The Patriots have some work to do this offseason, to say the least.
With 19 players set to hit the open market in March, New England could endure more noteworthy offseason roster changeover than it has in years. There’s a real chance the shuffling will be headlined by Tom Brady, who is set to become a free agent for the first time in his NFL career.
But what, above all else, should be New England’s focal point this spring? ESPN’s Mike Reiss argues it’s a position the franchise effectively neglected last offseason despite the glaring need for improvement.
“In retrospect, the Patriots’ plans to replace Rob Gronkowski were flawed, in part due to the timing of Gronkowski’s decision to retire, which had a trickle-down effect on their ability to sign free agent Jared Cook,” Reiss wrote. “Without a real pass-catching threat at tight end this year, the Patriots were easier to prepare for thanks to limited options for coordinator Josh McDaniels. Obviously New England wasn’t going to replace a Hall of Fame-caliber talent in Gronkowski with one player, but the drop-off shouldn’t have been as steep as it was.”
Dual-threat tight ends have been a staple in the Patriots’ offense for the majority of the Brady-Bill Belichick era, and the severe lack of production at the position this season only further hampered New England’s mediocre offense. The Patriots don’t have a history of making major splashes in free agency, but a player like Austin Hooper could be worth opening up the wallet for. At just 25 years old, Hooper could provide stability at tight end in Foxboro for years to come.
Filling that void would just be a start for the Patriots, though. As Randy Moss emphatically stated shortly after New England’s season-ending loss to the Tennessee Titans, Brady is going to need some help if the Pats plan on bringing him back to lead the offense.
