New England Patriots: 5 Top targets in 2020 NFL free agency
Before 2020 NFL free agency kicks off, here are five targets the New England Patriots should target on the open market to get back to the promised land.
The New England Patriots head into the NFL offseason ahead of the 2020 campaign with one of the biggest and most important offseasons in franchise history before them. After an early exit in the postseason in 2019 following winning the Super Bowl a year prior, the Patriots enter a crossroads this offseason while their moves will decide heavily on the direction of the franchise moving forward.
The moves that are made by New England this offseason and the players that the Patriots are able to re-sign will decide whether or not they will return as Super Bowl contenders in 2020 or if they will enter somewhat of a rebuilding mode for the first time in the 2000s.
The biggest question mark surrounding the organization is if veteran quarterback and future Hall-of-Famer Tom Brady will ultimately return to the only NFL team he has played for as he hits free agency for the first time in his legendary career.
Outside of Brady, the Patriots also have players on both sides of the ball to make decisions on if they want to re-sign them or part ways and look elsewhere ahead of the upcoming year. There are players such as Phillip Dorsett, Joe Thuney, Kyle Van Noy and Jamie Collins, among others.
With the free agency signing period right around the corner, New England could be aggressive in trying to examine the market to bring in a few new faces in 2020 while trying to continue to convince Brady that he should return for the rest of his career while continuing to make a run at league championships until he ultimately retires.
With the important offseason ahead for New England and some decisions to be made with free agency looming, let’s take a dive into a few players who the Patriots could look to add to this mix on both sides of the ball in 2020 and beyond.
5. Andrus Peat
Improving the offensive line is one way the Patriots could potentially convince Tom Brady to return this offseason. Protecting the quarterback, especially if that quarterback is Brady, who obviously isn’t getting any younger, should be one of the most important things for the Patriots to try and accomplish before the new year kicks off.
Heading into the offseason, New England has some question marks among the offensive line and have some decisions to make as far as who it wants to re-sign on that group or if it wants to look towards the free-agent market to add pieces to the front-line group.
An option that could be intriguing for the Patriots is offensive lineman Andrus Peat, who spent the 2019 campaign with the New Orleans Saints.
Peat, a 26-year-old guard, started and appeared in 10 games for the Saints last season. Entering his sixth year in the NFL in 2020, Peat is a good run blocker and solid pass protector who doesn’t draw too may penalties while he is on the field. That would be a valuable asset for New England to add to the offensive line this year.
If Peat is able to stay healthy and can put together a full season, something he has yet to do in his career to this point, he could be a nice addition to bring into New England for the 2020 campaign and beyond.