'Tis the season and all, but what exactly is there for Patriots fans to be thankful for these days? Beyond 22-year-old quarterback Drake Maye and happy memories, they may be hard-pressed to come up with much else that quickly finds the tip of their tongue.
Luckily for them, we're getting closer and closer to the time during which a largely unwatchable roster will have a chance to be gutted and overhauled.
Be thankful, Patriots fans, for the top-of-the-first-round draft pick. Be thankful for the truckloads of available salary cap space (and, more importantly, real dough) to spend. Be thankful that the front office in Foxboro has no choice but to urgently address holes on the roster in order to maximize the abilities of its rookie quarterback on a remarkably cost-effective rookie contract.
It's all you've got.
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Once upon a time, this region believed wholeheartedly that real football didn't begin until after Thanksgiving. Now, the post-Thanksgiving portion of the regular-season schedule is but a preamble to the roster-building portion of the year-long NFL calendar. It's a stretch of time that will, for New Englanders, determine the level of happiness many are able to realize on Sundays in the fall of 2025 and beyond. It may determine the franchise's well-being for years.
No pressure.
When the time comes, what can Eliot Wolf, Matt Groh and the rest of the Patriots front office do to alter the organization's course? We've asked around, and due to the importance of Maye's development, most would agree the rebuild needs to focus on the offensive side of the ball.
"When you have a quarterback on a rookie contract, that's the time to surround him," said one AFC executive. "That's the time to try to help him... I think that kid might be the best of all of [the rookie quarterbacks]. He's accurate. It's his size, his makeup, everything. It looks like he's wired right for it."
Here's a shot at a way-too-early five-point plan to build up the Patriots offense and make Maye's life easier in Year 2, and we're taking the approach -- given the resources at the team's disposal -- that there's no such thing as too aggressive.
1. Sign free agent WR Tee Higgins
The Patriots have gone big-game hunting before at the receiver spot. After missing on Calvin Ridley in free agency last spring, and after not being able to land Brandon Aiyuk via trade in the summer, the Patriots may have a chance to land a legitimate outside-the-numbers threat.
The Bengals may be willing to let Higgins walk this offseason if they have no designs on paying him and Ja'Marr Chase top-of-the-market deals. With $118 million in effective cap space, the Patriots may be able to swoop in and offer Higgins more than anyone else. If they have any trepidation about Higgins not being a true "No. 1," they may be comforted by the fact that in five games without Chase since 2022, Higgins racked up 31 catches for 511 yards and six touchdowns.
"He's got a live arm, man," one AFC defensive assistant said of Maye. "He really can make every throw. That was something we kept telling our guys. They don't have that guy on the outside who scares you, but [Maye] is willing to give those guys a shot."
If the Patriots can nab Higgins, Maye will have someone who can cash in on those shots more frequently than anyone else currently on the roster.
2. Sign free agent LT Garett Bolles
Good offensive tackles don't often change teams, but Bolles is an interesting case. He's just a few months away from free agency, and he's having a terrific season for one of the best offensive lines in football.
Still, he was involved in trade rumors soon after Sean Payton took over the Broncos last year, and it's worth wondering if they'll be willing to extend themselves in order to keep the 32-year-old in Denver. Among the 54 tackles with at least 500 snaps this season, Pro Football Focus has given Bolles its second-highest pass-blocking grade.
"I wouldn't allocate my money to a receiver if I didn't have an offensive line first," said one rival AFC executive. "[Maye] can make those receivers better. You hope he can elevate those guys. But you have to be able to protect him. And you have to be able to run the football."
Adding both Bolles and Higgins would mean paying out two massive signing bonuses, but they have the means to do it. And it would also help solidify two of the most glaring needs on the roster.
3. Ensure three can handle two
The Patriots can feel good about Bolles at left tackle and Mike Onwenu at right guard. After that? They may have to get creative with the construction of the rest of their line.
We'll discuss right tackle more below, but they could very realistically end up with two young options on that side of the line, and plan to protect either one with help as often as needed.
At left guard and center it looks like they'll have three choices, all of whom are already on the roster, for two spots.
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They could roll with Layden Robinson at left guard -- it appears he could get a shot at that position during the last few weeks of this season -- or try Cole Strange back at his old spot.
At center, they could turn back to David Andrews should he return from his season-ending shoulder injury ready to play. Or they could give the job to Strange, who has been working with Andrews to learn the center position; offensive line coach Scott Peters said recently that Strange's focus has actually been at center and not guard.
If it becomes clear that Robinson isn't a fit on the left side. If it becomes clear that neither Strange nor Andrews are healthy enough to handle regular roles on the interior. Then they need to get more aggressive in free agency.
Maybe center Josh Myers of the Packers or guard Will Fries of the Colts -- both set to be free agents this coming offseason -- can help them solidify their interior. But sticking with players they have, if those players are up to it, would be the simplest solution.
4. Draft Colorado WR Travis Hunter
According to Aaron Schatz of FTN, who calculates up-to-date playoff odds and season-ending standings, the Patriots have the best odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick next spring.
If that's how the chips ultimately fall for them, they'll have a fascinating choice to make.
Do they keep the pick and take arguably the best player in the draft, someone who has the ability to play two positions at a high level but should focus on the offensive side for New England?
Or do they find a trade partner who's looking to move up for a quarterback? That way they could acquire multiple picks -- beyond receiver and tackle, they have needs at edge defender and corner -- and flesh out their roster that way?
A lack of high-end quarterback talent in this year's class means the Patriots could have a hard time finding takers for No. 1 overall; The Athletic's Dane Brugler has Cam Ward of Miami as the top passer in the class, and he ranks 16th in Brugler's latest top-50 list.
If that's the case, roll with Hunter. Pairing him with Higgins and Maye would give the Patriots' passing game an immediate jolt.
"He's Josh Allen," one NFC defensive assistant said of Maye. "Big arm. The way he scrambles. He's tough. He runs hard. I'm not sure why they don't run him more on designed runs. But those players who can move around, extend plays, allow their guys time to uncover, they're really hard to defend."
Giving Maye an explosive-play merchant like Hunter, someone who could feast on off-script targets? Could be a productive duo for a long time.
5. Draft Texas OT Cameron Williams
Even after signing Bolles in this scenario, the Patriots should remain on the lookout for tackle help. Say they still have Vederian Lowe as a depth option. They'll also have 2024 third-rounder Caedan Wallace, who could be an option at right tackle since that's where he spent his collegiate career.
But drafting Williams near the top of the second round would give the Patriots a higher-upside play who has experience on that side of the line and would give the tackle position some much-needed depth. Williams had just one start to his name prior to this season, but he's considered a top-tier athlete with NFL-caliber size at 6-foot-5, 335 pounds.
There you have it. Two new receivers. Two new linemen. And an offense that, on paper, looks like one Patriots fans would be thankful for.
