ClutchPoints
The 2025 NFL offseason is underway for the New England Patriots, and they have been quite busy in the early going. After struggling to the tune of a 4-13 record in 2024, the Patriots promptly fired first-year head coach Jerod Mayo, replacing him with another former player of theirs, Mike Vrabel. The key difference is that Vrabel has head coaching experience, whereas Mayo did not.
Vrabel has spent the past couple of weeks revamping his coaching staff, bringing in old friend Josh McDaniels for his third stint as the Patriots offensive coordinator, and former Detroit Lions defensive line coach Terrell Williams to be their defensive coordinator. Other big names, such as Chicago Bears 2024 interim head coach Thomas Brown and former Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills head coach Doug Marrone, have joined the staff in assistant positions as well.
For the most part, Vrabel has done well to overhaul Mayo’s coaching staff and make it his own (although it’s worth noting we were saying the same thing about Mayo’s staff at this time last year). Now comes the important part, which New England failed to do last offseason; upgrade their roster. With that in mind, let’s look at three moves the Patriots should strongly consider making over the next couple of months.
The Patriots have needs up and down their roster heading into the offseason, with one of their most pressing needs being a new left tackle. Simply put, whoever played at left tackle for New England in 2024 struggled, whether it was Vederian Lowe, Caedan Wallace, or Demontrey Jacobs. A new face is needed to protect Drake Maye’s blindside, which makes Los Angeles Rams left tackle Alaric Jackson a compelling option.
Ronnie Stanley and Cam Robinson (who could also be a target for the Pats) are headlining the offensive tackle market in this free agency class, and New England certainly has the cap space to splurge on either of them. There’s a decent chance that Stanley will re-sign with the Baltimore Ravens, though, and Robinson’s struggles with consistency make him a bit of a riskier option.
Jackson isn’t necessarily “Mr. Consistent” himself, but he could be signed on a better value deal in free agency. After going undrafted in the 2021 NFL Draft, Jackson eventually turned himself into the Rams starting left tackle over the past two seasons, and he was arguably their most reliable offensive lineman throughout the year, as injuries decimated this group for L.A. early on in the year.
With Jackson set to enter his age 27 season, he fits New England’s timeline as a team that expects to gradually get better during his time with the team. A three or four-year deal worth around the $20 million per year mark is likely what Jackson is set to command, and while Robinson might be the more flashy option, Jackson could end up being the steal of the tackle market in free agency, making him a guy the...
