How to fix the Patriots: Everything starts at quarterback and four more steps to get New England on track

Here are five steps that can help bring New England back to relevance in 2021

The 2020 season was, by the standards set in Foxborough over the last 20 years, nothing short of a disaster. For the first time since 2008, the Patriots are set to miss the playoffs, and their latest loss to the Buffalo Bills on Monday night ensured that they will have a losing season for the first time since 2000 (Bill Belichick's first season as head coach). In the aftermath of Tom Brady leaving for Tampa Bay, New England turned the keys to the offense over to Cam Newton, and that produced less than what both sides had hoped for in the partnership. 

Newton was hardly the lone cause for New England's struggles, however, as the entire roster appears to be in shambles, making this offseason a pivotal one for Belichick and his underlings. The good news is that they have money to spend, as they are projected to have the third-most cap space (nearly $72 million) in the league this offseason. Because of this down year, the Patriots will also have one of the higher first-round picks in recent memory to go along with their assortment of selections this spring.

Below, we're going to highlight five things on Belichick's offseason to-do list that should make them a more competitive club as early as 2021. 

1. Fix the QB room

This one is obvious, but it may be even more important than you'd think. Heading into the final week of the season, New England has the third-fewest passing yards in the league, which will of course need to be improved.

For how good of a soldier Cam Newton has been over the course of his first season with the Patriots, he doesn't seem to be the type of quarterback that can bring the Patriots back to prominence. In 2020, the offense was only able to put up points through the ground while Newton was under center, which is unsustainable in today's game. While many of us have clamored for Jarrett Stidham to get a start, Bill Belichick seemingly being uninterested in doing so tells us that he isn't the long-term answer either. That means the next Patriots QB isn't currently on the roster. 

Identifying who that is and bringing him aboard is the critical first step in New England's offseason. Why is that? Well, because the second box that needs to be checked for Belichick is finding elite pass catchers. While the Patriots can match almost any team in the dollars and cents department, if the money is even between them and another squad and New England's quarterback situation is still clouded, why would any receiver choose them? As crazy as this may have sounded a year ago, wouldn't you rather go to Jacksonville (most cap space in the NFL) and join likely No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence than possibly join a Patriots team that couldn't even average 200 yards passing this season? I would. 

As for who they should look at, Jimmy Garoppolo is the obvious name. If he shakes loose, it wouldn't be surprising at all to see Belichick try to bring the quarterback he groomed for this exact period in the club's history back to fulfill his destiny. Matthew Stafford is another name that should be monitored if Detroit decides to go into a total rebuild. In the NFC East, both Dak Prescott and Carson Wentz are a couple of other names that could be available if certain dominos fall. Either of those quarterbacks should be an upgrade over what was in Foxborough this season. 

While the Patriots may be looking for their 2021 starter either on the trade or free-agent market, it'd also be wise for them to double-dip at the position and also address it in the draft. The Patriots currently have the No. 14 pick in the first round, which puts them out of the Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields and Zach Wilson conversation. Our CBS Sports NFL Draft expert Ryan Wilson has New England taking Alabama quarterback Mac Jones.  The connection between Belichick and Nick Saban is obvious with that pick and bringing in a talented, young piece to be paired alongside a Stafford or Garoppolo could help rebuild a sturdy quarterback room for the long haul. 

2. Add elite pass-catching talent 

As we noted above, finding the quarterback is imperative in order to pull this piece of the puzzle off because the Patriots should dive into the free-agent market to address this glaring need. Because New England has struggled to find skill position players in the draft over the last few years, particularly at the wide receiver position, they should just throw that map out the window. While it may be more expensive, they'll have less margin for error by targeting pass-catchers that are already proven in the league. 

Given his age and talent, JuJu Smith-Schuster would be an ideal target. The 24-year-old is going to be an unrestricted free agent and Pittsburgh may not make it a necessity to bring him back or place the franchise tag on him, given how deep the position is on their roster. He would instantly slot in as New England's No. 1 receiver and has shown the ability to post 100-catch seasons of over 1,000 yards. Allen Robinson and Chris Godwin are two other receivers who should be atop the wish list, while Will Fuller, Corey Davis, and Curtis Samuel are on that second tier. 

Of course, the Patriots should not only be beholden to finding pass-catching talent at the receiver position, as tight end has also been a key position in Josh McDaniels' offense in the past. Hunter Henry is an obvious target as Bill Belichick has scouted him essentially since high school, but Jonnu Smith and Robert Tonyan (RFA) would be nice additions to Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene. 

Again, this may be the most costly part of New England's offseason as they likely need to come away with not one but two stud pass-catchers. It's simply a necessity, however, for a team that has the third-fewest explosive pass plays (35) in the NFL heading into Week 17. 

3. Lock up key free agents

The first thing New England should do on defense is place a first-round tender on corner J.C. Jackson, which they almost certainly will. While he has struggled a bit as of late, Jackson seems to be one of the brighter young pieces on the Patriots roster, ranking second in the NFL in interceptions this season. At just 25 years old, Jackson seems destined to eventually blossom into a No. 1 corner, which could happen as soon as next season. Because he is a restricted free agent, New England does have some leverage, but it'd be wise to lock him in long-term. 

Elsewhere on the roster, David Andrews is set to be an unrestricted free agent and should be a priority piece of the offensive line to retain. The starter at center has grown into a leader in New England's locker room and has been a foundational piece to a stellar offensive line when healthy. Starting left guard Joe Thuney was given the franchise tag last offseason and he may be out of the Patriots' price range if he hits the open market. If the two sides can come together on a deal, however, he's obviously a key cog along the O-line.  

In the case of defensive tackle Lawrence Guy, it'll be interesting to see what the 31-year-old decides for his career going forward. But if he wants to play in 2021, he'd be a reliable piece in the middle of that front seven.  

As for players who the Patriots should let walk, James White and Jason McCourty come to mind. While both are fan favorites who have contributed greatly to the organization over their respective tenures, they play positions that the club is fairly deep at and the money could be best spent elsewhere. For White, in particular, he should have a healthy market this offseason, which is good for him personally but not great for his prospects of remaining with the Patriots. 

4. Make a decision on Stephon Gilmore, other vets

This is where things could get a little messy. We've talked about the uncertain future for Stephon Gilmore all season long, and that could come to a head this offseason. The star corner has one more year remaining on his current contract but it'll only pay him $7 million in base salary, which is hardly comparable to his peers. If the Patriots don't want to pay him top dollar as he rolls into his 30s, they could look to move him. A move of that magnitude is also a bit easier if they believe J.C. Jackson can be a legit No. 1 corner. 

While Gilmore's future is in doubt, so are a few other key pieces to prior championships. It's unclear if Julian Edelman, who finished the season on IR and will be 35 by the start of next season, has played his last snap in the NFL. Then there are the opt-outs. It's not a guarantee that Dont'a Hightower returns to the club after opting out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns. By letting the linebacker go, New England could clear around $10 million off their cap. Marcus Cannon could also be expendable as the team could clear almost $5 million in space. 

These are some heavy-hitter names that the Patriots will need to get clarity on early in the offseason process so they can build a roster knowing who they have and who they don't for 2021. 

5. Continue to build the defense through the draft

Let's face it, Belichick and the Patriots can't identify offensive talent at the draft. While it's still important to take stabs at the quarterback position, particularly with some of their higher selections, the Patriots should fade off picking skill position players at the draft and lean towards the more reliable defensive side of the ball. 

Over the last few drafts, the Patriots have been able to find some promising players on defense. In 2020, Kyle Dugger, Josh Uche, and Anfernee Jennings have all shown flashes. Meanwhile, Chase Winovich and Byron Cowart have shown some potential of being starters. It's not perfect, but they have a better batting average identifying defensive players at the draft than they do on offense, which is why this should be their strategy in 2021 where they are projected to have six picks in the first four rounds after the compensatory selections are handed out. 

With the Patriots likely spending big on offense this offseason, they'll need to cut costs somewhere, and finding young talent through the draft is the best way to do it. Doubling down on defense at the draft not only helps relieve the cost of big free-agent signings, but the Patriots could build an up-and-coming defense on the fly if they hit on a few selections.