Picking the New England Patriots losers in free agency was easier than picking the winners. And that's because of their lack of big moves, especially considering the money they have to spend.
So now that I have covered the biggest winners from the Patriots' 2024 NFL Free Agency moves, it's time to move on to the other side.
Below are my four biggest losers.
Owner Robert Kraft
It seems owner Robert Kraft wanted Calvin Ridley to be a Patriot during the 2024 season. The team was in need of a star receiver and they thought they found the one.
However, other factors just didn't allow it to work out.
"We pursued the people we wanted in free agency. There was one outstanding receiver that unfortunately we couldn’t close. It was not because of finance," Kraft said at the 2024 NFL League Meeting. "He made clearly his girlfriend wanted to be in the South. And we had a situation where the taxes were like almost 10% higher."
The team is now turning its attention towards the draft, but it still would have been beneficial for them to bring in a veteran star. And Kraft would have loved that move too.
But hopefully it all works out.
WR JuJu Smith Schuster
This one is clear. Smith-Schuster is coming off a very lackluster first season with the Patriots. And it doesn't help matters that it was after the Patriots signed him to a 3-year, $33 million contract with New England.
Yet during this time, they could have elected to keep one of their own instead of bringing in Smith-Schuster. They let Jakobi Meyers walk to go sign a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders. And it's the exact same as Smith-Schuster's contract.
So for the Patriots receiver, not only does he know that it was not a solid season for him, but now even the owner admits that signing him might have been a mistake. He didn't directly say that, but based on his answer about Meyers, it can be implied.
“Wow,” Kraft said on an episode of ‘The Shop’ with Raiders receiver Davante Adams and others. “We shouldn’t have let him go.”
Hopefully Smith Schuster can prove everyone wrong.
Special Teams
Two huge presences in the locker room have officially departed. After the 2023 season, veteran captain Matthew Slater announced his retirement from the NFL after 16 seasons.
He is truly one of the best to ever play the game, and should have a spot in Canton in the future.
And if that wasn't enough, the Patriots also lost Cody Davis, who announced his retirement this week.
The room is now much younger, and other players will have to step up and become a leader. But filling Slater's shoes will certainly not be an easy feat.
QB Bailey Zappe
Yes, Zappe was on the winner's side, but he is also a loser. And that's because despite what head coach Jerod Mayo said about the team's confidence in Jacoby Brissett, it almost seems certain that the Patriots are going to take a quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick.
So that would make Zappe the odd man out, potentially at risk of becoming the third-string quarterback behind a rookie and Brissett.
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