{"id":16023,"date":"2025-03-02T15:08:19","date_gmt":"2025-03-02T15:08:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=16023"},"modified":"2025-03-02T15:08:19","modified_gmt":"2025-03-02T15:08:19","slug":"patriots-targeting-ronnie-stanley-jamien-sherwood-team-has-kicked-tires-on-d-k-metcalf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=16023","title":{"rendered":"Patriots Targeting Ronnie Stanley, Jamien Sherwood; Team Has “Kicked Tires” On D.K. Metcalf"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\"Patriots<\/p>\n

The Patriots are known to be targeting additions to the offensive and defensive lines this offseason, and new head coach Mike Vrabel<\/strong> 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<\/strong> should Stanley hit the open market.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald also hear that Stanley is one of New England\u2019s top targets. Offensive line play was a major issue for the team in 2024, as the Pats finished 31st in Pro Football Focus\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

If their Stanley pursuit is unsuccessful, Callahan and Kyed say the Patriots are nonetheless comfortable with the Steelers\u2019 Dan Moore<\/strong> or the Vikings\u2019 Cam Robinson<\/strong> \u2013 a New England trade target at the 2024 deadline \u2013 as fallback plans (the team also had interest in the Rams\u2019 Alaric Jackson<\/strong> 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<\/strong> and their rushing attack<\/p>\n

LSU OT Will Campbell<\/strong> is a real possibility for the Patriots\u2019 No. 4 overall selection in April\u2019s draft, with league evaluators seeing Campbell or Michigan DT Mason Graham<\/strong> as the most likely candidates for the pick. If QB-needy teams select both Cam Ward<\/strong> and Shedeur Sanders<\/strong> 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<\/strong> or Colorado cornerback\/wide receiver Travis Hunter<\/strong>).<\/p>\n

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\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

With respect to the linebacker need, the Patriots reportedly \u201ccovet\u201d Jets LB Jamien Sherwood<\/strong>, 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\u2019s 17 games while tallying 158 total tackles \u2013 including a league-leading 98 solo stops \u2013 and 10 tackles for loss while finishing as PFF\u2019s 18th-best LB. The Jets and Sherwood have mutual interest in an extension, though it appears the Pats are eyeing the situation closely.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As for the WR position, there were several reports connecting the Patriots to Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins<\/strong> 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\u2019s deadline.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019 Chris Godwin<\/strong> 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 \u201ckicked the tires\u201d on the Seahawks\u2019 D.K. Metcalf<\/strong>. It is presently unclear if those discussions gained any traction.<\/p>\n

Given New England\u2019s areas of need, it is not surprising that Callahan and Kyed \u2013 whose piece is well-worth a read for Pats fans in particular given its scope and comprehensiveness \u2013 name Eagles DT Milton Williams<\/strong> and 49ers CB Charvarius Ward<\/strong> as several of New England\u2019s other top FA targets.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Patriots are known to be targeting additions to the offensive and defensive lines this offseason, and new head coach …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":16024,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[928,929,888,40,930,931,932,933,934,935,74,918,64,772,936],"class_list":["post-16023","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-new-england-patriots","tag-abdul-carter","tag-alaric-jackson","tag-cam-robinson","tag-charvarius-ward","tag-chris-godwin","tag-d-k-metcalf","tag-dan-moore-jr","tag-jamien-sherwood","tag-mason-graham","tag-milton-williams","tag-new-england-patriots","tag-ronnie-stanley","tag-tee-higgins","tag-travis-hunter","tag-will-campbell"],"yoast_head":"\nPatriots Targeting Ronnie Stanley, Jamien Sherwood; Team Has "Kicked Tires" On D.K. 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