With the probable conclusion of veteran offensive tackle Tyron Smith’s tenure in Dallas, the 33-year-old is poised to enter the free agent market for the first time in his extensive career. One team anticipated to vie for his services is the Patriots, as per Mark Daniels of Mass Live.
Given that both of last season’s starting offensive tackles, Trent Brown and Michael Onwenu, are headed for free agency, addressing the position has become an urgent priority. While pursuing a 13-year veteran who hasn’t played a full season since 2015 may not appear to be the ideal solution to an immediate need, considering the available options in free agency, a short-term fix like Smith might be precisely what’s required.
This year’s free agent pool is not particularly robust in the offensive tackle position. Players like Cincinnati’s Jonah Williams or Washington’s Charles Leno are perhaps the top contenders alongside Smith. Williams may garner the most attention of the trio due to his age, being only 26, but his performance graded notably lower than that of Smith and Leno, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Smith, conversely, was graded as the fourth-best tackle in the league last season and earned second-team All-Pro honors.
Daniels also highlighted two other players as targets for New England, both of whom are impending free agents. According to Daniels, the Patriots are keen on attempting to retain both tight end Hunter Henry and wide receiver Kendrick Bourne.
Henry and Bourne ranked second and third on the team in receiving yards with 419 and 406, respectively, trailing only rookie sixth-round pick Demario Douglas. Notably, both Henry and Bourne outperformed the rookie in the end zone. While Douglas failed to score a touchdown in his inaugural NFL season, Henry led the team with six touchdowns, closely followed by Bourne with four. Although the team is hopeful of extending both players, securing either seems challenging. Daniels reports that negotiations with Henry have hit an impasse, while there’s a discrepancy in market value between the Patriots and Bourne. Given the anticipated interest from other teams, New England risks losing both Henry and Bourne if they’re unwilling to compromise.