Insider Discloses Patriots' Most Likely Offseason Priority

An NFL insider has revealed what the New England Patriots will most likely prioritize during the offseason.

Jan 13, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; Mike Vrabel addresses media at a press conference to announce his hiring as the new head coach of the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots have a plethora of needs heading into the NFL offseason, so it may be hard to determine which hole they should attack first.

One thing seems pretty clear, though: the Patriots' two most glaring issues are their receiving corps and their offensive line, so they need to fix both areas in the coming months.

But what will New England prioritize?

NFL insider James Palmer thinks that the Pats may place more emphasis on getting some protection for quarterback Drake Maye.

"I wouldn't be surprised if New England spends big on anybody to protect Drake Maye up front, and building through the trenches is obviously something that Mike Vrabel has been successful with in the past," Palmer said. "It's been a mindset that he has used. I mean, they've won in Tennessee over the years with limited skill players. Obviously a dominant running game with Derrick Henry, then A.J. Brown for a stretch there. But winning at the line of scrimmage, especially on the offensive line, was always very valued there. I could see that being one of the top targets for New England."

That may not necessarily be what some Patriots fans want to hear given that signing a flashy wide receiver (a la Tee Higgins) is definitely more exciting than bringing in an offensive lineman.

But really, what's more important?

Maye can have all the weapons in the world at his disposal, but it's not going to matter if he has no time to throw. Remember: while New England probably had the worst set of receivers in football this past season, it also had arguably the worst offensive line.

Plus, the Pats are fortunate enough to be loaded with cap space, so they may be able to knock out both weaknesses in one fell swoop next month.

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