by The Patriots training camp opens on July 27.
The team is currently on summer vacation, but the Pats still have three open positions on their roster with 90 players. Historically, the Patriots go to camp with a full roster.
This begs the question – where do they look to add?
The Pats had a busy offseason with several free agents added and a 10 player draft class. The Pats have lost, through free agency or trade, veterans JC Jackson, Shaq Mason, Kyle Van Noy, Chase Winovich, Ted Karras and Brandon Bolden. Along with the draft category, they have added 10 veteran players and five non-draft free agents.
Looking at the current roster, it is clear that there are some positions that could use some reinforcements. There have been big changes in the positions of the guards, the wide receiver, the corner, the lineback and the edge-rusher.
More: Graduation of the rookie class at the Patriots minicamp
The Patriots have a problem with cap-space – only $ 142,280, according to Miguel Benzan of PatsCap.com – but that happened before they restructured the David Andrews Center deal on Friday. They converted $ 3.15 million from Andrews compensation for the 2022 season into a signing bonus and released $ 2.1 million in ceiling space. The team usually goes on a season with at least a few million working.
In case the Patriots want to fill the last three places in their roster, these five veteran free agents would help:
Nate Solder, Tacklin
The Patriots have questions in the tackle position. This spring, Trent Brown switched to left tackle and Isaiah Wynn to right tackle. Right now, their best backup is Justin Herron. Resetting the Solder makes sense. He knows the Patriots system and has experience in both tackles. Given Brown and Wynn’s injury history, it would make sense to bring in a veteran. Solder feels like an upgrade to Herron, Yodny Cajuste, Yasir Durant, Will Sherman and Andrew Stueber. He has started every game played since 2012, including 16 games last season for the New York Giants.
Eddie Goldman, defensive tackle
The Patriots have three solid defensive tackles on Lawrence Guy, Davon Godchaux and Christian Barmore, but lack depth of fill beyond that. Top reserve Daniel Equale will be penalized for the first two games of the season for a reason that has not been revealed. Byron Cowart did not participate this spring. That leaves Carl Davis and Bill Murray. Goldman, 28, has started 73 races since 2015. He is 6 feet 3 inches and 325 pounds and made 22 tackles last season in Chicago as a tackle nose. His best season was in 2018, when he made 40 tackles to go with three sacks. It would provide constant depth to the Patriots.
Dont’a Hightower, linebacker
The Patriots have undergone many changes at the back this off-season. Van Noy is in Los Angeles while Hightower and Jamie Collins are still free agents. Although the Pats are getting younger and faster with Josh Uche, Ronnie Perkins, Cameron McGrone and Mack Wilson, the return of Hightower makes a lot of sense. Has the flexibility to play on or off the line. Hightower is also a great leader and would help younger linebackers and edge rushers. He started all 15 games he played last year for the Pats, finishing with 64 tackles and 1.5 bags.
Kevin King, corner
The Patriots are rebuilding the angle depth chart after JC Jackson signed with the Chargers. They brought in veterans Malcolm Butler and Terrence Mitchell during the retirement of Jack Jones and Marcus Jones. Along with Jalen Mills and Jonathan Jones at the top of the chart. Someone like King, 27, will add depth to the outer corner. He started 31 games for Green Bay in the last three seasons. He won 70.6 points from Pro Football Focus last season. This would be the second after Jackson in the Patriots. King’s best season was in 2019, when he finished with five cuts at the top of his career.
Ereck Flowers, guard and tackle
It is clear that the Patriots see Cole Strange and Michael Onwenu as their original guards. Top backups, however, leave something to be desired with Darryl Williams, Arlington Hambright, Drew Desjarlais and Chasen Hines. Flowers, the ninth overall pick in 2015, did not have an easy trip to the NFL. He played in four teams and was released by Washington this off-season after starting on the left guard. The 28-year-old has started 101 NFL games in both the guard and tackle. It would immediately give better depth to the guard and the tackle. The biggest question is whether he would sign with a team in which he would not be a guaranteed key player.
This article first appeared in The Providence Journal: Pats have three more places to fill to head to training camp
