So far, the post-Bill Belichick era hasn’t gone well for the New England Patriots. Former head coach Jerod Mayo lasted just one year with the team, partially because his lack of experience was apparent — especially in comparison to his predecessor.
Now, the Patriots are hoping to rise from the rubble and ruins of their crumbled dynasty with new head coach Mike Vrabel. Although the former Patriots linebacker brings prior head coaching experience from his time with the Tennessee Titans, he’s inheriting a roster that has plenty of needs.
New England’s roster is far from ready to compete for a championship, but Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, showed promise during his rookie campaign. Through the first week of the new league year, the Patriots seem committed to building around him.
Patriots are among favorites to land WR Cooper Kupp
During an appearance on SportsCenter, ESPN’s Adam Schefter named the Patriots as one of three potential landing spots for former Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp.
“At least a dozen teams have called in and expressed interest in exploring a deal with Cooper Kupp," Schefter said. "He's going to have a multitude of options from teams that declined to trade for him and the contract he had with the Rams but are interested in signing Kupp to a contract of their own. There'll be any number of possibilities, but teams that bear watching here include the Seattle Seahawks, the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots, among others. Cooper Kupp is going to have options."
The Rams were hoping to trade Kupp but ultimately released him after failing to find a deal. The eight-year veteran didn’t receive much interest on the trade market due to his contract, but teams should be able to design a more affordable contract now that he’s a free agent.
Few teams would be able to offer Kupp a better deal than the Patriots, who entered the offseason with a league-high $103.3 million in salary cap space, per Over The Cap. So far, they’ve made the most of that cap space, handing out nearly $280 million in total salary to nine signings in free agency.
In 2021, Kupp paced the league in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947) and receiving touchdowns (16). He capped off the triple-crown campaign with a Super Bowl MVP trophy. In the three years since then, Kupp has struggled to stay healthy and replicate his success. The emergence of Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua has made Kupp expendable, and Los Angeles informed the 31-year-old that they would be moving on this offseason.
The Patriots are in dire need of legitimate talent at the wide receiver position. Last season, tight end Hunter Henry led the team with 674 receiving yards and no player scored more than three receiving touchdowns. The Patriots signed wide receiver Mack Hollins and brought back tight end Austin Hooper, but they still lack a clear No. 1 option for Maye.
