After a disappointing 4-13 season, there is no question that the New England Patriots are entering a rebuilding phase. Following the departure of legendary coach Bill Belichick and the hiring of rookie head coach Jerod Mayo, the Patriots are shifting from their old culture. The first step in this process should be signing 33-year-old All-Pro left tackle Tyron Smith.
The Patriots find themselves in a unique position as they have a top-5 draft pick for the first time since 1994 when they selected Willie McGinest with the 4th overall pick. It’s looking like Jerod Mayo, and Eliot Wolf are leaning toward selecting their franchise quarterback of the future this year. You can’t have a successful football team without a serviceable offensive line, especially with a rookie quarterback. With the unlikely chance of Trent Brown returning to the team, it leaves a significant void at left tackle. The Dallas Cowboys have reportedly confirmed they will not be re-signing Tyron Smith in 2024, making him one of the most wanted free agents on the market.
Arguably, the three most important needs on the team are quarterback, tackle, and wide receivers. The free-agent market for elite receivers is scarce with the extensions and franchise tags of players like Tee Higgins, Mike Evans, and Michael Pittman. It leaves the team with a lack of options for a legitimate threat to sign. Some possibilities include Calvin Ridley, Gabe Davis, and Odell Bekham Jr. Furthermore, there has been some speculation that the Broncos could part ways with Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton.
This is where signing Tyron Smith comes into play. With over 100M in cap space this offseason, the Patriots can afford to sign Smith on a short-term deal.
The signing of Tyron Smith is not a long-term fix by any means. However, it gives the Patriots significantly more flexibility on which players they can draft. A short-term deal with big money and incentive-based solves the Patriot’s missing piece at tackle for the time being, allowing them to draft a “more flashy” position earlier instead. This opens the door for the Patriots to draft their quarterback of the future with the third overall pick and a wide receiver with the 34th overall pick. With the tackle class being so deep, it also leaves the option of drafting a tackle late in Day 3, having him be mentored and being a sponge learning under the All-Pro.
While this would all be a dream-type scenario for the team, it’s hard to persuade talent to sign with a rebuilding team. The Patriots no longer have players like Tom Brady or Rob Gronkowski to attract free agents off the market, but they have the second-best thing: money. Signing Tyron Smith on a potential 1-2-year deal is something the Patriots should consider, especially with all the money they have to spend. Not to mention, Eliot Wolf has made it clear time and time again that he wants to do things “The Packer Way,” which was the philosophy of “draft and develop.”
Ron Wolf (Eliot’s Dad) was the general manager of the Green Bay Packers, alongside Ted Thompson for 26 years dating back to 1991. During this 26-year run of success, they had an unbelievable track record of drafting wide receivers specifically in the second round, and developing them into top notch receivers. We can hope Eliot Wolf can inherit some of his father’s great instincts when drafting receiver’s.
- Greg Jennings (2006)
- Jordy Nelson (2008)
- Randall Cobb (2011)
- Davante Adams (2014) *Future HOF*
Luckily, this wide receiver class is extremely deep and talented, so drafting one at the top of the second round would be ideal. It’s been a long time since the Patriots have had a true weapon that teams would specifically have to game plan for. Some of the potential wide receivers at the top of the second round consist of:
- Xavier Worthy
- Keon Coleman
- Ricky Pearsall
- Jermaine Burton
- Devontez Walker
- Roman Wilson
- Brenden Rice
Knowing this is not a one-year fix and seriously having the money, this needs to be a genuine consideration for the Patriot’s future. Signing 33-year-old left tackle Tyron Smith may not be the most flashy signing, but it brings the Patriots one step closer to their multi-year rebuild and adds a veteran mindset to the locker room.
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