The New England Patriots have lost key pieces in the offseason, especially in the tight end and defensive end position. Rob Gronkowski caught the Patriots off-guard when he announced his retirement weeks after helping the team wins its sixth Super Bowl trophy. Defensive end Trey Flowers, for his part, signed a five-year deal worth $90 million, including $56 million in guaranteed money, with the Detroit Lions.
As of now, the Patriots have Matt LaCosse as their top tight end after they released Austin Seferian-Jenkins to help him focus on his personal issues. The Patriots recently signed veteran Ben Watson to a contract but he is suspended for the first four games of the 2019 regular season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
The Patriots still have a lot of time to plug the holes in their lineup as they prepare for a run at a seventh Super Bowl trophy. According to Nick Briscoe of Patriots Wire, New England could help address its needs by signing three players currently on the market.
Briscoe said the Patriots could train their signs on defensive lineman Allen Bailey, who has had a productive eight-year run with the Kansas City Chiefs. According to Briscoe, Allen could be an ideal piece for the Patriots’ defensive line. The Patriots recently added veteran defensive end Michael Bennett and selected Chase Winovich from the 2019 NFL Draft. Earlier in the offseason, the Patriots have expressed interest in Bailey, who has tallied 207 total tackles with the Chiefs.
Veteran Donald Penn could be an option
For their offensive line, the Patriots are expecting Isaiah Wynn to be completely healthy at left tackle when training camp begins on July 25. However, the status of Wynn’s recovery from an Achilles injury remains unclear and the Patriots may need to get an insurance player.
Free agent Donald Penn fits perfectly for the Patriots as an established veteran who could provide ample competition or even quality reps for head coach Bill Belichick. The Patriots could also look at other veterans like Ryan Schraeder or Jeremy Parnell to boost their offensive line.
Patriots might consider bringing back Seferian-Jenkins
Unless Gronkowski decides to return to football, the Patriots could also address their tight end need by re-acquiring Seferian-Jenkins, who, Briscoe thinks is a perfect fit for the team’s scheme. Briscoe believes that if Seferian-Jenkins irons out his personal issue before training camp, there might be a chance that the Patriots would welcome him back with open arms.
Recently, the Patriots agreed to trade with the Lions for tight end Michael Roberts, but the trade was rescinded after he failed a physical. Aside from LaCosse and Watson, the Patriots have Stephen Anderson, Andrew Beck, and Ryan Izzo at tight end.