’s like, it’s over: free agency. It’s never over.
“(Patriots senior personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith) keeps reminding me, and I think everybody else that — because he’s been around a lot of times — he’s like, ‘there’s players that are going to come available, whether it be now or whether it be in May or after training camp. … I’ve seen it enough to know that there’s going to be someone that’s currently not on a roster that’s going to help us win a game this year.'”
The Patriots’ options at center are also limited with many of the top free agents off the board. Andre James, who played under offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels with the Raiders, is still available, though the Patriots have yet to show interest. The Vikings might view Garrett Bradbury as expendable after signing Ryan Kelly. In-house options include Ben Brown, Cole Strange and Jake Andrews.
“We’re going to continue to support … the needs that we feel like are on the team, and we’ll target the offensive line,” Vrabel said Thursday. “There’s still quite a bit of time before we get to the draft, but, but there’s also — we don’t want to just be careless, right? We talked about there’s a difference. … We don’t want to be reckless through this process. We want to be very intentional with the people that we bring on this football team, and we’ll continue to target all those needs that we feel like — and the players that can help us.”
Vrabel said that when he and Wolf talk about personnel decisions, like releasing Andrews, they discuss “age, ability, durability, production (and) vision.”
Andrews’ release looks odd on the surface without another player to fill his void, but he’ll be 33 years old in July and missed most of last season with a shoulder injury.
It’s easier to find help at wide receiver and center than at left tackle. Cam Robinson is still available as a free agent, which is telling, since Stanley, Jaylon Moore and Dan Moore Jr. all signed early in free agency to deals worth over $15 million per year. But if they don’t sign Robinson, then their best shot at adding a left tackle is through the draft.
The Patriots can currently only confidently slot two players into their offensive line: Moses at right tackle and Mike Onwenu at right guard. Brown, Strange, tackles Demontrey Jacobs, Vederian Lowe and Caedan Wallace, and guards Layden Robinson and Sidy Sow were all part of the worst offensive line in football last season.
Moses, 34, was a solid addition at $8 million per year.
“Morgan Moses has been a right tackle since the moment he was drafted,” Wolf said. “Has played, you know, a ton of starts, physical, tough, just a professional, very consistent run game, pass game, all that.”
Vrabel added, “There’s been a repeated experience of taking care of his body, playing a demanding position, what he brings in the locker room. There’s been a great product on the field with length size, and we were excited to add him and his family.”
Vrabel said he hopes Davis and Christian Gonzalez can play “cat cover.”
“You got that cat, I got this cat, and we can go to work,” Vrabel said.
Wolf and Vrabel both emphasized Spillane’s dedication, going from an undrafted free agent who had to try out to earn his spot with the Titans during rookie minicamp in 2018 to a player who has accumulated over 140 tackles in consecutive years.
Williams was the Patriots’ prize signing. Vrabel said he hopes to put Williams on the field for more snaps than he played with the Eagles, when he primarily served as a pass-rush specialist.