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2019 was on track to be an incredible season for the New England Patriots. They started the year 8-0, and it looked like another Super Bowl was in their sights.
People were talking about Tom Brady going forever and the dynasty would never end.
Then they finished the regular season 4-4, ending their record at 12-4. Good enough to win the AFC East, but they didn't even get a first round bye. That proved fatal, as the Patriots lost in the Wild Card round to the Tennessee Titans.
Now Brady's future is unclear and, clearly, things need to be shaken up a bit. That means New England will go hard this offseason. So expect them to be active in free agency.
With that being said, here are two free agents they should avoid.
Eric Ebron
The Patriots need a tight end. Rob Gronkowski is not about to walk back through that door. In fact, it looks like he could be on his way to the WWE, which could be extremely entertaining.
Last year was proof that New England missed production from that position though. Without a tight end, things just never seemed to run as smoothly. Brady didn't have his security blanket. Without the guy he could dump it off to for a few short yards, the Patriots seemed a little lost.
Ebron is not the most reliable tight end. He has had massive drop problems. However, he's still just one season removed from an absurd career-year.
With the Indianapolis Colts in 2018, Ebron racked up 66 receptions for 750 yards and 13 touchdowns. Getting even close to that production from their tight ends would've made a world of a difference for the Patriots.
Let's go back to that whole “unreliable” thing though.
Ebron's likely not going to come cheap, seeing as that great year was very recent. But it was just one season. Every year (that one included) has been plagued with drops. Ebron complained about playing time and targets in 2019, and finished with just 31 receptions for 375 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games last season.
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There are better players to take chances on. New England could go with Jordan Reed, and hope he can stay healthy. If Reed stays healthy, he's one of the best tight ends in football.
If he doesn't stay healthy, the Patriots could win without him. So it wouldn't be the end of the world. Or they could dump all their money into Austin Hooper, and just go for the big prize. There are also options that will be a little cheaper such as Hunter Henry and Tyler Eifert.
The bottom line is, there are a ton of tight end options for the Patriots. Don't go with the one who has had drop problems his whole career just because of an elite 2018.
Philip Rivers
This one is really simple. The Patriots might need a new quarterback if they can't bring back Brady. Philip Rivers is an obvious option because he's a veteran with a fantastic resume who could come in and keep them as Super Bowl contenders.
Here's why New England shouldn't do that though. Rivers has had some “eh” seasons lately. Including 2019, which was the worst of his career. It resulted in the Los Angeles Chargers being serious disappointments.
The big reason has nothing to do with that though. If you're not going to bring back Brady, you might as well try to find a quarterback that can replace him for a long time. Bringing in a 38-year-old who many thought might retire this offseason isn't the way to go.
Rivers could absolutely help the Patriots compete. So could Teddy Bridgewater though. Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota could be intriguing options, and Ryan Tannehill might be interesting too.
Most importantly, all those quarterbacks could be longer-term solutions. Meaning the Patriots don't need to try and scramble for a quarterback as early as the 2021 offseason as well. Stability is important. So don't start swapping out QBs yearly.
