The New England Patriots 2022 season didn't go according to plan, and they will now enter the offseason with some work to do. In a sense, they have already gotten started, as they have found a new offensive coordinator in Bill O'Brien and a new offensive line coach in Adrian Klemm. But fixing the coaching staff isn't going to immediately change New England's fortunes.

This team has some big areas of need across their roster, and the Pats success in 2023 will likely be predicated on whether or not they can address these needs. Luckily, they look set to have a decent amount of cap space already, and will likely work on creating more before free agency opens. So with the offseason now in full swing, let's take a look at five sneaky good free agents the Patriots must sign this offseason.

5. Scotty Miller

The Patriots need help at wide receiver, and while there are some bigger names they could target this offseason, Scotty Miller feels like a wideout that was made for New England. Miller broke out in 2020 with Tom Brady taking over under center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (33 REC, 501 YDS, 3 TD) but fell out of favor with the recently retired legend in 2021 and 2022.

In a similar vein as Wes Welker and Julian Edelman, Miller is an undersized receiver who can create space out of the slot. His production over the past two seasons isn't good, but we have seen Bill Belichick get the most out of players like Miller before, and in a dry wide receiver free agent market, bringing Miller in on a cheap deal would be one of the smartest moves the Patriots could make this offseason.

4. Vonn Bell

As currently constructed, the Patriots are pretty well-stocked at the safety position, but that could change quickly if Devin McCourty ultimately decides to retire this offseason. Even if he does return, the Patriots could end up losing Jabril Peppers, who became more and more involved on defense over the season, which could necessitate the team going after Vonn Bell.

Bell won't be as in demand as his safety partner Jessie Bates III (who is more of a not-so-sneaky good target for the Pats) but his aggressive, in-the-box playstyle is exactly what the Patriots have looked for in their safeties lately. Bell is coming off the best season of his career (77 tackles, 4 INT, 8 PD, 2 FF, 1 FR, 1 sack, 4 TFL, 4 QB hits) and could be a superb addition in New England's secondary.

3. Byron Murphy Jr.

The Patriots managed to get some great rookie campaigns from Marcus Jones and Jack Jones to help their cornerback room overcome the loss of J.C. Jackson, but with Jonathan Jones potentially departing this offseason, it's clear New England needs to plan better for his departure. That makes Byron Murphy Jr. an interesting option for the Pats in free agency.

Murphy played in just nine games in 2022 (36 tackles, 4 PD, 2 FR, 0.5 sacks, 3 TFL, 1 QB hit) but he's proven to be an adept man-to-man corner early in his career. The Patriots are good at getting the most out of underrated corners, and at just 25 years old, it feels like Murphy has upside that New England could look to add to their defense this offseason.

2. Tremaine Edmunds

The Patriots are very familiar with Tremaine Edmunds after he spent the first five seasons with the Buffalo Bills, so they know how good of a player he is. New England already has Ja'Whaun Bentley manning the middle of their defense, but it feels like they could use another middle linebacker to shore things up, which is precisely what Edmunds offers.

Edmunds didn't have a great 2022 campaign (102 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT, 7 PD, 6 TFL, QB hits) but he is an athletic linebacker who can hold up against the run and in coverage as well. Edmunds is a true three-down middle linebacker in the way Bentley isn't, and while it isn't necessarily a pressing need, Edmunds is a sneaky good free agent to pursue on a long-term deal this offseason, as he's only going to be 25 next season as well.

1. Mike McGlinchy

Mac Jones needs better wide receivers to throw to, but he also needs more protection under center as well. Whereas there aren't many good wide receivers available on the free agent market, there are quite a few top-level offensive tackles on the market, and that could lead the Patriots to targeting Mike McGlinchy.

Isaiah Wynn is almost certainly leaving in free agency this offseason, which means the Patriots will have a vacant tackle position to fill. Signing McGlinchy, who is considered one of the better tackles on the market after a strong 2022 campaign, would be the perfect way to fill that need. He's not necessarily a sneaky good player, but considering how Orlando Brown Jr. is drawing the most attention on the tackle market right now, McGlinchy is a somewhat overlooked option that New England should make a move for this offseason.