All the Patriots additions so far

• Signed WR Romeo Doubs: Four-year, $68 million deal
• Signed G Alijah Vera-Tucker: Three-year, $42 million deal
• Signed EDGE Dre’Mont Jones: Three-year, $36.5 million deal
• Signed TE Julian Hill: Three-year, $18 million deal
• Signed FB Reggie Gilliam: Three-year, $10.8 million deal
• Signed S Kevin Byard: One-year, $9 million deal
• Signed LB K.J. Britt: One-year deal
• Signed S Mike Brown: One-yeae, $1.315 million deal

Best move the Patriots have made: Improve the run game

The Patriots’ offense ran entirely through Drake Maye last season. Despite his elite level of play, there comes a point of diminishing returns, and their largely ineffective run game was putting too much on Maye. They have the personnel in Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson, but their blocking last season was ineffective.

It was a clear point of emphasis for them to fix this offseason. Reggie Gilliam is one of the best fullbacks in the league, and both he and Julian Hill should bolster their run blocking in the backfield. Alijah Vera-Tucker was a risky gamble, but if he’s healthy, he is one of the best guards in the NFL and will reshape their offensive line entirely.

New England wanted to help ease the burden of the offense off of Drake Maye’s shoulders, and they’ve done just that this offseason.

The biggest concern: Lack of difference makers

New England has raised the floor of both sides of the ball, particularly with Romeo Doubs and Dre’Mont Jones, but they didn’t really add guys that I would circle as key difference making additions. There’s no arguing they won’t be valuable additions, but neither of them are truly guys that are very good to elite players. The Patriots still have Drake Maye, Milton Williams, and Christian Gonzalez in that category, but I’m hesitant to say any of their moves this offseason really inspire me to think they will be better than last season.

Obviously, they made the Super Bowl last year, but they got shellacked by a much more talented Seahawks’ roster that could send wave of wave after talent after a rather thin Patriots’ team. The rest of the AFC wasn’t entirely idle this offseason either (well, except for whatever the Denver Broncos are doing).

Grading Patriots free agency: B+

Like I wrote above, I think this has been a solid offseason for the Patriots. They have shored up their biggest areas of weakness on both sides of the ball, and have added proven, productive veterans on both sides of the ball.

I don’t think they have improved a great deal from their roster last year, but have done a great job of at least keeping the roster strong enough to remain in contention.