Patriots
The Patriots could still use some upgrades on the offensive line.
The Patriots might have finalized their 53-man roster on Tuesday evening, but there is still plenty of work to be done before New England takes the field for Week 1 against the Bengals on Sept. 8.
Even with New England making 37 roster moves over the past two days to trim their roster down from its initial 90-player grouping, the Patriots still have several holes on their current depth chart.
But with several intriguing NFL players either placed on the waiver wire or outright released, the Patriots do have a prime opportunity to try and bolster some areas of their roster over the next couple of days.
“We’re always looking for ways to improve the roster,” Jerod Mayo said during his video conference on Monday. “I would say between Eliot and myself, we’re on the same page, whether it’s through trades, the waiver wire, whatever else it is, getting the guy off the street. We’re just always in the mindset of, ‘How do we get this roster better, and how do we continue to improve as a team going forward?’”
Here’s five possible players the Patriots could target over the next few days.
OT Geron Christian
It was abundantly clear during Sunday’s preseason finale against the Commanders that the Patriots’ current offensive line is … well, a mess.
New England’s options at tackle aren’t all that encouraging, potentially prompting the team to move Mike Onwenu back to right tackle for the long haul or give a rookie like Caedan Wallace featured reps out of the gate.
Add in the struggles of veterans like Vederian Lowe and Chukwuma Okorafor (who was flagged three times on Sunday for illegal formation), and New England needs all the depth it can find at the tackle position.
Geron Christian has some familiarity with New England’s revamped coaching staff. He started nine games for the Browns last season, back when Alex Van Pelt (New England’s current offensive coordinator) and Scott Peters (New England’s current offensive-line coach) were both on Cleveland’s staff.
Even though Christian came up short in a roster battle with 2024 first-round pick JC Latham and 2022 third-rounder Nicholas Petit-Frere in Cleveland, the 27-year-old tackle has plenty of experience with 58 career games under his belt — including more than 1,600 snaps at left tackle.
Other potential options at tackle include La’el Collins, Julien Davenport, Jesse Davis, and Caleb Jones.
WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
The Patriots already have seven wide receivers on their 53-man roster. But if New England is looking for a potential reclamation project who has familiarity in Alex Van Pelt’s system, Peoples-Jones could be an intriguing option.
The 25-year-old wideout was cut by the Lions this week after only catching five passes for 58 yards in eight games with Detroit last season. But Peoples-Jones put together a strong year with the Browns in 2022 when Van Pelt was on the staff, reeling in 61 catches for 839 yards and three touchdowns.
TE Donald Parham Jr.
With Hunter Henry still banged up due to injury, New England could turn to a bargain-bin addition like Parham if they’re looking for another big-bodied, red-zone threat. The 6-foot-8 tight end reeled in 27 catches for 285 yards and four touchdowns last season with the Chargers.
If the Patriots believe that Henry is healthy and ready to play in Week 1, they could also peruse tight ends on the market who might be better served as blockers — something that Parham has struggled with in the NFL ranks.
C Alec Lindstrom
David Andrews might still anchor New England’s O-line at the center position, but the depth behind him is a bit concerning. Nick Leverett is the next man up at center, but he labored at times this preseason when it comes to snapping the ball.
If New England is looking for another option at center, a local product like Lindstrom could be very appealing. The Dudley, Mass. native played at Boston College from 2017-21 and was a two-time All-ACC selection with the Eagles.
Ideally, Andrews remains entrenched at center all season long, but if injuries sprout up, a center like Lindstrom could be a useful pickup.
DE KJ Henry
After walloping Jacoby Brissett into the turf during New England’s preseason finale, could Henry — who was waived by the Commanders on Tuesday — end up joining the Patriots?
Even though New England’s pass rush impressed this preseason following the trade of Matthew Judon, Henry could be an intriguing waiver-wire pickup who has more room to grow. A fifth-round selection by Washington in the 2023 NFL Draft, Henry recorded 1.5 sacks over 10 games last season.
Henry, who won’t turn 26 until January 27, will likely be coveted by several teams on the waiver wire given his upside and untapped potential.
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