'Like it's Siberia': Insider has blunt take on why free agents stay away from Patriots

The New England Patriots, with the most available cap space in the league at $127.4 million, are looking to fill several gaps throughout the roster.

They have nine available picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. Which, of course, the front office could potentially parlay into a massive trade for a current superstar.

Despite the Patriots' lush assets, there's a problem that doesn't jump off the budget sheet. NBC Sports Boston's Tom Curran explained why New England may not have much luck in free agency or a blockbuster trade.

"Players are looking at the Patriots like it’s Siberia..." Curran said on his Patriots Talk podcast (h/t SavageSports_ on X). "We're perceiving the Patriots as being in on players because of the amount of money they have…every single player is gonna look at this team, and they’re gonna have to swallow hard and say, 'do I really want to go this just for the money?'"

On Wednesday, Seattle Seahawks' DK Metcalf formally requested a trade from the organization, sparking conversation about where the two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver could end up.

Given their desperate need for an elite offensive weapon, the Patriots were among the first to be mentioned as a potential landing spot. Seeing how Metcalf is without a no-trade clause in his three-year, $72 million contract, the Seahawks could ship him to New England for draft picks whether he likes it or not.

If the club were to miss out on Metcalf, Davante Adams, who was released by the New York Jets on March 4, and Brandon Aiyuk, expected to be traded by the San Francisco 49ers, could be potential options for the Patriots. 

But as Curran explained, will the money be enough to coax any of them to Foxborough?

The once esteemed organization, which won five Super Bowls between 2005 and 2019, must make New England a desirable destination for big-name players like Metcalf, Adams and Aiyuk if they wish to compete for a championship again.