Patriots Defensive Roster Breakdown

The Patriots 15th ranked defense was commendable in 2023 considering the hand they were dealt all season. They weren’t perfect by any means, but there were games they were simply dominant and that trend has a chance to continue in ‘24. The defense has their most important pieces returning on the coaching staff and on the field. Christian Gonzalez and Matt Judon return to help anchor this talented crew that will likely add in some thin areas. The good thing about this defense is there are real pieces to build around at every level, which is crucial to be great. 

With Christian Barmore making a huge leap to anchor the defensive line, Ja’Whaun Bentley and Jahlani Tavai controlling the middle, and lastly the aforementioned Gonzalez locking down his side of the field, New England is in very good shape. The secondary also boasts freakishly athletic free safety Jabril Peppers and could potentially have strong safety Kyle Dugger back after the team used the transition tag on him. Davon Godchaux is underrated and has been one of the better interior run defenders over the last four years. The defense is solid, but they need to add to take this group to the next level. With the amount of cap space they have and a defensive head coach taking over, defensive free agents should be attracted to New England. 

There are going to be some good players available at multiple positions, and there is a good chance New England makes one big splash while adding middle-class guys to improve depth in areas where there is an established starter. In our Patriots Defensive Roster Breakdown, we take a deep dive into the defensive holdovers, what their contract status is, and possible additions that would make sense for a team that has a chance to build one of the league’s best defenses. New England has the pieces and now the cap space to put together a formidable group that will help their brand-new offense. Nothing makes things easier for an offense than having a great defense, so why not run with it? Let’s take a look. 

Defensive Tackle

Christian Barmore, Sam Roberts

It would be smart to lock up Barmore to a long-term deal while they have a ton of space, but we’ll see if and when that comes together. They could also franchise him next year if they haven’t worked out a deal by then, but the new regime has made it clear they want to lock in their best players while avoiding the tag. That sounds nice, but the reality is it gets used every year for a reason. It is important to note that Barmore just purchased a new home for his mom, which isn’t the easiest thing to do on a rookie deal. He could be simply gambling on himself, but it is food for thought. Roberts is a decent depth guy, but they will need to add in this area. They could go after a top-of-the-market guy, but with Barmore already on the roster and ready to demand up to 20 million per year, grabbing a guy that won’t cost as much makes more sense. 

This is a good rookie class for defensive tackle, so if they don’t find someone they want in free agency, they could conceivably wait until late in the draft to fill that need. Drafting and molding a player is going to be cheaper, which is always the route the Patriots are going to look to go. If they go high-price shopping, Christian Wilkins would be the best fit. The Dolphins will likely try to retain him, but he is going to want a big contract with a lot of guaranteed money. Wilkins could also play defensive end, so his flexibility would allow New England to roll out one of if not the best defensive lines in football if they were to sign him. New England can afford it, but they likely won’t want to. 

Old friend Adam Butler is also unrestricted and would fit into the affordable strong depth category. Another veteran who would be a good depth piece in New England would be Shelby Harris, who played with Cleveland last year and continues to produce, even as a rotational player. Johnathan Hankins is another aging free agent who could come in and play 300-450 snaps and provide excellent depth. Either way, expect to see at least one addition at this position. 

Defensive End

Keion White, Deatrich Wise Jr.

Again, they are fine with these two, but they’ll need to add some depth. They don’t need to spend a ton and they’ll use White as much as possible as he showed tremendous promise in ‘23, but again, depth in the NFL is a must. Because the offense is so bad, this is the same situation we see at defensive tackle. Yes, they have boatloads of space and could target anyone they want, but they won’t be able to sign the top guy at every position, and defensively they don’t need to, although adding talent never hurts. D.J. Wonnum, Chase Young, Jonathan Greenard, Michael Danna, and Dorance Armstrong would all look good in New England. Their market value is between 13-17 million per year. If you can get a good deal, then why not? 

Again, defensive end, at least on this current roster, like defensive tackle, is a depth need and not a starter need, BUT, if they see that they aren’t going to upgrade in an area they expected to, it is perfectly fine to pivot to another position and make it extremely strong. As for depth signings, some potential middle-class free agents have an upside. Former Raider and 49er Clelin Ferrell is still just 26 years old and has shown to be more effective when playing as a backup or in a rotation. A.J. Epenesa would be a strong addition and stealing him from Buffalo makes it a win-win. Epenesa is also just 25 years old, which is important to keep in mind when it comes to cost. Ferrell and Epenesa’s market value is between 5-9 million. 

MIKE

Ja’Whaun Bentley, Chris Board

*Mack Wilson

This group was very good last year, but it is important to note that Mack Wilson is a free agent. He will not cost them a ton and it makes sense to sign a guy who flourished in a system they expect to keep in place going forward. Wilson was one of the better coverage linebackers in the NFL last season, which is crucial in today’s NFL. Currently, there are some strong free agents on the market, but this is another area where it doesn’t make a lot of sense to spend because they have Bentley, who is an absolute stud. When you have holes all over the roster, it is nice to know that one area is solid if not very good, and that is where the Patriots stand at the MIKE spot.

Patrick Queen did not get franchised by Baltimore, but he and guys like Bobby Wagner, Lavonte David, and Devin White will want to play for contenders and still get paid. White is only 26 and is looking at 10-13 million per year, and at his age, he is the one guy that would make sense, but the plan at this position should be to re-sign Wilson first and foremost because that puts you back where you were last season, which was very good. There will be plenty of players available in the draft and this is another area they can add to later in the draft or even an undrafted free agent. 

It will be interesting to see how the Patriots attack this area in the future. The head coach is a former Pro Bowl middle linebacker and knows a thing or two about the position and what to look for. It should be expected that New England addresses this area in the draft and this area could become Mayo’s sweet spot. 

WILL

Matt Judon

*Anfernee Jennings *Josh Uche

This is the position to watch on defense. Judon is under contract, but he is going to want more money and at his age, there are questions as to if the Patriots want to pay him. Anfernee Jennings, who was excellent in ‘23, and Josh Uche, who has shown to be a very effective pass rusher at times, are both unrestricted free agents. New England can afford both of them and it makes sense to re-sign them, but Uche could potentially fetch a strong contract because he is a pass rusher. Prediction- Judon is back with a raise, Jennings is back, and Uche is replaced either in free agency or the draft. 

Unrestricted free agent Danielle Hunter will lead the market. Now, if New England DOES decide to move on from Judon, it would not be the worst idea to go after Hunter, but it doesn’t make sense to invest in that area if you plan on holding on to Judon. A strong replacement for Uche could be Jets free agent Bryce Huff, who was very productive in split time last season with the Jets. Huff will be looking for more playing time, which might not be the worst thing to extend the effectiveness of Judon as he gets a little older. 

SAM

Jahlani Tavai, Marte Mapu, Raekwon McMillan

This group was surprisingly strong in ‘23 and will only get better in ‘24. Jahlani Tavai, who many claimed couldn’t play in the NFL and questioned the Patriots for picking up, was excellent in ‘23. He started 16 of 17 games, finishing with 110 tackles (65 solo, 45 assisted), five tackles for loss, four quarterback hits, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, five passes defended, and one sack. He did everything, which is evident by the impressive numbers he put up. Tavai is 27 years old and in the prime of his career, so expect another strong season.

Marte Mapu will see his snaps increase in ‘24 as he’ll be asked to do more not just as a linebacker but as a safety. Mapu is a hybrid who will play his way onto the field, and depending on what happens with the Dugger contract situation, Mapu could find himself in a new position this fall. Raekwon McMillan is a wildcard because he has proven he can play when healthy, but he hasn’t played since ‘22. His contract is minimal for a guy of his talent, so it makes sense to hold onto him and see what he can do. It is important to note that McMillan is still just 28 years old. 

As for free agents, it is more likely they attack this area in the draft or lower-tier free agents. Oren Burks, Anthony Walker Jr., and Kwon Alexander are three young backup linebackers with upside that may be looking for a raise. New England is in a position to do pay, so upgrading the middle class of the roster will be worth a slight overpay.

Cornerback

Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones, Marcus Jones, Shaun Wade, Isaiah Bolden, Marco Wilson, Alex Austin

*Myles Bryant

This position has been getting a lot of talk lately as a major area of need, but that depends on how they approach things. The return of Christian Gonzalez gives them that top corner they need to make it easier for everyone else. Jonathan Jones is an excellent slot corner and can also move outside if needed. Marcus Jones returns from injury, Shaun Wade is another depth guy who could carve out a spot on the ‘24 roster, and Isaiah Bolden was a rookie last year who showed promise in the preseason. The guy to watch is Myles Bryant, who is an unrestricted free agent who has been underrated in New England. Bryant will cost more with his market in the 7-10 million per year range, but he knows the defense and has proven to be productive.

If they simply bring back this group, they would be very solid if not good. Like every position, there are top free agents that the Patriots can afford if they want. This is one of the strangest seasons ever because New England has so much money they can do what they want. If they decide to upgrade at corner, Kenny Moore, Kendall Fuller, L’Jarius Sneed (franchised, would need to work out a trade), and Adoree’ Jackson are all excellent players under 29 who could come in and start opposite Christian Gonzalez. Cornerback is not as expensive as it used to be, so going out and obtaining a strong starter opposite Gonzalez would not break them financially and can help them in a division with two proven passing games (Bills, Dolphins) and the Jets getting Aaron Rodgers back from his Achilles injury. 

Free Safety

Jabrill Peppers, Joshuah Bledsoe

*Jalen Mills

Peppers was excellent in ‘23 and was maybe the brightest spot of a dark season. Peppers has that position locked down for a year, but after the release of Adrian Phillips, the safety depth as a whole needs to improve. Jalen Mills is a free agent who has enjoyed his time in New England, to the point of being cut and returning on a new deal. Mills makes a lot of sense to re-sign to ensure depth on the back end of the defense, but he has made it clear that he wants to be a starter in the NFL again. His flexibility is impressive, so don’t be surprised if the Dugger situation dictates what occurs with Mills. 

There are no free agents other than Mills that make sense at this position. If New England isn’t going to pay Phillips four million a year to be a backup safety, then it is pretty safe to say they want to go young at this position. Yes, some very good players are available at the position, and technically they could move Peppers over if needed, but I just don’t see it happening. It makes a lot of sense to draft a safety. This class has some sleepers that the Patriots could potentially take in the later rounds. 

Strong Safety

Brenden Schooler

*Kyle Dugger, Cody Davis

Dugger was hit with the transition tag, and hopefully, that deal gets done before free agency begins. Considering Dugger has a market value of roughly 13-15 million, a fair offer would be 4 years/$60 million with roughly $30 million guaranteed. If the Patriots are unable to sign Dugger, that creates a large hole that will likely have to be filled through the draft and free agency. It is likely Dugger returns considering the new regime understands how important it is to keep homegrown players, but he ultimately could get an offer from a team with a better roster which would give him a better chance to win. The Patriots can match it, which is good, but it is a red flag that they used that specific tag.

If Dugger gets an offer New England doesn’t want to match, there are options on the free agent market. Kamren Curl is at the top of the market considering his age (24) and his production. If they value the player, they can afford him, but he is going to be an attractive free agent so New England will have to know the Dugger situation before even thinking about a guy like Curl. Xavier McKinney would be a great addition too, but that situation is all tied to Dugger. Veterans like Kevin Byard, Rayshawn Jenkins, and Micah Hyde are also available. This position has become one of the deepest on the free agent market, which helps the Patriots leverage-wise with Dugger.

Brenden Schooler is strictly a special teams player who could find himself on the roster bubble. Bill Belichick cared more about spending on special teams than most, and it would not be a surprise to see the new leadership go in a completely different direction.

Prognosis

The defense is in a good place, but with all the space they have to work with under the cap and an offense that needs all the help they can get, it makes sense to attack free agency and make a serious upgrade while also adding strong middle-class free agents to improve depth in areas like the defensive line and safety. There can’t be any more excuses from the front office as far as not having the money because we know that just isn’t true, and regardless of the Patriots not being a destination team at the moment, money always changes things. They must be aggressive and have a plan as to who they want to target at the high end. The tampering period will help give an idea of where guys are leaning before we see things start to become official on Wednesday. The Patriots should be major players and this will be interesting to watch.

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