Three Free Agents the Patriots Need

The New England Patriots are a compelling team at this erratic and consequential time of the off-season.

There’s the laundry list of "what ifs" as free agency begins in just one week. What’s more, the Patriots have more than $125-million in cap space available. All the while, New England owns the No. 4 overall draft pick, a high-second-round selection, and two third-round selections.

Each glaring roster need addressed by the Patriots through free agency will simplify and strengthen the staff’s position in the NFL Draft. Here are three free agents that could go a long way in shoring up the roster, and, in turn, launching New England into the draft with a compressed group of immediate roster needs.

Milton Williams

The Patriots ranked 26th in third-down defense, 25th in red zone defense, 23rd in rushing defense, 22nd in total defense, and dead last in sacks (28) last season.

Roster needs exist up and down the D-Line, but edge rushers represent the highest priority. The good news is this year’s crop of edge players is considered the deepest across the board.

It’s why Milton Williams makes a whole lot of sense here. The 6-foot-3, 290-pounder is just 25-years old, showing steady improvement annually with 30 total tackles in 2021, 36 tackles in 2022, and 42 tackles in 2023, followed by a Super Bowl ring in 2024.

Williams is known for his ability to pressure quarterbacks, recording two of his five sacks in the Super Bowl, also forcing and recovering a fumble that day.

It would cost somewhere in the $20-million range. However, New England’s basement-level sack total props up an argument that if any team can justify the cost, it’s the cap-space-confident and pass-rush-challenged Patriots.

Chris Godwin

In four of his last six seasons, Chris Godwin recorded over 1,000 receiving yards. The 29-year old had put together 50 catches for 576 yards and five touchdowns when an ankle injury ended his 2024-25 season in Week 7.

Godwin required surgery, but it was the first major injury across his eight NFL seasons. Prior to last year, he averaged 76 catches for 956 yards and five touchdowns per season.

It’s why he got the franchise tag in 2021 ($15.9M) before signing a three-year deal worth $60-million a year later (including $40-million guaranteed).

If New England could land Godwin and focus its early-round selections in the trenches, it would allow the Patriots to attribute significant resources in the trenches and elsewhere while gaining a consistent, tried and true receiver.

Dan Moore Jr.

Edge, tackle, receiver, defensive tackle, guard, cornerback. There are other moderate needs, but how New England addresses these positions is crucial to the strength of the 2025-26 roster. When NFL Mock Drafts surfaced more frequently, many projected the Patriots choosing a tackle at No. 4 overall.

Only four teams allowed more sacks last season. New England ranked second-to-last in total offense, dead last in passing offense, and no higher than 29th across red zone offense, third-down offense, and scoring offense.

That’s why Dan Moore Jr. would be a quality pickup for an offense desperate to protect Drake Maye. In contrast with a tackle like Ronnie Stanley, who is 31 and suffered ankle and knee injuries in recent years, Moore is just 26-years old.

He isn’t a bona fide superstar. Not yet, anyway. However, Moore has remained healthy and steady across his four pro seasons with 66 starts after starting 36 consecutive games at left tackle for the Aggies.

He has a clean bill of health, an ideal frame at 6-foot-5 and 315-pounds with 34.5-inch arms, and plenty of room for growth.

It isn’t just a potential short-term solution. Hypothetically, if the Patriots landed Moore and invested in his development thereafter, he could be a long-term answer in New England.

Subsequently, the Patriots could cruise through its four picks over the first three rounds of the NFL Draft without a less challenging to-do list.

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