The Patriots took significant steps to upgrade their defense earlier this week, but there’s still work to be done on offense.
Head coach Mike Vrabel and executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf added wide receiver Mack Hollins and offensive tackle Morgan Moses on Monday, but the Patriots ideally would still add a left tackle and a higher-impact wide receiver before the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Patriots’ goal entering the draft should be to head into late April without any obvious needs so the team can simply take the best players available without worrying about certain positions. If the Patriots were forced to draft today, they would need to take a tackle with one of their first two picks, and it would be a disappointment if they didn’t select a wide receiver early, as well.
There are still available options for the Patriots at wide receiver and offensive tackle, but they’re dwindling.
Stefon Diggs and Amari Cooper are the top unrestricted free-agent options available, but they’re not expected to be Patriots targets. Players like Keenan Allen, Diontae Johnson, Tyler Lockett, Mike Williams and Brandin Cooks are also still available, but aren’t exactly what the Patriots are looking for.
Cooper Kupp is viewed as a potential fit for the Patriots, however. Kupp was officially released by the Rams on Wednesday after they failed to find a trade partner for the 31-year-old wide receiver. He would add a level of professionalism and leadership that the Patriots’ offense lacks.
Kupp is not the same player who caught 145 passes for 1,947 yards with 16 touchdowns four years ago, but he still has something left in the tank despite injury woes that have plagued him the last three years.
He would add some dependability in the slot for young quarterback Drake Maye if the Patriots can land him.
Even if the Patriost sign Kupp, it would still make sense to pursue trades for 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins or any other options who become available.
It’s not unusual to see a player traded as they enter their fourth NFL season, since they can sign a contract extension at that point. Wide receivers drafted in 2022 include the Jets’ Garrett Wilson, the Falcons’ Drake London, the Saints’ Chris Olave, the Lions’ Jameson Williams and the Steelers’ George Pickens.
It’s at least worth calling to see if any of those players might come available.
If all else fails, the Patriots can select a wide receiver in the 2025 NFL Draft. Travis Hunter, Matthew Golden, Emeka Egbuka and Tetairoa McMillan are first-round options.
In somewhat of a surprise development, Cam Robinson Jr. is still available in free agency. That’s after Dan Moore Jr., Ronnie Stanley, Alaric Jackson and Jaylon Moore all signed deals worth $15 million-plus per year. Laremy Tunsil also was traded from the Texans to the Commanders.
So, teams were seeking left tackles. Robinson’s market just has not materialized at this point. If that means the Patriots can sign him for a bargain, then that’s good news.
Tyron Smith, 35, is the only other left tackle on the open market who played over 50% of snaps last season.
If the Patriots don’t sign Robinson or Smith, then they’ll likely need to take their future blind-side protector in the draft. The top in-house options would be Vederian Lowe, Demontrey Jacobs and Caedan Wallace. The Patriots went through that trifecta last season and struggled mightily to move the ball on offense as a result.
Will Campbell is viewed as the top left tackle in the draft, but his short 32 5/8-inch arms make him an outlier for the position. It seems rich to take him with the No. 4 overall pick, but it would be a risk to trade down and miss out on taking a left tackle.
There are options later in the first round and into the second round of the draft, including Texas’ Kelvin Banks, Ohio State’s Josh Simmons and Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr. Missouri’s Armand Membou is another top tackle prospect but played right tackle in college. That spot seems filled by Moses and Wallace.