Top 5 Patriots Worth Retaining in 2025 NFL Free Agency

During the 2024 NFL free agency period, the New England Patriots focused on retaining their own. Eliot Wolf accomplished that goal, bringing many key players back to New England. Wolf ensured he’d have a more manageable number of free agents to focus on in 2025. Seven Patriots signed extensions before being able to test free agency in 2025.

New England traded away three players scheduled to become free agents after this season. Quarterback Mac Jones went to Jacksonville, Matthew Judon headed to Atlanta, and Joshua Uche boarded a flight to Kansas City before the NFL trading deadline. Between extensions and trades, very few Patriots players are scheduled to hit free agency in March.

For purposes of this exercise, the focus is on unrestricted free agents. New England controls the fate of their restricted free agents (Christian Elliss) and exclusive-rights free agents (Alex Austin, Jeremiah Pharms Jr., etc).

Some believe New England already extended everyone they plan on keeping beyond the 2024 season. This might be accurate. But there are players on the roster the team would be wise to retain.

Also Read – Ten Takeaways From the Patriots 30-17 Loss to the Cardinals

Before getting into the list of players who are the top priorities to bring back to New England, a quick apology to those failing to make the list. This is specifically targeted at team captain Deatrich Wise Jr. The defensive end is an unbelievable guy in the locker room and the community. However, his play has significantly diminished over the past two seasons. His quarterback pressures went from 56 in 2022 to 36 in 2023. He’s amassed only 15 through 15 weeks in 2024. Bringing him back for a minor low-money deal would not be an awful move, though it might be time to move on for both sides.

A look at the Top 5 Patriots worth retaining in 2025 NFL free agency.

5. Daniel Ekuale, DT

The defensive tackle lands in the Top 5, thanks to his dependability. He is a run-stuffing lineman who does his job well. Pro Football Focus has credited Ekuale with zero missed tackles in 2024. He’s set career highs this season with 43 tackles, 21 solo. No defensive lineman in the NFL has more tackles this season without a missed tackle.

Daniel Ekuale does not bring much with the pass rush (eight pressures and one sack) but doesn’t need to for effectiveness. Ekuale joins Christian Barmore and Davon Godchaux (both recipients of extensions) to form a solid core in the middle of the defensive line. New England has too many other needs elsewhere to waste time trying to replace a solid contributor.

4. Oshane Ximines, ED

Some may have forgotten Ximines was a member of the New England Patriots. He signed a one-year deal with the New England Patriots during free agency last offseason. Ximines played the first five seasons of his NFL career with the New York Giants.

Oshane Ximines impressed during preseason. He suffered a torn ACL in Week 2 and was done for the season after only 14 defensive snaps. This return assumes New England is comfortable with Ximines making a full recovery. They are a team desperate for pass-rushing help, especially after trading away Matthew Judon and Joshua Uche. The Patriots should look to assist themselves here by other means as well, but Ximines would be a low-cost option with the potential to far outplay his contract.

3. Jacoby Brissett, QB

In 2025, there will be no quarterback controversy for the New England Patriots. Drake Maye is going to be QB1 in Foxboro, barring something unforeseen, for some time to tell. Rookie Joe Milton III is likely to be back with next year’s team too. But the Patriots could still use a veteran in the room with the two youngsters. Why not stick with Brissett?

Jacoby Brissett started the first five games of the season for New England. He proved to be exactly what people expected him to be (or at least should have). He’s an excellent leader and very tough. He limits mistakes. Brissett doesn’t generate many big plays himself, but that is part of the reason he is better suited to be a reliable backup and great locker-room guy than anyone’s starter. If his working relationship with Maye and Milton is as good as it appears, there is no reason not to bring him back next season.

2. Austin Hooper, TE

New England has Hunter Henry returning as the team’s primary tight end. Rookie Jaheim Bell will get every opportunity to make the team and play a larger role in 2025, too. This holds especially true if Eliot Wolf, who drafted him, returns for a second season.

Austin Hooper proved himself to be Wolf’s best outside signing from free agency in 2024. He’s caught 34 passes for 375 yards and three touchdowns this season. If a team offers Hooper a lucrative deal or a chance to win a championship, he could exit. But Hooper’s played for four different franchises over the past four seasons. He fills his role well and is a solid contributor. As is the case with Daniel Ekuale, why focus on upgrading situations where problems don’t exist when the team has so many other issues that need addressing?

1. Jonathan Jones, DB

Eliot Wolf not extending Jonathan Jones came as a surprise here. The 31-year-old veteran is closer to the end of his NFL career than the start, but he still has quality football in him. New England gave center David Andrews a one-year extension to avoid having him hit free agency in 2025. Why didn’t Jones receive something similar?

Jones remains a dependable NFL defensive back. He’s played more safety this season than ever before, though he remains primarily a cornerback. New England has Christian Gonzalez and Marcus Jones locked in for two cornerback jobs. Have the team’s young corners shown enough to move on from Jonathan Jones, even if they add another new player or two?

The New England Patriots last won a Super Bowl in 2018. That is not long in real life, but quite a while in NFL years. Only three Patriots players remain with two Super Bowl rings: David Andrews, Joe Cardona, and Jonathan Jones. Keeping a veteran leader with a winning pedigree on the roster, who is versatile, productive, and accountable, should be a no-brainer. Jones should already be signed for 2025, and the idea of him being a team captain next season makes more sense than seeing him play elsewhere.