Drake MayeJohn Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
The 2024 season is the dawn of a new era in New England.
Jerod Mayo has replaced Bill Belichick at head coach, and the Patriots have officially moved on from Mac Jones at quarterback. It’s just hard to shake the feeling that things will look that much different this season.
The rebuild under Mayo is going to be a process. The Patriots retained a lot of the talent that gave them a respectable defense, but the teardown of the offense is going to take time before it can become something good.
New England’s needs should be evolving this year as young players either prove or disprove the idea they can be long-term solutions.
Add Now: OT David Bakhtiari
There’s been positive buzz surrounding third-round draft pick Caedan Wallace. He’s been repping as the team’s top left tackle in training camp. While that’s exciting news for him, it isn’t necessarily good for a team that will probably turn things over to Drake Maye at some point this season.
The Patriots’ other option is Chukwuma Okorafor, who couldn’t hold down the right tackle job in Pittsburgh.
David Bakhtiari has struggled to get on the field because of knee injuries, but he has still played at a high level when healthy.
Signing the 32-year-old to a cheap one-year contract would be a win-win for both as the Pats could get a valuable veteran resource who could help Wallace and Maye.
2025 Free Agency: WR Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
The Patriots should really be working to trade for Tee Higgins, but it doesn’t appear the Bengals are willing to do that right now. Instead, they seem content to allow the receiver to walk when free agency hits next spring.
Either way, New England would be wise to target Higgins. Receiver is one of the biggest question marks on this roster. The Pats have potential answers, but the 25-year-old would upgrade the corps regardless.
DeMario Douglas showed a ton of potential as a slot receiver last season. Ja’Lynn Polk is a bit of a do-everything No. 2 option, and Javon Baker could work out as a jump-ball specialist. Higgins would still fit in as the dominant boundary receiver who can win one-on-one matchups.
2025 NFL Draft: Edge James Pearce Jr., Tennessee
The Patriots spent a lot of their draft capital trying to build the foundation for a better offense. Their first five picks were spent on offensive players, and they didn’t draft a defender until Day 3.
That made sense. Their offense was the main reason they struggled in 2023. However, the Pats could really use a foundational piece to replace Matthew Judon on the edge.
That should be one of their top priorities going into 2025, and Tennessee edge-rusher James Pearce Jr. is the early favorite to be the best in the class. The 6’5″, 243-pounder had 10 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss for the Vols last season.
