4 reasons Patriots are most intriguing team to watch entering free agency

Kansas City happily took the NFL’s most-hated mantle from the Patriots in recent years. But after the Chiefs’ stunning Super Bowl loss, could New England quietly retake that crown? The Patriots are certainly set up to do that entering a pivotal offseason.

From playbooks to accounting books, the Patriots are infused with plenty of optimism. Here are four reasons why they’re the NFL’s most intriguing team to watch over the next three months.

• Mike Vrabel: With one autograph from its former linebacker, New England immediately donned a different culture. Suddenly, a team that finished 4-13 each of last two years and hasn’t made the playoffs since 2021 has fresh life. Vrabel said his culture will be built on winning with a team-first competitive spirit, and he’ll eliminate any entitlement and galvanize the entire building. And after the team’s first dynamic kickoff, expect the Patriots to play much as they did when Vrabel was a two-way player wearing No. 50, or when he was coaching in Tennessee. New England should be among the most creative, assertive and unpredictable clubs in the league. And how this team retools its roster under that culture is certainly something to watch this offseason.
• Franchise quarterback in place: Josh McDaniels has combined with two prior Patriots quarterbacks, Tom Brady and Mac Jones, to produce playoff berths. The key question is whether McDaniels can out-scheme defensive coordinators after he’s been out of the league for more than a full season. But one question New England has already answered is the player under center, franchise quarterback Drake Maye, and he’s entering Year 2 with 12 starts.
• Draft flexibility: Because Maye is in place, New England has plenty of options with the fourth-overall selection. Vrabel and Eliot Wolf, whose father Ron is enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, are in position to draft for need or take the best player remaining on their board. Plus, New England has plenty of capital, nine selections to be exact. The Patriots own an additional third-rounder after trading Matthew Judon to Atlanta. Expect New England’s phones to be among the most active during the draft as the Patriots work to surround Maye with talent.
• Abundant cap room: New England enters free agency with the NFL’s largest amount of salary-cap space, anywhere from $110-112 million. The Patriots have the luxury of options, just as they do in the draft. That means New England can address areas of need with players expected to set the market, including Chris Godwin, Tee Higgins, Morgan Moses, Alaric Jackson, Josh Sweat and Khalil Mack.

With ample resources, a fresh culture and options galore, keep an eye on the Patriots. In 2024, the Vikings, Chargers and Commanders clinched playoff berths after finishing the prior year in last place. In 26 of the past 29 seasons (1996-2024), at least one club has rebounded from last-place finishes to make the playoffs. New England is in position to continue that trend.

For more information on the Patriots and NFL free agency, visit the New England team page and free agency page at ProFootballPost.com.