This week’s Mailbag focuses on players who could be joining the Patriots’ roster both in the short-term and long-term.

Welcome into this week’s 98.5 The Sports Hub Patriots Mailbag! Coming off of a 24-3 loss to the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football in Week 3 in which New England looked outmatched in all three phases of the game, many fans are wondering if and where this team can find help up and down the roster. That applies in both the short and long term. This week’s mailbag has roster questions ranging from this week to this upcoming offseason.

There is an important roster checkpoint coming up next week. Players who began the season on IR, PUP, NFI, etc. are eligible to return starting in Week 5. That could offer some help in the short-term.

In the long-term, we’re still a ways away from the team having to make offseason decisions. However, it’s good to know what names to keep an eye on leading up to that – especially when it comes to college football and the draft.

What personnel questions are facing the team in the near and not-so-near future? Let’s get into it in this week’s Mailbag…

LISTEN: Barth & Dolloff react to the Week 3 loss

• David Jacobs on X (formerly Twitter): "How much does Bourne really influence this offense when he comes back? / X"

  How much does Bourne really influence this offense when he comes back?

  Kendrick Bourne is eligible to return from PUP starting next week. That’s still about a month shy of  a full year since last year’s ACL tear, but Jerod Mayo sounds encouraged by his progress. “He’s making great progress,” Mayo said on Monday. “He’s running fast. He looks good in his routes. When he’s ready to be out there, he’ll be out there.” That certainly makes it sound like Bourne will be back sooner rather than later, even if it’s not right at Week 5. 

  When Bourne does return, he should become the Patriots’ top receiver. He’s their most experienced player at the position, and was right there with DeMario Douglas for the most explosive prior to his knee injury. The problem is, Bourne is at his best in the intermediate and deep parts of the field. He should still be able to get open there, but the Patriots’ quarterbacks will need to have enough time to get it to him there – something they don’t have right now behind the current offensive line. 

• Steve L'Heureux @NHLBruins 🥃 on X (formerly Twitter): "With Bourne sounding like he is coming back as soon as next Monday, what happens to WR room when he is activated? Feels like Boutte or Thornton will be odd man out (cut, re-sign prax squad?). What will it take for Baker to get some reps in real game? / X"

  With Bourne sounding like he is coming back as soon as next Monday, what happens to WR room when he is activated? Feels like Boutte or Thornton will be odd man out (cut, re-sign prax squad?). What will it take for Baker to get some reps in real game?

  The Patriots will need to open up a roster spot for Kendrick Bourne when he comes back. I wouldn’t entirely rule out them opening a roster spot at another position if they have an opportunity (ex. player going on IR) but Kayshon Boutte is most likely the odd man out at wide receiver. Stylistically he’s very similar to Bourne, and as things stand right now he’s not getting snaps to begin with. If the Patriots do cut him, he’d be a candidate to return on the practice squad. 

  As for Javon Baker, he’ll need to prove in practice the team should give him more time on the field. If he can do that he could put pressure on Tyquan Thornton, who hasn’t produced explosive plays at the ‘X’ position to this point. 

• Kleaver Sports on X (formerly Twitter): "How concerned should we really be about Andrews and Onwenu when those two should theoretically be our best linemen but have been about as bad as everyone else / X"

  How concerned should we really be about Andrews and Onwenu when those two should theoretically be our best linemen but have been about as bad as everyone else

  When it comes to Mike Onwenu the concern level relates to where he’s playing. Through three games it looks clear he’s at his best when he’s at guard, with the drop-off to the tackle position steeper than it’s been in past years. Assuming the team can get him back inside to guard (more on that in a bit) I’d expect him to rebound. If he ends up staying at tackle, then there’s legitimate concern. 

  As for David Andrews, he had a rough game against All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams but wasn’t bad in the other two games. He’s definitely showing his age a bit, but not to the point where he’s at risk of becoming a liability. 

• Matt Klayman on X (formerly Twitter): "what do you believe are the best short-term and long-term solutions for the offensive line? / X"

  what do you believe are the best short-term and long-term solutions for the offensive line?

  Good question Matt. Short-term, the Patriots may have enough information at this point to get to their ‘best five.’ A reminder, the ‘best five’ doesn’t mean a group that is necessarily going to excel, but is simply going to put out the best performance of the players available on the roster. Through three games a potential ‘best five’ has emerged almost by default. These five players haven’t played together yet, but all look to be the best options at their respective positions…

  LT: Vederian Lowe
  LG: Michael Jordan (Sidy Sow when healthy)
  C: David Andrews
  RG: Mike Onwenu
  RT: Caedan Wallace

  For one thing, in that setup nobody is playing out of position. Everybody is in a spot to maximize their skillsets. It also gives the Patriots good power up the middle, which will help for a team that should and will run the ball at a high rate. 

  That’s a line that should be able to get them through this season. Long-term, the left tackle position needs to be addressed after years of temporary measures. That should be where the Patriots look at the top of the draft.

  Right tackle is TBD. If Wallace shows promise this year, it would make sense to keep him in the spot in 2025. If not, the Patriots will need another tackle. 

  Then there’s center. David Andrews is 32 years old. He just signed a contract extension so he may plan on coming back next year, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Patriots to start looking ahead for his replacement, potentially drafting a center in the middle rounds this year to start developing him behind the scenes. 

• After The Huddle on X (formerly Twitter): "Whats more likely we do in the draft and FA? Do we draft a LT to grow with maye and WR in FA or Vice versa? / X"

  Whats more likely we do in the draft and FA? Do we draft a LT to grow with maye and WR in FA or Vice versa?

  I’ve seen this question a lot with Patriots fans, but it really comes down to availability. Starting caliber tackles – especially left tackles – rarely become available in the modern NFL with such a shortage at the position around the league. Meanwhile, multiple start receivers have become available each of the last few offseason – even if some didn’t end up ultimately moving. 

  Meanwhile, this upcoming draft projects to have multiple potential franchise left tackles. It makes much more sense to make one of those players (namely Will Campbell from LSU or Kelvin Banks from Texas) the target and find a veteran wide receiver via free agency or (more likely) a trade. 

• Will Malone on X (formerly Twitter): "Besides LT and an Edge Rusher, what position do you think gets the most attention next year? / X"

  Besides LT and an Edge Rusher, what position do you think gets the most attention next year?

  Right now (and it’s still very early) the Patriots’ big three needs for next offseason are shaping up to be – in order – left tackle, wide receiver, and edge rusher. After that boundary cornerback, center, tight end, and running back are other positions we’ll likely be talking about a good amount in the spring. 

• Dave on X (formerly Twitter): "When does Elliot wolf's seat start getting hot? / X"

  When does Elliot wolf's seat start getting hot?

  It was always going to take more than one offseason to get this Patriots’ roster where it needs to be. I don’t think Eliot Wolf faces serious questions about his job during this season (although criticisms about the 2024 offseason plan, in particular the plan for the offensive line, are fair) unless Drake Maye ends up playing and looking like a complete disaster. To me, the real evaluation comes in the spring. If it’s another offseason without a major commitment to upgrading the offensive line – this time without a quarterback need in the way – then the heat should really get turned up.

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