At this time last year, Phillip Dorsett's mind was set on returning to the New England Patriots in free agency.
Dorsett did exactly that, signing a one-year contract to stay with the Patriots and provide some necessary wide receiver depth for quarterback Tom Brady.
Now, Dorsett and Brady both are set to become free agents, leaving their Patriots futures are up in the air.
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Dorsett recently opened up to ESPN's Mike Reiss about how he's approaching free agency this time around, and whether New England is his No. 1 choice as it was a year ago.
"I would say that will probably be a little different," Dorsett told Reiss. "Last year, I had my heart set on where I wanted to go and I didn't have an open mind. This year, I know I have to go into it with an open mind."
After seeing his playing time take a dive in 2019, Dorsett realized it may be in his best interest to explore opportunities elsewhere.
New England Patriots
"It's just something that I feel like I need to be honest with myself about," he said. "The way the roles changed in New England in the middle of the season out of nowhere … it took me off the field. So at the end of the day, I have to be smart about it and make the best decision."
Dorsett also insists Brady's uncertain future won't factor into his own decision-making.
The 27-year-old is one of many Patriots players scheduled to hit the open market March 18. Joe Thuney, Kyle Van Noy, Matthew Slater, Devin McCourty, and Jamie Collins are just a few of the big-name Pats free agents not named Dorsett or Brady who have important decisions to make in the next two weeks.
