Nobody expected the New England Patriots to play for a Super Bowl going into the 2025 season. Now, the goal in 2026 is to prove that wasn’t a fluke and actually win it all this year, which led to a very busy offseason.
The most notable of the moves New England made was, of course, acquiring A.J. Brown. However, there were plenty of other moves, like adding Romeo Doubs and Dre’Mont Jones, to take into account as well. Still, in all of that, Seth Walder of ESPN gave the Patriots a “B-” offseason grade.
Walder would note that Brown was the biggest move. That’s no surprise. He also noted that he liked restructuring the deal for guard Mike Onwenu, which amounted to a pay cut. However, he would also emphasize that he did not like the Jones signing at all. All of that contributed to that grade for the Patriots.
Explaining Why the New England Patriots Earned a B- Grade
Seth Walder would go on to further explain why he gave the New England Patriots a “B-” grade, emphasizing that they have holes to address on their roster if they want to get back to the Super Bowl.
“New England had one of the league’s most efficient passing offenses last season,” Walder wrote. “But the weakness at wide receiver was apparent, especially after the release of Stefon Diggs. The Patriots spent significant resources to address it, signing Romeo Doubs in free agency and dealing first- and fifth-round picks for Brown. The latter deal was a bit rich, but I can understand why they did it. I feel Brown — even after a down 2025 season — could be a serious asset to the offense. He still can be one of the very best wide receivers in the NFL, and I would expect a production spike in a pass-heavy offense with a better passer in Drake Maye throwing to him.”
He would add to that. In particular, noting how badly New England needed to address the offensive line.
“Offensive line was also a need entering the offseason, especially after rookie left tackle Will Campbell struggled in the Super Bowl,” Walder wrote. “The Patriots added Caleb Lomu in the first round of the draft. Whether Lomu becomes the left tackle and bumps Campbell inside or he becomes a long-term replacement at right tackle with Morgan Moses entering his age-35 season, the addition adds talent to a group that needs it.”
However, Walder considers the job unfinished at edge rusher. It’s still a clear need, which Gabe Jacas and Dre’Mont Jones don’t look like they’re able to fix.
“One area that still looks a bit weak is edge rusher. New England lost K’Lavon Chaisson in free agency after a solid season and replaced him with Jones. Putting aside that Chaisson signed with the Commanders for a cheaper contract than Jones was signed to, I would rather have held on to Chaisson, as Jones recorded a pass rush win rate at edge in just the 22nd percentile,” Walder wrote.
The Offseason Isn’t Over Yet for the Patriots
The good news for the New England Patriots is that the offseason isn’t over yet. There’s still time to address some of those needs, including edge rusher.
As such, the Patriots have been connected to several different edge rushers. That includes a potential signing of Jadeveon Clowney. Then, there is a world of trades that could be made. One of the biggest would be with the New York Giants for Kayvon Thibodeaux. It would make sense that Kayshon Boutte would be moved in exchange for a player like that.
Then, while Christian Gonzalez is locked up for another two seasons, his contract has become a major talking point this offseason. He’s eligible for an extension after all, and getting that done would be a major boost to any offseason grade.
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