NFL free agents: Best available players Patriots could pursue

NFL free agents: Best available players Patriots could pursue originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The NFL deadline for all 32 teams to trim their roster to 53 players is next Tuesday, so there will be a ton of player movement over the next week as teams release players.

The Patriots have needs at a few positions, primarily the offensive line. Left tackle is a weak spot for the Patriots that wasn’t adequately addressed in the draft or free agency. Tight end is another position where another veteran could be valuable for New England, especially if Hunter Henry isn’t 100 percent healthy by Week 1.

Salary cap space isn’t a problem for the Patriots. They have just under $51 million in cap space, per OverTheCap, which is the second-most in the league.

Here’s a list of the best players still available as free agents. This list will grow over the coming days as teams make roster moves.

Quarterback

The Patriots don’t need a quarterback. They already have four on their roster — Jacoby Brissett, Bailey Zappe and rookies Drake Maye and Joe Milton. Brissett and Maye are competing to be the starter. The best-case scenario for the Patriots is Maye taking over at some point this season and playing well. Brissett is a veteran who played under offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt in Cleveland, so he knows the offense better than anyone. There’s no reason to bring in another QB unless Brissett gets injured.

Running back

Rhamondre Stevenson is a very good running back, but after playing just 11 games due to injury last season, it would be wise of the Patriots to manage his workload. Antonio Gibson was brought in as a free agent to be the backup. Kevin Harris and JaMycal Hasty are also on the depth chart.

Jerick McKinnon could be a useful third-down receiving back. He scored 14 receiving touchdowns with the Chiefs over the last three years, including a career-high nine during the 2022 campaign. Latavius Murray is a capable veteran with 11 years of experience. He scored fewer than four rushing touchdowns in just two of those seasons.

Wide receivers

Wide receiver is one position the Patriots don’t need more depth in, unless a true No. 1 wideout like Brandon Aiyuk is available via trade. The quality of wideouts available in free agency isn’t great right now. It makes much more sense for the Patriots to just give reps to their plethora of young wide receivers and hope a few of them develop into reliable pass-catchers.

Tight end

If Hunter Henry is ready to play Week 1, then the Patriots probably don’t have to invest in another tight end. But if there’s a question over Henry’s status for the opener, it might make sense to bring in a veteran. Austin Hooper hasn’t been very impressive in the preseason. Jaheim Bell has had good moments, but he’s also a rookie.

Logan Thomas picked up a hamstring injury early in training camp and was released by the 49ers a few weeks ago. If healthy, he could be an interesting option. He tallied 55 receptions for 496 yards and four touchdowns for the Commanders last season. Those are pretty solid numbers.

Offensive line

The left tackle spot could use more depth and an upgrade. Vederian Lowe, Chukwuma Okorafor and rookie Caedan Wallace are the top options at the position, and none of them inspire a ton of optimism. The list of available players at offensive tackle aren’t amazing, either, but Donovan Smith could be a good option. Smith started and played 12 games for the Chiefs last season. He also was a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ Super Bowl LV-winning team in 2020.

The Patriots reportedly are among several teams that have inquired about Dennis Daley, who was released by the Arizona Cardinals earlier this week. Daley has played both left tackle and left guard in the pros. He started 15 of 17 games at left tackle for the Titans during the 2022 season.