The Patriots may have arrived at the top of the AFC a bit early here in 2025. Certainly, the hope always was that New England would rebuild after a pair of 4-13 seasons, some coaching churn from Bill Belichick to Jerod Mayo to Mike Vrabel and the development of quarterback Drake Maye. But few expected the arrival to come in the first half of Vrabel’s first season.
The Patriots certainly spent in the offseason in such a way as to indicate they are serious about getting things turned around. They shelled out more than $300 million in free-agent contract, with well over $120 million in guaranteed money. That’s a dangerous game in the NFL–free agency is the least efficient way to build a team in this league.
But the Patriots hit on multiple players, from Milton Williams and Robert Spillane, to Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins. And what’s more, they were careful with how they structured deals so that, when they arrive at next winter’s free-agent market, they will be positioned to create another $100 million in space to spend and add.
At Spotrac, the contract-expert site, editor Mike Ginnitti gushed this week about where the Patriots are and, more important, where they are headed, especially with a spike in the NFL salary cap expected.
“They have set themselves up for a little bit more free-agency, draft, extension space in 2026, and I guess that’s where I will switch my focus. …” Ginnitti said on “The Spotrac Podcast.” “The Top 51 space looks pretty darn good, there is $66 million and change to work with, that’s with 44 contracts on the books and a few of those could fall off.”
The Patriots are in good shape.
“It’s a well-oiled machine with one of the best quarterbacks in football,” Ginnitti said.
No doubt, it is Drake Maye, who is on his rookie contract, who is driving the positive outlook. Having an MVP-caliber quarterback on a rookie deal is a rare treasure in the NFL. Maye makes $8.3 million this year–16 NFL quarterbacks are getting more than $40 million, including Tua Tagovailoa, Kyler Murray, Kirk Cousins and Deshaun Watson.
The soft schedule the Patriots have faced is a factor, but before the schedule toughens up next year, there will be a chance to toughen the roster, too.
“Overall this is a 9-2 team with the MVP favorite, who is cost-controlled through 2026, they are able to create cap space that will get you upward of $100 million fairly easily with cap conversions on these top hits,” Ginnitti said.
Milton Williams at $29 million and Stefon Diggs at $26 million are slated to be the biggest hits on the Patriots books in 2026, but now that they can say they will be keeping those players, the Patriots can shift some of their commitments around to create a massive swath of space, perhaps to bolster the pass rush or add another top offense weapon.
“Next year, they’ll have a tougher schedule, because they’ll be a division winner and things trickle down from there,” Ginnitti said. “The schedule will be a little more impactful, but so will this roster. One more year of experience, especially if it is playoff experience. Probably one or two impact free agents because of the space they had. You can expect that this is going to be one of the odds-on favorites.”
Patriots-haters, of which there are many, of course, are in for some disappointment, then. Looking at the books and the decisions this franchise has made, Ginnitti noted, “This is not flukey.”
If you weren’t sure exactly how dead set the Philadelphia Eagles are on adding another effective cornerback, their latest move might tell you.
The Eagles made another bold move before the NFL trade deadline on November 4, sending a 2026 sixth round pick to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for 2-time NFL All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander and a 2026 seventh round pick on Saturday, November 1.
It’s the second trade the Eagles made for a cornerback in the last week after sending wide receiver John Metchie III and a 2027 sixth round pick to the New York Jets in exchange for cornerback Michael Carter II and a 2027 seventh round pick.
The Eagles are betting Alexander still has some of the talent left that made him one of the NFL’s elite cornerbacks on the Green Bay Packers from 2018 to 2024 as Philadelphia tries to win a second consecutive Super Bowl.
“Jaire Alexander since 2022: 86.2 coverage grade, 20 forced incompletions. 8 interceptions,” Pro Football Focus wrote on its official X account. “Your newest Philadelphia Eagle.”
The Eagles have struggled all season at the outside cornerback position opposite 2024 first round pick Quinyon Mitchell, who is considered one of the NFL’s elite cover corners.
“A rare in-season Saturday trade: the Ravens are sending former Pro-Bowl CB Jaire Alexander and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Eagles in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick, per sources,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account.
While Alexander has been a dominant player in the past, the last few years of his career have been defined by injuries and being a completely unreliable roster piece.
The Ravens signed Alexander to a 1-year, $4 million contract on June 18 after the Packers released him on June 9 to clear $17.1 million in salary cap space.
Alexander signed a 4-year, $84.1 million contract extension in May 2022 — right before his last All-Pro and Pro Bowl season. He has missed the majority of 3 out of the last 4 seasons due to injuries.
He only played 4 games in 2021 due to a shoulder surgery and other injury/illness issues. In 2023, he missed 10 games with back and shoulder injuries and a 1-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.
Alexander missed 10 games in 2024 with a knee injury, leading to his release.
“The Packers are releasing star CB Jaire Alexander today, sources say,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on his official X account. “The Packers and Jaire Alexander agreed to explore a potential trade this spring, while a restructured contract was also discussed. In the end, Green Bay and Alexander move on with a clean break.”
When Alexander has been healthy, he’s been one of the NFL’s elite cornerbacks.
He was drafted in the first round (No. 18 overall) of the 2018 NFL draft out of Louisville. Alexander had 41 pass deflections through his first 3 seasons, including a career high 17 pass deflections in 2021.
For as good as Alexander has been in the regular season, he’s been even better in the playoffs. In 7 career playoff games, Alexander has 28 tackles, 3 interceptions and 5 pass deflections.
Through the 2025 season, Alexander will have $76.5 million in career earnings.