The decisions the Patriots have made this offseason – especially in free agency – have mainly been positive.

For the first time in a while, there is optimism around the team, thanks to an upgraded roster that already looks significantly better than the 2024 unit, which struggled to a 4-13 record.

However, with every great decision, such as the one to sign Stefon Diggs, comes one that might leave you scratching your head a bit.

We all know that once a trade has been made or a player has signed elsewhere, it can’t be taken back.

Are there things that Eliot Wolf and Mike Vrabel wish that they could take back? Probably. Will they come back to bite the Patriots? Maybe.

Offseason decisions the Patriots might wish they could take back

Trading Joe Milton III too quickly

Once the Patriots signed Josh Dobbs to be Drake Maye’s backup, the trade talk for Milion started to accelerate.

His Week 18 performance against the Bills was undoubtedly a solid audition for teams throughout the league, and New England ultimately dealt the second-year QB to Dallas in exchange for a conditional fifth-round pick. At the same time, the Patriots also sent a seventh-round pick to the Cowboys.

On paper, it appears that Jerry Jones took advantage of Wolf and Vrabel, and perhaps the Patriots should have waited a bit longer to pull the trigger on a trade. This one was the ultimate catch-22 as New England undoubtedly wanted some more draft capital in exchange for Milton.

Perhaps the Patriots should have commanded more for Milton, maybe a third or fourth-round pick, but that’s quite a bit for a guy who has played only one NFL game against Buffalo’s JV team. Perhaps it won’t be as significant a “what-if” if New England lands a steal with the aforementioned fifth-round pick it acquired.

Avoiding the left tackle position during free agency

Ronnie Stanley was available in free agency for New England, but the best left tackle ultimately chose to stay in Baltimore.

Yes, the Patriots addressed their offensive line with the signings of Morgan Moses and Wes Schweitzer, but the question of who will protect Drake Maye’s blindside remains heading into the draft.

Options remain in both the draft and free agency, and Vrabel’s recent comments about Will Campbell suggest that New England will address the position in the draft.

You can’t address every need in free agency, and the Patriots had plenty of them to address. However, not snatching a left tackle between the start of free agency and the draft could very well be a decision Wolf wishes he and the organization could have handled differently.

Not re-signing Joey Slye for the 2025 season

The Patriots could have retained Slye on a relatively cheap one- or two-year deal, but he slipped through New England’s cracks and signed with Tennessee.

John Parker Romo, who is relatively unproven, is the lone kicker on New England’s roster.

However, recent reports have indicated that the Patriots plan to bring in a replacement between now and training camp, and this summer will feature a kicking competition.

Who that is remains to be seen, and it doesn’t help that the free-agent market is slim, with Nick Folk and Matt Prater both over 40 years old. Slye was pretty consistent last season, and perhaps the Patriots will regret letting him walk.