The Patriots entered free agency with a few different priorities. First, obviously, was to get good players. Not far behind was getting the “right” players for what they’re trying to build in Mike Vrabel’s first season. The team prioritized getting players they felt would be good “culture” fits in what needs to be a demanding, no-nonsense effort to get back to competent.

Guys who’d lift position groups up, be selfless and lead. In doing so, they went repeatedly after players they were familiar with.

They added potential starters on every level of the defense – defensive tackle Milton Williams, edge rusher Harold Landry, linebacker Robert Spillane, and cornerback Carlton Davis – and one on the offensive line, right tackle Morgan Moses.

They spent a ton on Williams, giving him the richest contract in team history.

But what they were unable to do – staff their two biggest roster holes at wide receiver and left tackle – takes some of the bloom off the free agency rose. The crop at both positions was shallow (left tackle) and/or had a lot of guys they weren’t totally comfortable bringing into the huddle in Drake Maye’s second season (wide receiver). So those remain priorities over the next five months.

We’ll start with an overview of the offensive moves made and next steps.

Offensive line

IN: RT Morgan Moses, OG Wes Schweitzer, OT Demontrey Jacobs (re-signed)

OUT: C David Andrews

THE SKINNY: The No. 1 offseason priority was left tackle. Not just a guy to stand there at the spot. Someone to play it capably. The Patriots still don’t have one. Not that the free agent rivers were teeming with left tackles ready to be hauled aboard.

Ronnie Stanley signed back with the Ravens. Dan Moore went from Pittsburgh to Tennessee for $20M a year and that’s viewed as a massive dice roll. Former Jaguar and Viking Cam Robinson is still on the market but the entire league is cool to him, even though he was billed as the No. 1 tackle available when free agency opened. It’s either price, not that good, pain in the posterior or a three-way combo.

Second-year tackle Caedan Wallace and warm body Vederian Lowe are all that’s on the roster for that spot right now.

The durable 34-year-old Moses should be plug-and-play at right tackle next to right guard Mike Onwenu. Schweitzer can either be depth or compete for left guard with Layden Robinson and Cole Strange. Jacobs is a depth guy.

The Patriots released blood-and-guts center David Andrews in an eye-widening move. He played four games last year and will be 33 this season. Clearly, they’re choosing to get younger and had concerns about durability at the spot so they made the hard call. My guess: they felt it was better to move on from Andrews now than lead him on by bringing him through the offseason. All they have on the roster now is Ben Brown.

GOING FORWARD: The default position is they use No. 4 on a left tackle – LSU’s Will Campbell or Missouri’s Armand Membou. They can trade down a smidge if they find a willing partner and still get one of them. With 29-year-old center Garrett Bradbury released by the Minnesota Vikings, the Patriots may be poised to jump at him.

The Patriots have whistled past the graveyard with left tackle for years, trying to get by on hope and crossed fingers. Hope that 2018 Trent Brown would resurface; fingers crossed that Chukwuma Okarafor or someone else could do the job. It never works. Have they yet learned their lesson?

Wide receiver

IN: Mack Hollins

OUT: Nobody.

THE SKINNY: Hollins is a 6-foot-4, 221-pounder who – with those dimensions – stands apart from the rest of the wide receiver room (Javon Baker, Ja'Lynn Polk and Kendrick Bourne are all 6-foot-1 and about 205; Kayshon Boutte is a touch smaller, DeMario Douglas is pocket-sized). Nobody’s confusing him for DeAndre Hopkins or the boundary receiver the team really needs to take advantage of Drake Maye’s downfield ability, but he did have 57 catches playing in Josh McDaniels’ offense back in 2022 with the Raiders.

He’s quirky but smart and can hopefully have a positive impact on a young room that is – collectively – on thin ice after 2024’s miserable performance.

The Patriots were exceedingly wary of the negative impact a demanding veteran wideout could have on Maye. As a result, they weren’t in the game on talented guys like DK Metcalf and Davante Adams. The guy they loved – Chris Godwin – signed back with the Buccaneers.

So this spot is very much like left tackle. Need one desperately. Have screwed up staffing the position for YEARS. Have a chance at the top of the draft with No. 4 if Travis Hunter is there.

My two cents would be to fix the line first and take the tackle. I understand why others may feel differently.

Quarterback

IN: Josh Dobbs

OUT: Jacoby Brissett

THE SKINNY: While Brissett was a bridge/stopgap starter, Dobbs is more of a spot-starter with no illusions that a team is going to hand him the keys and say, “You’re our guy…” Dobbs has started 15 games for four different teams since 2022. He’s 3-12 in those starts but he’s a highly-trusted guy who can innovate when necessary. The Patriots flipping second-year backup Joe Milton for a draft pick remains in play.

Running back

IN: Nobody.

OUT: Nobody.

THE SKINNY: With Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson, the Patriots have what should be a solid two-back tandem if the Patriots can provide just a little bit of running room. As we mentioned, Stevenson’s production and ball security in 2024 weren’t great.

It’s unlikely the team would make a move away from either player but they need more bodies at the position so expect additions later whether in the draft or as the summer progresses.

Tight end

IN: Austin Hooper

OUT: Nobody.

THE SKINNY: Hooper isn’t really “in” since he never quite left in free agency, but the team did re-sign him to another one-year deal worth $5M. He was a good investment last year and odds are he will be again. Hooper and the highly-reliable Hunter Henry combine to make the tight end group one of the team’s strong suits. But this is a tight end heavy draft and both those players are 31. It’s a sneaky need position.