The Patriots roster needs some serious work, so let’s check out three moves they should look to make this offseason.

The 2025 NFL offseason is underway for the New England Patriots, and they have been quite busy in the early going.

After struggling to the tune of a 4-13 record in 2024, the Patriots promptly fired first-year head coach Jerod Mayo, replacing him with another former player of theirs, Mike Vrabel.

The key difference is that Vrabel has head coaching experience, whereas Mayo did not.

Vrabel has spent the past couple of weeks revamping his coaching staff, bringing in old friend Josh McDaniels for his third stint as the Patriots offensive coordinator, and former Detroit Lions defensive line coach Terrell Williams to be their defensive coordinator.

Other big names, such as Chicago Bears 2024 interim head coach Thomas Brown and former Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills head coach Doug Marrone, have joined the staff in assistant positions as well.

For the most part, Vrabel has done well to overhaul Mayo’s coaching staff and make it his own (although it’s worth noting we were saying the same thing about Mayo’s staff at this time last year).

Now comes the important part, which New England failed to do last offseason; upgrade their roster.

With that in mind, let’s look at three moves the Patriots should strongly consider making over the next couple of months.

Sign Rams OT Alaric Jackson in free agency

The Patriots have needs up and down their roster heading into the offseason, with one of their most pressing needs being a new left tackle.

Simply put, whoever played at left tackle for New England in 2024 struggled, whether it was Vederian Lowe, Caedan Wallace, or Demontrey Jacobs. A new face is needed to protect Drake Maye’s blindside, which makes Los Angeles Rams left tackle Alaric Jackson a compelling option.

Ronnie Stanley and Cam Robinson (who could also be a target for the Pats) are headlining the offensive tackle market in this free agency class, and New England certainly has the cap space to splurge on either of them.

There’s a decent chance that Stanley will re-sign with the Baltimore Ravens, though, and Robinson’s struggles with consistency make him a bit of a riskier option.

Jackson isn’t necessarily “Mr. Consistent” himself, but he could be signed on a better value deal in free agency. After going undrafted in the 2021 NFL Draft, Jackson eventually turned himself into the Rams starting left tackle over the past two seasons, and he was arguably their most reliable offensive lineman throughout the year, as injuries decimated this group for L.A. early on in the year.

With Jackson set to enter his age 27 season, he fits New England’s timeline as a team that expects to gradually get better during his time with the team.

A three or four-year deal worth around the $20 million per year mark is likely what Jackson is set to command, and while Robinson might be the more flashy option, Jackson could end up being the steal of the tackle market in free agency, making him a guy the Patriots should pursue.

Draft Penn State DL Abdul Carter with the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft

Jackson isn’t necessarily “Mr. Consistent” himself, but he could be signed on a better value deal in free agency.

After going undrafted in the 2021 NFL Draft, Jackson eventually turned himself into the Rams starting left tackle over the past two seasons, and he was arguably their most reliable offensive lineman throughout the year, as injuries decimated this group for L.A. early on in the year.

While it’s not the end of the world, the Patriots missed out on a ton of draft capital by beating Buffalo in Week 18. They almost certainly would have traded down from the top pick of the draft and received a king’s ransom, but now their options are a bit more limited.

They could still trade down, but they likely won’t receive as much, and they could risk missing out on a top player in a somewhat weak draft class.

Considering the need for top-end talent, standing pat and selecting the best player available seems to be the most prudent path.

With Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, and Travis Hunter expected to be the first three players off the board, that would leave star Penn State Nittany Lions defensive lineman Abdul Carter, who is arguably the best player in this draft class, available for the Pats.

It may not seem like it, but a star pass rusher is probably New England’s top need on defense, which makes Carter, who just racked up 12 sacks and 24 tackles for a loss (which was tops among FBS 1 players) a perfect fit.

Trading back for a left tackle could be the more sensible option, but if the Patriots sign Jackson like mentioned above, it would free them up to lock in on Carter with the No. 4 pick.

Trade for Eagles WR A.J. Brown

Let’s aim big here, because why not? The Patriots top need this offseason is wide receiver, and the good news is that there are a bountiful amount of options available to them when it comes to upgrading this position.

However, it may be the path that everyone is least expecting them to take that makes the most sense for this team.

The obvious answer would be to pursue Cincinnati Bengals star Tee Higgins in free agency. While it would certainly make sense for the Bengals to let him walk given their pressing needs on defense, it’s not that simple, and there’s no guarantee they even let him hit the open market.

Chris Godwin and Amari Cooper loom as other free agent targets, but they may not be what New England is looking for.

In the draft, Hunter could be an option, with Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan being another option for the Patriots with the fourth pick.

Given how bad this team has been at developing wide receivers they have drafted, and the fact that they invested significant draft capital at wide receiver last year (Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker), it probably isn’t their best option.

The trade market could surprisingly be New England’s best path, as guys like DK Metcalf and D.J. Moore could be available.

The crown jewel here, though, would be Philadelphia Eagles superstar A.J. Brown.

He has a history with Vrabel, as he broke out under his tutelage during their time together on the Tennessee Titans.

Could the duo be interested in reuniting?

At first glance, the answer seems to be no.

The Eagles are playing in Super Bowl 59 after having lost Super Bowl 57, and Brown has been a key piece of their offense.

He has been frustrated with their offensive game plan at times, though, and with the team skewing towards the run more than ever, they could look into trading Brown this offseason in an effort to create cap space, and lean more on fellow star wide receiver DeVonta Smith.

If Philly wins the Super Bowl, the chances of Brown getting dealt are low. If they lose, though, all options would be on the table as the team looks for a way to get themselves over the hump.

Swinging a deal for a guy like Metcalf seems more likely, but the Patriots need to aim big this offseason, and that could lead them to a shocking blockbuster trade for one of the top wide receivers in the league.