The New England Patriots successfully returned to the playoffs after having a solid 2021 regular-season campaign. The Patriots were promptly smashed by the Buffalo Bills, but there were a ton of positives to be drawn from the 2021 season, which can ultimately be carried over to the 2022 campaign.
Additionally, the Patriots are also aiming to address the holes on their roster in order to have a more competitive team in 2022. As of the moment, they have around $11.5 million in cap space to use to acquire reinforcements to help them improve on both sides of the ball. Hopefully, the talents they will bring in can make the Patriots a more complete team and allow them to have a deeper playoff run next season.
With that said, let's take a look at three players the Patriots must target during 2022 NFL free agency.
New England Patriots Free Agency Targets
3. Carlton Davis
News recently emerged that the Patriots are not expected to put their franchise tag on CB1 J.C. Jackson, per CBS Sports. His potential departure would leave a huge hole at the position, which is why the Patriots must pursue his replacement in Carlton Davis from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Auburn product has shown in the early stages of his career that he can match up and contain the top receiver of the opposing team. He is also a physical player, though he can go overboard at times, which often leads to unnecessary penalties.
Davis also suffered a quad injury in 2021 and ended the season with 39 combined tackles, 11 passes defended, and an interception in 10 games played. Nonetheless, the 25-year-old still has good upside and will only improve as his career progresses.
If the Patriots manage to pick him up in the offseason, they would have a quality player who would help anchor the secondary defense for years to come.
Wide receiver Michael Gallup has always been a solid talent, although he eventually lost his fair share of touches when CeeDee Lamb arrived on the Dallas Cowboys in 2020. Unfortunately, Gallup also tore his ACL in Week 17 of the 2021 season.
Gallup finished his campaign with the lowest output of his career with 445 receiving yards on 35 receptions and two touchdowns in nine games played. Despite having a tough year, the Patriots may still look to target Gallup in free agency in order to address their lack of dependable receivers on the field.
Throughout his career, Gallup has utilized his route-running abilities in order to create separation from his defenders. Although he isn't as athletic as other receivers, he can still be a major threat with his excellent pacing and footwork on the field.
Landing in New England would allow Gallup to have a significant role on offense once he gets back to full health, given the shallow depth of receivers they have as of the moment. Securing his services would be mutually beneficial for both parties and would ultimately give the Patriots a more dynamic offensive attack next season.
It is worth noting, however, that the Cowboys are working hard to re-sign him.
The Patriots recently made a surprising move when they decided to cut veteran LB Kyle Van Noy ahead of free agency. After his departure, a familiar face in Chandler Jones could potentially fill in the gap and spearhead the defensive front for the Patriots moving forward.
He started his career in New England from 2012 to 2015, where he helped win Super Bowl XLIX for the team. In 2021, Jones continued to dominate during a stellar season with the Arizona Cardinals, notching 41 combined tackles, 26 QB hits, and 10.5 sacks in 15 appearances. His high level of production also earned him the fourth Pro Bowl nod of his career.
On top of his on-field contributions, Jones also offers his veteran experience as well as his ability to stay healthy through the course of a season. He will not come cheap, especially after a solid campaign, though he would surely be a huge asset if the Patriots find a way to make room and acquire him for 2022.
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