3 free agents the Patriots must sign to avoid disaster with Jerod Mayo
By Lior Lampert
It is strange to think that anyone other than Bill Belichick will be the head coach of the New England Patriots. However, it’s only fitting that a Belichick disciple steps into the role with Jerod Mayo being named the team’s coach after he signed a five-year, $18.9 million contract.
After finishing the 2023 season with a 4-13 record, their lowest win total since 1992, it is clear that the Patriots have a lot of work to do if they want to get back to being the dominant franchise that won six Super Bowls in a 20-season span thanks to the likes of Belichick and legendary signal-caller Tom Brady.
During his introductory press conference, Mayo wasted no time hinting at the team’s plans to select a quarterback with the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. However, the Patriots need to improve vastly in several other areas to put their new field general in a position to succeed with these three free-agent targets taking priority this offseason.
3. The Patriots should reunite with Jacoby Brissett
If the 2023 NFL season taught us anything it’s that having a dependable backup quarterback can be the difference between salvaging a season or watching a season implode when the starter goes down.
For example, Gardner Minshew proved to be a crucial signing for the Indianapolis Colts last offseason — starting 13 games after rookie Anthony Richardson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury and guiding them to the playoffs. Conversely, after Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles four snaps into the 2023 campaign, the Jets season went off the rails.
The Patriots were also no stranger to poor backup quarterback play after deciding they’ve seen enough from 2021 first-round pick Mac Jones. Bailey Zappe wasn’t much better for the Pats which is why targeting a reliable veteran quarterback such as Jacoby Brissett makes sense.
Brissett is amongst the top backup quarterbacks in the NFL and is set to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Not to mention, Brissett was drafted by the Pats in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft, winning a Super Bowl with them that season.
Not only would Brissett be a capable backup quarterback for the Patriots, but he’d also be able to serve as a mentor to whoever the team selects to be their next franchise signal-caller.
The possibility of returning to the place where his career began while filling an immediate need makes Brissett’s return to New England a logical one.