OL Draft Notes: Campbell, Jackson, Membou
In our recent 2025 NFL Mock Draft, we projected that LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell would be selected by the Patriots at No. 4 overall, and we don’t appear to be alone in that projection. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe recently asserted that “all roads lead to” New England for Campbell.
Volin quoted Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network who recently told him, “I’ve just continually heard that offensive tackle was going to be addressed, and I’ve continually heard that that’s Will Campbell’s spot.”
The top three picks of the 2025 NFL Draft consistently reflect that Miami quarterback Cam Ward, Colorado athlete Travis Hunter, and Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter will be the first three off the board. This leaves the Patriots with every other option on the board with the fourth overall pick, and while no pick seems as obvious as the first three, all signs seem to be pointing to Campbell.
Here are a few other draft rumors concerning offensive linemen in the upcoming draft:
- Ohio State offensive lineman Donovan Jackson hasn’t garnered as much attention from the media in the pre-draft process as his bookend teammate Josh Simmons, who has earned some projections as a potential first-rounder, but he’s still getting plenty of attention from the NFL. After shifting out from his usual left guard spot to left tackle part-way through his senior season in Columbus, Jackson has garnered some second-round projections of his own. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Jackson visited his hometown’s local team, the Texans, this week. Wilson adds that Jackson has also visited the Giants, Eagles, Vikings, and Raiders in the past few weeks.
- Many of the draft’s top tackle prospects have been projected more favorably as guards at the NFL level. Several teams have overlooked the limitations of these prospects as they search for tackle help. Missouri lineman Armand Membou continues to hear position questions in the runup to the draft. Per Volin, Membou’s trainer, Duke Mayweather of OL Masterminds, has claimed that Membou is much more likely to flourish at right tackle and that he wouldn’t try to switch him to left tackle. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune took things a step further, saying that, while he agrees Membou will fit first at right tackle, he thinks Membou is more likely to end up playing guard than left tackle in the NFL.
Patriots Pursued Maxx Crosby, Myles Garrett; Could Select Edge Rusher At No. 4
The Patriots have been active reworking their pass-rush depth this offseason, so it shouldn’t be surprising that the front office pursued two of the biggest names on the market. According to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com, the Patriots “had desires” to trade for Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett.
New England’s pursuit of the two extension/trade candidates surely preceded their free agent spending spree. The Raiders and Browns were rightfully correct in waiting out the trade winds, as both teams eventually inked their star pass rushers to lucrative extensions. That forced the Patriots to pivot.
Considering the Patriots’ free agency commitments, we can only assume the Eliot Wolf-led front office would have been just as willing to hand out an extension to either player. The Patriots landed interior disruptor Milton Williams on a four-year, $104MM, and they added edge rusher Harold Landry III on a three-year, $43.5MM pact. With other additions like Robert Spillane and K’Lavon Chaisson, plus holdovers like Christian Barmore and Keion White, there’s hope Mike Vrabel will guide an improved front-seven in 2025.
Despite the team’s many defensive acquisitions, the Patriots may not be done adding. There’s been an assumption that the team would select an offensive tackle with the fourth-overall pick. However, Pauline says the team’s one alternative option could be an edge rusher, and that’s with the assumption that Abdul Carter will already be off the board.
Shemar Stewart, Mykel Williams, and Mike Green are regarded as consensus top-20 picks, but all three edge-rush prospects would be considered a reach at No. 4. Considering the uncertainty behind the top-three picks, Jalon Walker could be an option for New England, although the Georgia product seems better positioned to slide in as an inside LB.
Our own Ely Allen projects the Patriots to select LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell with the No. 4 pick, a popular sentiment across the industry. However, the Patriots could pull off the first wrinkle of the draft if they add to an already-remade defense.
AFC East Notes: Campbell, Milton, Jets, Bills
Likely holding the right of first refusal with this draft’s tackle class, the Patriots continue to be tied to LSU’s Will Campbell. Pats-Campbell connections have persisted for an extended stretch, as the team’s free agency activity brought in many high-profile options but did not produce a left tackle addition. While Morgan Moses is coming into play right tackle, a rookie is likely to join him. As of now, Campbell appears the frontrunner. The Patriots are believed to prefer Campbell at No. 4, Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline notes. Although Pauline adds considerable in-house support for Missouri’s Armand Membou exists, he may need to wait a bit longer to hear his name called. The Pats have been high on Campbell for a while, as arm-length concerns appear to have been overblown, and Mike Vrabel pointed to the draft as a good way the team can address its LT issue. Vrabel added (via the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed) he believes LT starters are in this draft.
Here is the latest from the AFC East:
- The Pats unloaded popular reserve QB Joe Milton in a trade, dealing him to the Cowboys for a fifth-round pick. This represented a net gain for New England, which drafted Milton in last year’s sixth round. Vrabel pointed to a lack of reps being available behind Drake Maye and UFA pickup Josh Dobbs as the main reason for Milton’s early exit. “Well, we felt like that his reps were going to be decreased as we worked through the offseason,” Vrabel said (via Kyed). “And we felt like just like every other decision, we’re going to try to do what’s best for the team, and that’s the decision that we ultimately made. And so, excited to move forward with Drake and Josh.” Three years remain on Milton’s rookie contract.
- The Jets signed Josh Reynolds and worked out a pay-cut agreement with Allen Lazard. This makes the team unlikely to also add one of the 30-something wide receivers still in free agency, per ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. Amari Cooper, Keenan Allen and Tyler Lockett remain unsigned. The trio may need to wait until the post-draft deadline pertaining to the 2026 compensatory formula to find homes, as the draft will also provide clarity regarding teams’ receiver needs.
- Staying with the Jets, Cimini noted in a previous piece Rick Spielman‘s presence in the team’s GM hiring process, one that ended with Darren Mougey landing the job, did not sit well with some of the candidates who interviewed. Although Mougey had not previously worked with Spielman, Mougey’s former boss — Broncos GM George Paton — was Spielman’s assistant GM in Minnesota. Paton gave Mougey a strong endorsement to ex-boss, according to Cimini, and some who lost out on the job connected the dots. Familiarity often leads to hirings at the executive or coaching level, though it is interesting Spielman — who had been out of the NFL until the Jets added him to lead the HC/GM hiring process — is staying on to help Mougey in a full-time role. It is worth wondering if all the candidates interviewed would have kept Spielman on.
- Holding 10 picks, the Bills profile as a team who could move up in the draft. One scout informed ESPN.com’s Matt Miller a Buffalo move up for an impact first-round defender is a scenario to monitor. Cornerback represents a spot to follow regarding the Bills’ first-round pick, ESPN.com’s Field Yates adds. Buffalo has not re-signed Rasul Douglas, and Dane Jackson does not profile as a surefire starter opposite the recently extended Christian Benford.
- The Bills used a “30” visit on Texas A&M defensive end Nic Scourton, ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds. Our Ely Allen profiled Scourton recently, and a few teams have met with the ex-Aggies regular. The Bills added Michael Hoecht and Joey Bosa in free agency and still roster A.J. Epenesa; Bosa and Epenesa, however, are on expiring contracts.
NFL Announces 17 Prospects Attending NFL Draft
There will be 17 draft prospects waiting in the green room to hear their name announced next week. The NFL announced the players who will attend the first round next Thursday night in Green Bay:
- G Tyler Booker, Alabama
- LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
- OT Will Campbell, LSU
- DE Abdul Carter, Penn State
- QB Jaxson Dart, Mississippi
- WR Matthew Golden, Texas
- DT Mason Graham, Michigan
- DB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado
- RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
- DB Will Johnson, Michigan
- WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
- QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama
- OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State
- DB Malaki Starks, Georgia
- DE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
- QB Cam Ward, Miami (FL)
- DE Mykel Williams, Georgia
When players commit to attending the first round of the draft, their respective camps have often been given some kind of assurance that they’ll be selected within the top-32 picks. Of course, that’s not a prerequisite, and as we’ve seen many times, there are some overly-confident prospects who subsequently endure the very-public waiting game.
Per usual, the most notable inclusions surround the QB position. Cam Ward is the favorite to go first-overall, and Shedeur Sanders (who is absent from this list) is also expected to be selected at some point in the first round. After that, the position is pretty uncertain, and that could lead to some awkward moments for the other QBs who decided to attend.
Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe have firmly established themselves in that next tier of QB prospects, and recent reports have indicated that they should be at least Day 2 picks. There haven’t been any definitive reports about their Day 1 candidacy, and while we shouldn’t read too much into the list of attendees, it is notable that both prospects believe they have a shot of going in the top-32 selections.
Patriots Rumors: Campbell, Strange, Carter
The Patriots have their right tackle position locked down with Morgan Moses on a three-year deal, despite his advanced age of 34 years old. After uninspiring performances in 2024 from Vederian Lowe and Caedan Wallace, the team still has questions at the left tackle position.
New head coach Mike Vrabel didn’t give up on Lowe and Wallace, claiming both players would get opportunities to win the job, but he noted that the 2025 NFL Draft would “be a good option” to address the position. Per Karen Guregian of Mass Live, Vrabel said that there are players “at a lot of different levels” that the team likes.
With the No. 4 overall pick, New England is going to have their pick of the litter after a presumed 1-2-3 of Cam Ward, Abdul Carter, and Travis Hunter. There’s a chance that Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders sneaks in there and allows Carter or Hunter to fall to the Patriots, but likely, those three will be off the board and New England will make the first unexpected pick of the draft.
They’ve been connected to players like Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker or Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, but if they decide to use that pick to address the left tackle situation, they reportedly view LSU’s Will Campbell as an option at No. 4 overall. Campbell drew early criticism in the pre-draft process for a lack of length with a below-average 32 5/8-inch arm measurement, but according to Field Yates of ESPN, scouts really don’t view Campbell’s arm length as an issue that could prevent him from becoming a really good left tackle in the NFL.
Here are a few more rumors out of New England concerning the subject:
- Despite watching rookie fourth-round guard Layden Robinson struggle as the team’s starting left guard for much of the 2024 season, the team won’t likely feel the need to address that position in the draft. After only playing in three games last year due to injury, Cole Strange is expected to enter the offseason as the team’s starter at the position, per Christopher Price of The Boston Globe. Strange showed major improvement in 2023 after a rough rookie campaign, but injuries have limited him to only 13 games in the past two seasons.
- While it may end up being for naught, the Patriots are hosting Carter out of Penn State on a top-30 visit this coming Monday, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. Carter is only taking visits with teams in the top 4 picks (Titans, Browns, Giants, and Patriots), so it stands to reason that if he falls past the first three picks, he’d be an easy selection for New England to make at fourth overall.
Raiders Arrange Visits With Shedeur Sanders, Will Campbell, Mason Graham, Carson Schwesinger
Set to select sixth overall, the Raiders find themselves in an interesting position as the countdown to the draft continues. The team could go in several different directions, and a number of first-round options are being examined through pre-draft visits. 
Vegas lined up a large number of top-30 visits yesterday, and Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports the group included LSU tackle Will Campbell and Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham. Both prospects are viewed in the tier below presumed No. 1 pick Cam Ward and the highly-regarded duo of Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter. Depending on how the Patriots and Jaguars operate with the fourth and fifth selections, though, neither Campbell nor Graham may be available once Vegas is on the clock.
The Raiders’ work also included their previously-reported visit with Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. The Heisman runner-up has frequently been mentioned as a logical fit for Vegas given the team’s struggles on the ground last season and resultant need to find a long-term Josh Jacobs successor. Selecting Campbell or Graham instead would leave a vacancy in the backfield (at least until later in the draft), but it would help shore up the line of scrimmage for a team looking to rebound from a 4-13 season.
A large part of that effort has been the acquisition of quarterback Geno Smith. The trade sending him to the Raiders was recently followed by a two-year extension putting him on the books through 2027, but the team is still interested in exploring rookie signal-callers. Among those with a visit planned is Shedeur Sanders, per Breer. The Colorado passer’s Vegas meeting will take place on Monday, he adds.
Vegas has previously been connected to Sanders, whose stock remains a key talking point in advance of the draft. A fall out of the first round is not expected, but the strength of prospects at other positions for teams not immediately in need of a signal-caller could lead them in another direction. Still, the Browns and Giants have been linked to Sanders interest, and his visit with the Steelers (set to select 21st overall) today illustrates the extent of his list of suitors.
Sanders is not the only QB prospect being looked into. As Breer notes, Texas’ Quinn Ewers and Ohio State’s Will Howard were present yesterday, along with Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart. Those three passers face a wide range of draft outcomes, but Dart has gained steam for first-round consideration. Ewers and Howard are more logical targets if Vegas – now led by head coach Pete Carroll, general manager John Spytek and (to a notable extent) minority owner Tom Brady – plans to wait until after Day 1 to add a quarterback .
Also present for Wednesday’s prospect summit was Carson Schwesinger, according to Tashan Reed of The Athletic. The UCLA product is seen as one of the top linebackers in the 2025 class, and he is slated to hear his name called sometime in the second round. Vegas owns pick No. 37, which could be used on Schwesinger based in part on how yesterday’s visit went. With respect to the team’s top selection, though, several options are on the table and are receiving consideration.
Saints Host Will Campbell; Team Showing Interest In James Pearce, Shemar Turner
The Saints’ draft preparation is ongoing, and prospects on both sides of the ball are on the team’s radar. Offensive lineman Will Campbell visited today, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.
A Louisiana native and LSU product, Campbell’s visit will be classified as a local one and thus not count toward the Saints’ allotment of 30 for other prospects. Seen as the top offensive linemen in this year’s class for much of the pre-draft process, Campbell has faced plenty of questions about his arm length. His measurement at LSU’s Pro Day offered a slightly more encouraging figure compared to the Combine (33 inches), but the possibility of a move to guard will no doubt persist.
The Saints used a first-round pick on Trevor Penning in 2022, then added Taliese Fuaga with their top selection last spring. That pairing operated as a tackle tandem last season, and it would come as no surprise if that continued into the future. Pro Bowler Ryan Ramczyk restructured his contract in January in a move which signaled he will not be back due to his major knee injury. New Orleans could use depth at tackle, but Campbell’s path to immediate playing time would likely be on the interior if the Fuaga-Penning partnership were to remain intact.
The Patriots – who own the No. 4 pick in April’s draft – were recently reported to be high on Campbell (among other O-linemen). Left tackle looms as a major need for New England despite the team’s busy offseason, and it would come as little surprise if addressing it during Day 1 of the draft became the plan. That would leave the New Orleans (set to select ninth overall) in need of pivoting to other options in the first round.
The Saints have met with a number of Tennessee prospects recently, and Underhill reports they also conducted a James Pearce workout. Pearce is one of several first-round prospects for edge rushers in the 2025 class, with his speed representing a major source of interest for NFL teams. A first-team All-SEC producer for each of the past two seasons, he totaled 17.5 sacks over that span; as a result, Pearce is firmly on the Day 1 radar (although a top-10 selection could be seen by some as a slight reach).
The Saints also used Saturday to host defensive tackle Shemar Turner on a visit, per Underhill. The Texas A&M product’s stock is not as high as that of teammate Shemar Stewart, but drafting him could help a New Orleans team which ranked 31st against the run last season. While Stewart is not seen as a first-round prospect, several of those who are will no doubt continue to receive attention from New Orleans over the coming days and weeks.
OL Draft Notes: Campbell, Simmons, 49ers
Projected first-round pick Will Campbell measured in with 33-inch arms at LSU’s Pro Day, per ESPN’s Field Yates, an increase over his measurement at the NFL Combine.
His arm length was measured at 32.675 inches in Indianapolis, according to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, three-eighths of an inch below the league’s general standard of 33-inch arms for offensive tackles. Curiously, Campbell’s measured wingspan at the Combine (72.375 inches) was longer than his wingspan at his Pro Day (72.25 inches). Both figures are below-average figures for pro tackles.
Typically, college tackles with shorter arms are encouraged to move inside to guard or center to avoid constant matchups with long, powerful NFL edge rushers. The same concerns have been raised about Campbell in the pre-draft process, though he put together multiple years of elite tape at LSU while playing left tackle.
Campbell responded to concerns about his arm length at his pro day, refuting the idea that below-average arm length would limit him in the pros.
“For two years, nobody had any measurements on me and nobody said anything about my play,” said Campbell (via Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football). “So now all of a sudden, an arm length decides if I’m a good player or not?”
Campbell has consistently been ranked as a top-10 overall prospect and is expected to be the first offensive lineman drafted in April, though his exact landing spot may depend on which teams see him as an offensive tackle.
- Some NFL teams see Campbell as a guard, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. All of his elite traits – particularly his athleticism and technique – will translate to guard, but teams are less likely to use a top-10 pick on a less-valued position. (The last guard taken in the first 10 picks was Quenton Nelson in 2018.) Teams that project Campbell to stay at tackle will value him higher. In short, if Campbell is drafted in the top 10 as expected, it will likely come with the expectation that he will play tackle in the pros.
- Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a torn patellar tendon suffered in October, according to Ian Rapoport and Stacey Dales of NFL Network. The injury was originally expected to threaten Simmons’ availability for the 2025 season, but he is now expected to be at 100% before the draft. Simmons’ reparative surgery included a “double graft” to make his patellar tendon “extra strong,” per Dales, and he has impressed doctors with his progress in rehab. He did a brief workout at Ohio State’s pro day, including 33 reps on the bench press, which would have tied him for the most of any player at this year’s Combine. Simmons’ injury could have knocked him out of first-round consideration, but his speedy recovery should shore up his stock and give him a strong chance to be selected on Day 1 of April’s draft as a solid blocker with experience at both tackle spots.
- The 49ers are among the teams who are expected to target offensive linemen early in the draft, according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. Trent Williams missed the team’s last seven games of the season due to a lower leg injury, and future absences remain a risk for the 37-year-old left tackle. 49ers general manager John Lynch indicated at the Combine that the team was looking closely at the 2025 OL draft class, but he hasn’t spent a first-round pick on an offensive lineman since Mike McGlinchey, the ninth overall pick in 2018. This year, several of the draft’s top offensive linemen should be available to the 49ers at the 11th overall pick.
Eliot Wolf Addresses Patriots’ Draft Strategy; Team High On Will Campbell, Armand Membou?
Set to select fourth overall in April’s draft, the Patriots are a team to watch closely. New England is not in need of a Day 1 quarterback, something which could lead to favorable circumstances with respect to how the top of the board shakes out in the first round. 
Still, the team faces a number of roster-building questions in the wake of free agency. The Patriots were busy on the open market, with lucrative deals for the likes of Milton Williams, Carlton Davis and Harold Landry aimed at upgrading their defense. The left tackle and receiver positions are still in need of attention, though, leading many to point to those as targets for the No. 4 pick. When speaking on the subject, EVP Eliot Wolf said need will not lead to the team reaching on a prospect.
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“No, we don’t [feel compelled]. The best player available is going to be the way it is,” Wolf said (via Karen Guregian of MassLive). “Maybe we went for need a little bit too much last year… 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’s offensive line was a major sore spot in 2024, and improving the unit was seen as a central priority for the offseason. The team’s only moves to date have consisted of adding veteran right tackle Morgan Moses and center Garrett Bradbury along with tendering Demontrey Jacobs, however. Providing quarterback Drake Maye with blindside protection will be critical for his first full season as a starter, but at this point nothing has taken place at the left tackle position. As a result, it remains one to watch closely regarding the draft.
On that note, Guregian reports the Patriots remain fond of Will Campbell at this point in the evaluation process. The LSU product is seen as the top O-lineman in the 2025 class, but questions linger about his ability to play tackle at the NFL level. A move to guard could be in store based on his arm length, but a selection at No. 4 on the part of the Patriots would represent confidence he can handle left tackle duties.
Other lineman are on the team’s first-round radar as well. Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline writes the Patriots have shown “an incredible amount of interest” in Armand Membou since the Combine took place earlier this month. The Missouri product has seen his draft stock rise in recent weeks, although he too is seen as a candidate to play guard in the NFL. Like with Campbell, Membou would be expected to operate as a tackle in the event New England drafted him in (or near) the top five or 10 selections.
Of course, any public statements made at this time of year cannot fully be taken at face value. Still, Wolf’s remarks indicate the Patriots are open to several different possibilities in the first round, including those which could steer them toward an offensive lineman with their top pick (although as Guregian notes, New England sees Heisman winner Travis Hunter as the best player in the draft). Barring a left tackle signing in particular over the coming weeks, Campbell and Membou will be worth monitoring from New England’s perspective as the draft approaches.
Patriots Targeting Ronnie Stanley, Jamien Sherwood; Team Has “Kicked Tires” On D.K. Metcalf
The Patriots are known to be targeting additions to the offensive and defensive lines this offseason, and new head coach Mike Vrabel has indicated his club will be active in free agency (after all, New England does have nearly $130MM in cap space, the most in the league by a comfortable margin). To that end, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports the Pats will aggressively pursue Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley should Stanley hit the open market.
Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald also hear that Stanley is one of New England’s top targets. Offensive line play was a major issue for the team in 2024, as the Pats finished 31st in Pro Football Focus’ metrics with respect to pass protection and last in run blocking. Stanley had struggled with injuries in recent years, and even when he was on the field, he did not look like the same player that earned a First Team All-Pro nod in 2019. After being forced to accept a $7.5MM pay cut in advance of the 2024 season, Stanley turned in a terrific platform campaign, landing his second Pro Bowl bid and playing a full complement of games for the first time in his career.
Naturally, the Ravens want Stanley back and have prioritized a new contract for him. However, the franchise tag is not considered as an option because of how it would hinder a team that is just outside the bottom-10 in cap room and because the $23.4MM tag number for O-linemen would set the floor in negotiations above where Baltimore is willing to go. New England reportedly values Stanley’s leadership and experience in big games in addition to his raw ability, and if Stanley and the Ravens cannot come to terms before the onset of free agency, Vrabel & Co. appear ready to pounce.
If their Stanley pursuit is unsuccessful, Callahan and Kyed say the Patriots are nonetheless comfortable with the Steelers’ Dan Moore or the Vikings’ Cam Robinson – a New England trade target at the 2024 deadline – as fallback plans (the team also had interest in the Rams’ Alaric Jackson before he re-upped with Los Angeles). And, even if they are able to acquire an established OT, the Pats will presumably not be done in their search for better protection for QB Drake Maye and their rushing attack
LSU OT Will Campbell is a real possibility for the Patriots’ No. 4 overall selection in April’s draft, with league evaluators seeing Campbell or Michigan DT Mason Graham as the most likely candidates for the pick. If QB-needy teams select both Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders before New England is on the clock, though, the Pats will have the opportunity to take one of the top non-QBs in the 2025 class (Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter or Colorado cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter).
Of that duo, Hunter is viewed as the more likely to fall to No. 4. As opposed to Carter, Hunter would not address the Pats’ top goal of bolstering their trenches, but beyond OL and DL help, the Boston Herald sees cornerback, wide receiver, and linebacker as the next positions of priority. Regardless of whether New England sees Hunter as a CB or wideout, the two-way blue-chipper would be a major get.
With respect to the linebacker need, the Patriots reportedly “covet” Jets LB Jamien Sherwood, particularly since he exhibits the speed and physicality that Vrabel is hoping to inject into his front seven. The 2021 fifth-rounder was mostly quiet through his first three professional seasons before bursting onto the scene in a big way in his walk year, starting 16 of New York’s 17 games while tallying 158 total tackles – including a league-leading 98 solo stops – and 10 tackles for loss while finishing as PFF’s 18th-best LB. The Jets and Sherwood have mutual interest in an extension, though it appears the Pats are eyeing the situation closely.
As for the WR position, there were several reports connecting the Patriots to Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins this offseason. Those reports were published before it became clear Cincinnati was prepared to put the franchise tag on Higgins for a second time. While a tag presumably remains a possibility, Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) reports the team has not told Higgins whether he will actually receive the tag before Tuesday’s deadline.
Nonetheless, sources tell Callahan and Kyed that Higgins will not be available (either as an FA or as a trade candidate). Should the Bengals change their mind on that front, the Patriots would be back in the mix, despite some conflicting reports to the contrary.
It has been said that the Patriots would explore trades for a WR, though the Boston Herald believes the team would prefer to address their need for a proven pass-catcher through free agency to avoid surrendering premium draft capital. The Bucs’ Chris Godwin would be a top target if Tampa Bay allows him to test the free agent waters, and on the trade front, the Pats have reportedly “kicked the tires” on the Seahawks’ D.K. Metcalf. It is presently unclear if those discussions gained any traction.
Given New England’s areas of need, it is not surprising that Callahan and Kyed – whose piece is well-worth a read for Pats fans in particular given its scope and comprehensiveness – name Eagles DT Milton Williams and 49ers CB Charvarius Ward as several of New England’s other top FA targets.