New England Patriots - NESN.com
The Eagles are competing in their third Super Bowl in eight seasons for a reason: They continue to have one of the most talented rosters in football.
Mike Vrabel’s Patriots might have a close eye on Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Sunday given the amount of talent that will be on the field. Philadelphia is especially deep in the trenches, arguably the biggest area of improvement for New England this offseason.
With that, here are four Eagles players the Patriots could target in free agency:
Josh Sweat, DE
The seven-year veteran has been a productive pass-rusher for the Eagles, benefitting from Philly’s dominant defensive front. The Patriots sorely need pass-rush help and Sweat is one of the top options on the open market. Sweat’s recorded 25 1/2 sacks the last three seasons with 31 tackles for loss and 61 quarterback hits. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently labeled New England as a potential player for Sweat, who has the flexibility to play in a 3-4 or 4-3 defense. Sweat confirmed he’s already heard from some Patriots fans.
Zack Baun, LB
The 28-year-old Baun earned himself a massive payday following his 2024 campaign. Baun was named a First Team All-Pro and is a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year after signing a one-year, $3.5 million deal last offseason. He is a versatile off-ball linebacker with the ability to play on all three downs and set the edge. Mike Vrabel, Terrell Williams and the Patriots are expected to deploy a defensive scheme similar to the Tennessee Titans (2018-2023), as shared by the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed. It likely will feature two off-ball linebackers in the middle of the defense, a role the 6-foot-3, 225-pound Baun could fit.
Mekhi Becton, OL
Becton was viewed as a first-round bust after he failed to live up to his rookie contract with the New York Jets. But Becton absolutely revitalized his career on a one-year deal with the Eagles, moving from tackle to guard and dominating in the ground game with his massive 6-foot-7, 363-pound frame. Becton has been plagued by injuries during his short career (46 games in five seasons), but the Patriots could be intrigued by Becton. His resurgence on the interior is noteworthy, but he could still gain some interest as a tackle.
Milton Williams, DT
A third-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Williams played out the life of his rookie deal and likely will be too expensive for the Eagles, who still have Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis. He’s one of the top defensive tackles on the market after a career-high five sacks, 10 quarterback hits and 18 pressures.
