The New England Patriots were one of the most active teams in free agency, which could impact their strategy heading into April's NFL draft.
"The best player available is going to be the way it is," executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said, according to MassLive's Karen Guregian. "Maybe we went for need a little bit too much last year. Obviously, that culminated in us drafting Drake Maye, so it wasn't all bad.
"But, just moving forward, it's taking the best player, and understanding that we've filled a lot of needs already in free agency."
New England splurged on its defense in particular this offseason. The team added defensive tackle Milton Williams, cornerback Carlton Davis, linebacker Robert Spillane, and pass-rusher Harold Landry, among others, to a unit that ranked 22nd in yards and points allowed last season.
The Patriots also added to their offensive line, signing tackle Morgan Moses and center Garrett Bradbury.
"We feel really excited about some of the names that we've added," Wolf said. "We still know there's a lot of work to be done. ... We're just really excited to be able to go into the draft not forced to pick something."
New England holds nine picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, including the fourth overall spot and four selections in the top 80.
Two-way star Travis Hunter, tackle Will Campbell, and pass-rusher Abdul Carter are expected to be among the top non-quarterbacks selected.
New England chose Maye third overall in last year's draft. The rookie quarterback took over as the team's starter in October and went 3-9 as QB1 in 2024.
The Patriots ranked dead last in passing offense. Wide receiver and left tackle remain perceived needs for the team. New England was reportedly interested in signing former Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp and recently hosted four-time Pro Bowl wideout Stefon Diggs on a free-agent visit. Kupp signed with the Seattle Seahawks earlier in March, while Diggs remains available.
