The New England Patriots have a ton of work to do over the 2025 NFL offseason to fix a roster that lacks elite talent at almost every position.
The good news for the Patriots is they have a ton of assets to make major upgrades.
Perhaps their best asset is the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. They also own two third-round picks and nine selections overall. The Patriots should have around $120 million in salary cap space, per OverTheCap, which is the most of any team. This level of cap space gives the Patriots plenty of flexibility in the trade and free agent markets.
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Which positions should the Patriots prioritize the most during the offseason? Let's rank all of them by importance.
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1. Offensive tackle
Left tackle is arguably the NFL's most important non-quarterback position, and it's an essential one for a team like the Patriots that must protect a young quarterback who will determine the near- and long-term success of the franchise. Whether it's through free agency or taking one in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, a premium left tackle needs to be at the top of New England's offseason priority list.
New head coach Mike Vrabel talked about the importance of the offensive line during his introductory press conference last week:
"You look at the teams that are able to protect the quarterback and dictate the flow of the game offensively -- making sure that up front we're sound, we're strong, whether that's through free agency or through the draft," Vrabel said.
2. Wide receiver
The Patriots have the least amount of high-end talent at the skill positions of any team in the league, and nowhere is that more obvious than wide receiver. The Patriots haven't had a 1,000-yard wideout since Julian Edelman in 2019. They drafted two wideouts in 2024 -- Ja'Lynn Polk in the second round and Javon Baker in the fourth round -- and both are trending toward being busts.
The Patriots could select Arizona star Tetairoa McMillan with the No. 4 pick in the 2025 draft, or they could try to trade for an elite wideout. The easiest path toward getting a true No. 1 receiver is free agency, and several very good players -- including Tee Higgins, Chris Godwin, Amari Cooper, Keenan Allen, Stefon Diggs and DeAndre Hopkins -- could be available.
3. Edge rusher
The Patriots' pass rush was non-existent in many games this past season. In fact, the Patriots ranked dead last in sacks with 28, and nine of those came in a Week 10 win over the Chicago Bears. The losses of Matthew Judon and Josh Uche definitely hurt New England's ability to rush the passer. The good news for the Patriots is the 2025 free agent and draft classes are both loaded with quality edge rushers.
The ideal scenario would be Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter being available at No. 4 overall and the Patriots taking him. Carter tallied 12 sacks for the Nittany Lions and is super athletic. He's an elite talent at that position and the No. 1 rated player in the entire class, per ESPN's current rankings.
Veteran free agents such as Khalil Mack, Josh Sweat, Haason Reddick, Malcolm Koonce, Baron Browning and Chase Young are all intriguing options as well. Sweat might be the best fit of the group. He's 27 years old, listed at 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, and he has tallied 33 sacks over the last four seasons.
4. Cornerback
A good pass defense is essential in the modern NFL, especially in an AFC that's loaded with elite quarterbacks. The Patriots have an All-Pro caliber shutdown corner in Christian Gonzalez. The 2023 first-round pick had a stellar second season in New England and earned the respect of his peers.
But aside from Gonzalez, there's not a ton of talent or depth at this position. Jonathan Jones is still a decent player, but he's 31 years old and more of a slot corner. The Patriots need another trustworthy outside cornerback opposite Gonzalez.
The best options in the draft include Michigan's Will Johnson and Notre Dame's Benjamin Morrison. D.J. Reed, Charvarius Ward, Rasul Douglas and Carlton Davis III are among the best free agent cornerbacks who could be available.
5. Defensive tackle
Christian Barmore, when healthy, has the potential to be an All-Pro caliber player. But he missed most of the 2024 season due to blood clots, and it remains to be seen how that will affect him going forward. Davon Godchaux is a good player and very durable with zero missed games over the last four years. But he's also 30 years old.
The 2025 draft class is deep at defensive tackle, so there should be plenty of good options for the Patriots on Day 2 and Day 3.
6. Interior offensive line
Who's the long-term replacement for center David Andrews? It might be Cole Strange, who played center at the end of the season. But we still don't know if that's a viable option. Michael Onwenu is a solid player at guard, but he might need to be used at tackle. A Year 2 leap from Layden Robinson would be massively beneficial to the Patriots.
Regardless, the Patriots absolutely should invest at least one 2025 draft pick on a center or guard.
7. Safety
Kyle Dugger played through an ankle injury this season and didn't perform as well as expected. It remains to be seen whether the four-year, $58 million extension he signed last offseason will be worth it for the Patriots. Jabrill Peppers was one of the team's best defensive players in 2023, but off-field issues and injury prevented him from making the same impact this past season.
Marte Mapu has shown promise as a safety, but is he going to develop into a key player at this position? Adding some veteran depth at safety in free agency would be a good idea.
8. Linebacker
The loss of Ja'Whaun Bentley in Week 2 due to injury was a massive setback for the defense. Getting him back healthy would be a huge boost, especially to the run defense. Anfernee Jennings and Jahlani Tavai are solid players, too. There's no significant difference-maker in this group, but it could be worse.
9. Running back
Rhamondre Stevenson led the league in fumbles (among non-QBs), but he is still a productive player. Antonio Gibson did a very nice job in his role, either as a lead back or on third downs, and he showed a lot of value as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. If Gibson doesn't return in free agency, drafting a running back on Day 3 would be a good idea. It's a strong running back class in the 2025 draft.
10. Tight end
Hunter Henry was the most dependable pass-catcher for the Patriots this past season, and Austin Hooper was one of the team's best offseason signings as a solid No. 2 tight end. Henry is under contract for 2025, but Hooper would need to be re-signed.
11. Quarterback
Drake Maye has superstar potential, but he won't reach it unless the Patriots surround him with more high-end talent at the skill positions.