The New England Patriots have a ton of roster weaknesses to address in free agency, the trade market and the 2025 NFL Draft over the next few months.
The Patriots arguably have the least amount of high-end talent in the league, especially on offense at key positions such as wide receiver and left tackle.
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They do, however, have a potential star at quarterback in Drake Maye, who enjoyed an impressive rookie season in 2024.
Former Patriots scout and ex-Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff joined NBC Sports Boston's Patriots Talk Podcast on Tuesday and talked about the importance of surrounding your young quarterback with as many weapons as possible. He has plenty of experience doing that.
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"Always put the tools around your quarterback," Dimitroff said. "We did it with (running back) Michael Turner way back in the day. We did it with (tight end) Tony Gonzalez. We did it with (wide receiver) Julio Jones. We were always mindful of what we put around Matt Ryan in those formative years. I think it's vital you do that."
Dimitroff wasn't afraid to be bold, either. His biggest gamble came in 2011 when he acquired the No. 6 overall pick in the draft from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for five picks, including two first-rounders. Dimitroff took Alabama wideout Julio Jones at No. 6, and he was Ryan's top receiver for many years and is a good bet to make the Hall of Fame someday.
One of the first major moves Dimitroff made after the Falcons selected Ryan with the No. 3 pick in the 2008 draft was trade for veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez in 2009. The future Hall of Famer tallied at least 70 receptions and six touchdowns in all five of his seasons with Ryan.
"I'm a huge believer in tight ends," Dimitroff said. "For Drake -- we did it with Matt Ryan, right? The next year, after we drafted Matt Ryan, we traded for Tony Gonzalez. It's one of the acquisitions that I made personally that I was proud of because it helped Matt Ryan develop so much. I would put together a great tandem of tight ends."
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Tight end isn't a pressing need for the Patriots. In fact, you could argue it's the one position (besides quarterback) on the Patriots roster that doesn't need any upgrading this offseason. Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper were a productive and reliable 1-2 punch at tight end last season.
The top tight end in the 2025 draft class is Tyler Warren from Penn State.
He's a top 10 pick in most mock drafts, and for good reason. He's a fantastic pass-catcher who tallied 104 receptions for 1,233 yards with eight touchdowns in 16 games for the Nittany Lions in 2024. He also can line up in the back field or out wide. He's a good blocker, too. Warren might be the safest of all the offensive players in this draft. He could be a legit star for many years.
Warren might not make sense for the Patriots with the No. 4 pick, but if they traded down in the top 10, he would be a player worth a long look.
The bottom line is the Patriots won't be a contender again until they surround Maye with elite talent on offense. That's the only way the No. 3 pick from the 2024 draft is going to reach his full potential. And with a league-leading $120 million in salary cap space and nine picks in the 2025 draft, the Patriots have plenty of resources to make massive upgrades.
Also in this episode:
- How concerning should Tom Brady’s conflict of interest be for other NFL owners?
- How likely is it the Browns give in to Myles Garrett’s trade demand?
- Thomas Dimitroff shares his reaction to Bill Belichick accepting the UNC head coaching position
- What should the Patriots do with the 4th overall pick?
- Should the Patriots do whatever it takes to sign a receiver like Tee Higgins?
